1Hirome Market

A representative tourist attraction in Kochi City. An indoor market with around 60 shops

This indoor market is located at the western end of Obiyamachi Arcade in the center of Kochi City. There are about 60 restaurants and souvenir shops, and you can enjoy Kochi's delicacies such as seared bonito and moray eel dishes along with alcohol.

Hirome Market is a familiar place for the people of Kochi, frequented not only by tourists but also by locals. The reason for its popularity is that it has the liveliness of a food stall village and the casualness of a food court. Since there are shared tables, you can buy a glass of beer and one or two snacks for a quick drink by yourself, or if you want to have a proper drink with a group of people, you can choose food from the many restaurants depending on your mood at the time. It's extremely convenient.

The key is to secure a seat first

First, when you arrive at Hirome Market, it's a good idea to check if there are any vacant shared tables. However, seats may fill up at lunchtime or in the evening. In that case, if you find an empty seat at a shared table with other customers, you can boldly ask to share a table and enjoy a drink together, which is one of the joys of Hirome Market.
Also, the food and drink areas in each store are actually a hidden gem. If you order a drink at the store, you may be able to bring in food from other stores, so check if you can bring your own food and drink there.

Hirome Market

• https://hirome.co.jp
• 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 3 minutes walk from Ohashidori Station of Tosaden Transportation
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Ohashi-dori" and walk for about 3 minutes
• 10:00-23:00, Sunday 9:00-23:00 *Varies by store
• Approximately 6 days per year *Varies by store
• 088-822-5287
• Paid

2Yairo-tei

Enjoy Shiotataki at a famous bonito restaurant that is popular among locals

This famous restaurant opened when Hirome Market opened in 1998. It is well supported by locals, and many say, "If you want to eat seared bonito, this is the place to go!"

The reason for its popularity is the freshness and quality of the bonito. They carefully select raw bonito caught in nearby waters and serve it as seared bonito grilled over straw or as sashimi. Their signature seared bonito is thickly cut and moist and tender, with just the right amount of salt to enhance its flavor. The smoky flavor of the straw-grilled bonito that wafts through your nose whets your appetite even more.

A wide selection of local delicacies that go well with alcohol

In addition to the bonito menu, there are many other Kochi specialties on offer. There are plenty of dishes that are perfect as snacks, such as fried small sardines, green laver tempura, deep-fried river shrimp, and even crab cream croquettes handmade by the head chef. Why not try them with some local sake?
They also offer noodle dishes such as "Hachikin Ramen" and "Shimanto Ramen" made with "Tosa Hachikin chicken" and vegetables from Kochi. The wide variety of dishes on offer is also appealing, making this a restaurant you'll want to visit again and again.

Yairo-tei

• https://hirome.co.jp/shop-details.php?id=36
• 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 3 minutes walk from Ohashidori Station of Tosaden Transportation
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Ohashi-dori" and walk for about 3 minutes
• 10:00-21:30 (last orders), Sunday 9:00-21:00 (last orders)
• Same as Hirome Market
• 088-871-3434
• Paid (Hirome Market)

3Myojinmaru Hirome Market Store

A Tosa tradition of line fishing. A specialty store of straw-grilled seared bonito, representative of Kochi

It was founded in 2000 as the food and beverage division of Myojin Suisan, a line-caught bonito fishing company. It is now a famous restaurant known throughout the country for its seared bonito.

Many people always order the "Shio Tataki," a simple salt-flavored version of seared bonito, said to have originated at "Myojinmaru." Myojinmaru is particular about serving the bonito in a "yakikiri" style, freshly grilled over straw and still slightly warm. The bonito, with its fragrant straw-grilled aroma, is dipped in sun-dried salt from Kuroshio Town, Kochi Prefecture, as well as wasabi and yuzu juice.

A live straw-grilling performance will whet your appetite

Myojinmaru is also famous for its live performance of bonito grilled over straw. The excitement of watching the bonito being grilled right in front of you will whet your appetite. The bonito is grilled at a high temperature of about 800 to 1,000 degrees, so they pursue both the strength of the heat and the aroma of the grilled fish, and they use straw grown on their own farm for the straw grilling. Other ingredients are also carefully selected from Kochi Prefecture as much as possible, highlighting their thorough commitment to deliciousness.
The bonito tataki is also served with rice dishes such as "Salted tataki rice bowl" and "Salted tataki nigiri." You can enjoy the charm of bonito in a variety of ways.

Myojinmaru Hirome Market Store

• https://myojinmaru.jp
• 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 3 minutes walk from Ohashidori Station of Tosaden Transportation
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Ohashi-dori" and walk for about 3 minutes
• 11:00-21:00, Sunday 10:00-20:00
• Same as Hirome Market
• Paid (Hirome Market)

4Motoikezawa Hirome Market Store

A fresh fish store with a wide variety of food menu items, including rice bowls and set meals

This shop is run by a long-established local fishmonger that was founded in 1925 (Taisho 14). They stock high-quality fresh fish thanks to the discerning eye they have developed over many years of history.

At Hirome Market, you can try a variety of rice bowls and set meals made with local fish. One of the most popular dishes is the "Tosa rice bowl," which is topped with thickly cut seared bonito, dorome (raw baby sardines), and plenty of boiled whitebait. The rice used is Niida rice, a local brand of rice with a gentle sweetness and rich aroma. It is popular because you can taste the delicious flavors of Kochi all in one rice bowl.

Along with the delicious food of Kochi, try the local sake too

Other dishes on the menu include "Seared Bonito Rice Bowl," "Kamaage Shirasu Rice Bowl," and "Salt-Seared Set Meal," all perfect for a filling lunch. There is also a full selection of dishes that go well with alcohol, such as "Maigogai," "Kibinago Tempura," and "Katsuobushi," which are popular local dishes. There is also a wide selection of local sake from breweries all over the prefecture, and the "Sake Tasting Set," which allows you to try three or five types of local sake, is a recommended menu for those visiting from outside the prefecture, as it allows you to enjoy popular brands from Kochi Prefecture all at once.

Motoikezawa Hirome Market Store

• http://www.ikezawa.co.jp
• 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 3 minutes walk from Ohashidori Station of Tosaden Transportation
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Ohashi-dori" and walk for about 3 minutes
• 10:00-22:00 (last order 21:30), 9:00- on Sundays
• Hirome Market closed days, New Year's holidays
• 088-872-0772
• Paid (Hirome Market)

5Hirome Market Chinmidou

A dazzling array of delicacies and fresh fish

This store boasts the largest sales floor area in Hirome Market. As the store name suggests, it sells a wide range of items, including delicacies, seafood, noodle dishes, local sake, and even souvenirs.

What you'll want to try here are a variety of local delicacies that are rarely seen in other prefectures. Just looking at the storefront is enough to get you excited, with a wide selection including seared moray eel, seared whale, tokobushi (fish paste made from dried sea bream) called nagareko, sake kasu (sake kasu made from bonito), and young conger eels called noresore. Including rice dishes and local sake, there are about 200 different items on the menu.

The specialty udon is also recommended as a final dish.

Not only is there a huge selection of items, but each one is also beautifully presented. The products lined up in the showcase look very fresh, and you'll find yourself reaching for one thing to pair with your drink.

Udon noodles are also a specialty, and many people order them as a finishing touch after a night of drinking. At just 350 yen per bowl, many regulars order udon noodles with a side dish at lunchtime. Another appeal of Chinmidou is the ease with which you can choose a meal to suit your mood or the occasion.

Hirome Market Chinmidou

• 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 3 minutes walk from Ohashidori Station of Tosaden Transportation
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Ohashi-dori" and walk for about 3 minutes
• 10:00-23:00 (last orders), 9:00-22:30 (Sundays)
• Same as Hirome Market
• 088-872-0266
• Paid (Hirome Market)
• The products listed may not be available at certain times.

6Sweets Restaurant Manten no Hoshi

Take a break with some roasted green tea sweets

A cafe where you can enjoy sweets made with hojicha tea from Tsuno Town in the central-western part of Kochi Prefecture. A recommended dessert that you can casually enjoy is the "Hojicha Soft Serve Ice Cream," which has an addictive roasted hojicha tea aroma and slight bitterness. It is milky yet has a refreshing aftertaste, making it perfect for after a meal. The wooden spoon that comes with it is shaped like Sakamoto Ryoma, which really lifts your spirits.
Other items available include Hojicha Roll Cake and Hojicha Chiffon Cake, which can be paired with your choice of drink for a reasonable 1,000 yen.

You can drop in whenever you want to have a drink.

In addition to sweets, they also have a wide selection of snacks and rice dishes that go well with alcohol. They have a wide selection of Kochi-style snacks to go with alcohol, such as "bonito jerky," "Tosa-maki" (bonito rolled in rice), and dishes using "Shimanto chicken" and "Shimanto pork."

What's more, if you order a drink, you can bring in products purchased at other stores in Hirome Market. The shop is located in the northernmost part of Hirome Market, in a relatively quiet zone, so you can sit back and relax while enjoying your sweets and drinks. This is a place you'll want to remember when you want to take a break.

Sweets Restaurant Manten no Hoshi

• http://www.manten-hoshi.jp
• 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 3 minutes walk from Ohashidori Station of Tosaden Transportation
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Ohashi-dori" and walk for about 3 minutes
• 11:30〜23:00
• Same as Hirome Market
• 088-821-6621
• Paid (Hirome Market)

7Kuroshio Products Hirome Market

Imokenpi, a Kochi specialty with a rich variety of flavors

The shop is known for its handmade sweet potato chips, a specialty of Kochi Prefecture. In the center of the shop stands a tower of the specialty sweet potato chips.

The imokenpi are available in about 15 different flavors, including plain, black sesame, and chocolate. Some of the flavors use Kochi Prefecture's specialty products, such as yuzu from Umajimura in the eastern part of the prefecture, and ginger, which is one of the leading producers of ginger in the country. As of 2024, the most popular flavor is the sweet and salty one, which uses Java Sea dried salt, which the president himself carefully selected from natural salts around the world, and the more you eat it, the more addictive the flavor becomes.

The deliciousness of homemade food, loved by people of all ages and genders

Imokenpi is handmade and contains no additives or preservatives. It is made using local specialty products, and is not only delicious, but also has a crispy texture with just the right amount of hardness. The sweet potato used is "Kogane Sengan," which is deep-fried in high-quality oil to create a light texture. It is a delicious treat that is loved by people of all ages.

In addition to sweet potato chips, there are plenty of other items perfect for souvenirs, such as local sweets, specialty products, and processed bonito products. Look for the sweet potato chips tower as a landmark and be sure to stop by.

Kuroshio Bussan

• https://hirome.co.jp/shop-details.php?id=4
• 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 3 minutes walk from Ohashidori Station of Tosaden Transportation
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Ohashi-dori" and walk for about 3 minutes
• 10:00〜18:00
• Wednesdays, Hirome Market closed days
• 088-820-6575
• Paid (Hirome Market)

8Tosa Select Shop Tencos

A great place to find souvenirs from Kochi Prefecture.

Located about a 10-minute walk from Hirome Market, this is the perfect place to look for souvenirs. This is a select shop that carries specialty products from all over Kochi Prefecture, including famous sweets, food, local sake, and miscellaneous goods. A wide variety of products are lined up in a small space, and there are plenty of attractive items that you'll want to pick up.
The store handles a whopping 2,200 items. All of these items have been carefully selected by Staff/staff member, who have traveled all over the country to find the items they themselves would want to buy. You can find thoughtful souvenirs for a wide range of people, including those who love cooking, those with a sweet tooth, and even those who like alcohol.

A wide variety of products that are fun to look at

The interior of the store is displayed by category, such as sweets, alcohol, and miscellaneous goods, and it is fun just to look around. You will be excited by the unique items collected from 34 cities and towns in the prefecture, such as bath salts made with yuzu from Umajimura, craft beer "TOSACO" made in Tosayamada town, seasonings from popular cafe "Le Cafe Che" known only to those in the know in Kami city, and even Naruko, which is indispensable for the "Yosakoi Festival" held in Kochi city in the summer.
The shop is open all year round, so it's definitely a spot you should stop by when you visit Hirome Market.

Tosa Select Shop Tencos

• https://tencosu.com
• 1-11-40 Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 6 minutes by car from JR Kochi Station
  About 4 minutes walk from Tosaden Transportation Harimaya Station
• Take a local bus from JR Kochi Station, get off at "Sakaimachi" and walk for about 2 minutes
• 10:00〜19:00
• Open daily
• 088-855-5411
• none