Japanese New Year’s Osechi Ryori: Shopping for Vegetables at Kyoto Wholesale Food Market with Kichisen Owner Yoshimi Tanigawa
At Kichisen, they start shopping for ingredients for osechi in July. Most all shopping is done at the Kyoto Central Wholesale Market. After ordering seafood, Kichisen master Tanigawa heads over to the vegetable section to purchase the finest Kyo-yasai, or Kyoto vegetables for his Japanese New Year’s Osechi. On the way back to Kichisen, we stop in at a favorite ramen shop for breakfast and I get a lesson on how to eat ramen properly.
Master Chef’s Daily Routine
We continue our visit to the Kyoto Wholesale Food Market with Kichisen owner and master chef, Yoshimi Tanigawa. Part 1 is about morning prayers and selecting fish for osechi.
Kichisen Osechi: Searching the Kyoto Vegetable Section
Kichisen Osechi: Kyoto Vegetable Section
Kichisen Osechi: Tanigawa Chats with Vegetable Vendor
In many shops, the kerosene stove is a popular destination for both staff and customers.
Kichisen Osechi:
Kichisen Osechi: Kuwai
Kichisen Osechi: Maru Daikon and Kintoki Ninjin Carrot
Kichisen Osechi: Saya Ingen
Kichisen Osechi: Ingen Mame
Kichisen Osechi: Mini Daikon
Kichisen Osechi:
Kichisen Osechi: Rape Blossoms, Nanohana
Kichisen Osechi: Red Turnip, Aka Kabura
Kichisen Osechi: Turnip, Kabura
Kichisen Osechi: Osechi Kyo-yasai, Ebi Imo
The nine boxes in the center ar filled with ebi-imo, literally ‘shrimp potato’.
Kichisen Osechi: @Young Bamboo Shoot, Waka Takenoko
Kichisen uses fresh, ‘winter bamboo shoots’ from Kyoto — we had never heard of these before.
Kichisen Osechi: Kyoto Fruit Section
Kichisen Osechi: Dried Persimmons, Hoshigaki
Dried persimmon are used in a New Year’s decoration called Kagami Mochi.
Kichisen Osechi: Kumquat, Kinkan
Candied kumquat are an important feature of osechi.
Kichisen Osechi: Japanese Citrus, Yuzu
Kichisen’s osechi has candied yuzu peel in it, which we had never heard of.
Ramen Breakfast
We stopped in at a ramen shop near Kyoto Station for breakfast and there I realized that I had been eating ramen ‘the wrong way’ all these years. I always mix everything up before I start eating, but Tanigawa told me that the best way to enjoy the variety of ingredients is from the middle of the bowl, pull up the noodles with whatever ingredients happen to be on top. Interesting.
Kichisen Osechi: Ramen Breakfast
Kichisen Osechi: Ramen Breakfast
I asked if it was alright to take his photo eating ramen, thinking that it might be scandalous.
Kichisen Osechi: Ramen Breakfast
Back at Kichisen
Upon hearing the car horn while we passed by on the other side of the street, the students rush out and assemble to unload and clean the vehicle.
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading
If you look down into the basement garage you can see the master’s punching bag and red Ferrari.
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading and Accounting
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading and Accounting
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading and Accounting
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading and Accounting – Kumquats
These will go into osechi, they were ordered from southern Japan. The kumquats having the green leaves still attached is essential for osechi.
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading – Kyoto Ice
Kichisen Osechi: Unloading – Live Eels
These eels will be cooked for Tanigawa’s aging dogs.
Thanks for this wonderful on-going story about Tanigawa’s osechi. It is fascinating to see behind the scenes with each step. Loved the tidbit about the aging dogs getting cooked eels. If you can, would you explain about the Kyoto ice. It is perfect in the photograph. How does Tanigawa use it?
Keep up the great work. There is always something new for me to learn with each posting.
Happy New Year to all of you at Kyoto Foodie!
Hello Mora, thanks so much for the encouragement! About the ice, wait a few more days please. We have a really great photo of Kichisen’s Crab Amid the Snow dish that says it all! Peko-P
Thanks again for this series! I was just wondering what “Kuwai” is? I tried to look it up but I have never seen this type of food before.