Itoman City Market

 

In a recent trip to Itoman City to observe some of the Lunar New Year celebrations we stumbled upon the Itoman City Market. The market place consists of 3 or 4 buildings all featuring various goods. There is a fish market, farmers market, souvenir shop and food. I was quite surprised to find the location so I thought that it would be something interesting and fun to add to the blog if you happen to find yourself in the area.


 

 

There's no denying that the Itoman City Market is out of the way unless you happen to live in the immediate area. The only other scenario that may lead you in this direction is if you happen to have a late flight and are looking to kill some time or are just exploring in the southern part of the island.Either way I hope that this information will help you decide whether or not you want to make a stop here if you happen to pass by.

Itoman City Market - Souvenir Shop 

The first shop which is likely to catch your eye is pictured above. This shop contains various souvenirs from around Okinawa. Everything from pottery, shirts, salts and soaps can be found. There are also a variety of child friendly items which you may also find at convenience stores in the resort towns on the island.

Although there were a number of products which I have seen a million times between convenience stores and Kokusai Street alone there were also a variety of other goods which were unique. Like many other places where you can pick up something to remember your trip on Okinawa prices vary depending on what it is that you want to purchase. There were items for every budget ranging from the child on a school trip successful business men.

Fish Market 

Itoman is known for being a fisherman's town and so it seems like a great place to pick up some fresh fish. Like other fish markets here on Okinawa it's hard to say what to expect because one day the market could be overflowing and the next not so much. What I can say is that there was a relatively large selection at least on the day that I was there.

Food

No market place would be complete without a nice helping of some local quick service favorites. The Itoman City Market is no exception. Here there are a variety of food stands serving up different options to enjoy. Unfortunately, between being on a diet and the large crowds enjoying their early dinner, I did not get a close look at what was available for food options although I do distinctly remember Okinawa Soba and rice bowls of various kinds.



Farmers Market 

The last building that we visited was the farmer's market. Farmers markets here in Okinawa tend to look very much like this with wooden shelves holding plastic bind of produce and other goods. They also tend to be set up like a standard grocery store with aisles as pictured above. There was a large selection at this particular market although being there at the end of the day (any time before 4PM) means that the shelves were almost picked clean of many items.

We strolled through the aisles to see if there was anything we needed for our dinner table. Produce looked very good however we found that although some items were selling at a lower price then we might find at a grocery store in our area some prices were significantly higher.

Other Offerings

Aside from what was in the buildings there were a great deal of vendors outside as well. One of the most notable was a flower and potting supply vendor. They were selling a variety of goods to include various flowers such as hibiscus and orchids. They were also selling potting supplies and flower care products. The prices were certainly reasonable and I would have purchased from this vendor if I had the need. The flowers themselves were also in great shape and well maintained.

The Important Stuff

Now that we've talked about all those things that the area has to offer let's talk about those important details. First and foremost the Itoman City Market has a great deal of parking making it easy for you to avoid wasting time driving in circles. There is also a restroom area in the event that nature calls. On hot summer days you can enjoy a cold drink from one of the many vending machines in the area. For those families which stumble on this market there are grassy areas for the kiddles to play while mom or dad goes to grab something from inside a shop and even tables to rest and enjoy a snack.

Should You Go

If you happen to be in the area and are either looking for something to remember your trip to Okinawa or want to get some fresh veggies for tonight's dinner I say "GO FOR IT"! However, I would not necessarily say that this is a sight to see on it's own so if you want to check it out but aren't already in the area I suggest planning to see some of the surrounding areas as well so that the trip is worth your while.

Farmers Stands: What are they and how do I use them?

During your time here in Okinawa if you venture off the beaten path you might find yourself on winding roads that run through the farm lands. On occasion you might even see one of these:


This is a farmer's stand. I am sure that it has a specific name in Japanese but for all intents and purposes I assume that "farmer's stand" will do the job just fine. They are more common in some parts of Okinawa then others which can make them a rare sight but they are out there nonetheless.

What do they look like? 

It's pretty easy to know that you've stumbled upon one of these farmers stands because they all share some basic characteristics. Generally speaking these stands are made of wood (at least all the ones I've seen), have a cover to protect from the elements and have at least two shelves. They are also usually located on the side of the street making it easy for passers by to check out what they have to offer. Finally you'll notice some type of locked container with a slot in it. In each stand you could see any number of veggies or even fruit which is grown in the immediate area. I have seen kabocha (or what you might know as Japanese Pumpkin), mikans, cabbage, eggplant and more. Sometimes the produce is in a basket like in the picture above or other times it might just be on the stand itself.

How do I buy something? 

Buying something from one of these stands is relatively easy. If you happen to see something you like or that would make a great addition to tonight's dinner table go right up and take a look. There may be price tags on each item itself or you may see a large sign with a price above the stand itself indicating that everything in the stand comes with a price tag of "X" number of yen. Once you know what it is you want put the appropriate amount of yen in the slot and that's it. . . you're done.

It's important to note that you obviously cannot get change which is why in many cases the prices are in the one coin range (¥500, ¥100).  You also don't want to pay with anything other than yen.

There are some who say that it's also common courtesy to say "Arigatou" out loud so that the person who the stand belongs to can hear that you have made a purchase. I think that this is a great idea although you may find that this is best suited for stands which are closer to a person's residence rather then ones like what was pictured above and surrounded by nothing but fields.

How is the quality?

You can expect pretty decent quality when purchasing something from one of these stands. In the past few months alone I have passed by a few of them and although I did not make purchases at all of them I did take a close look to see what was available and it all looked really good. I can honestly say that if I was living in an area where there was one of these stands down the road I would take the time to see what they had every day and work those items into the menu. You also can't beat the price either!

Where are they? 

Unfortunately for people like me who live in the city these stands are usually found tucked away in the farm lands of Okinawa. I have seen a few just outside the major cities but have yet to find any in the south central area. You're more likely to find these types of stands in the more north and south ends of the island where the cities have some space in between for farmers to do what they do best. You can also find stands like this on some of Okinawa's smaller islands which can be accessed via car.