Local Guide
OMO staff will teach you how to make the most of your time in Kochi! Recommended restaurants and how to get around

Encountering gastronomic delights that can only be experienced in a particular area is one of the best parts of traveling. If you are looking for such delicious encounters in Kochi City, the first place you should visit is Hirome Market. It is an indoor market where you can find a wide variety of local delicacies, and about 60 stores are crammed into the market. Here, OMO7 Kochi by Hoshino Resorts staff members who love Hirome Ichiba will show you how to enjoy the market and recommend some of its stores. We will also introduce some stores where you can find a variety of Kochi souvenirs.

One of Kochi City's representative tourist attractions. Indoor market with about 60 shops.

The store is bustling with people as soon as it opens, both on weekdays and weekends. Opening hours vary by store.
The store is bustling with people as soon as it opens, both on weekdays and weekends. Opening hours vary by store.

Located at the west end of the Obiyacho Arcade in the center of Kochi City, this indoor market features about 60 restaurants and souvenir stores, where you can enjoy Kochi's famous delicacies such as bonito tataki and moray eel dishes with sake.

Hirome Market is so familiar to Kochi citizens that not only tourists but also locals frequent the market. The reason for its popularity can be attributed to the lively atmosphere of a food stall village and the casual atmosphere of a food court. The shared tables make it easy to buy a beer and a snack or two and have a quick drink by yourself, or if you want to drink with several people, you can choose from a wide variety of restaurants and choose the dishes that suit your mood.

The key is to get a seat first.

The building is equipped with a tableware return rack, and staff patrolling the building will clean up your dishes after eating and drinking as needed.
The building is equipped with a tableware return rack, and staff patrolling the building will clean up your dishes after eating and drinking as needed.

When you first arrive at Hirome Market, it is a good idea to check to see if there are any shared tables available. However, the seats may fill up during lunchtime or later in the evening. In that case, if you find an empty seat at a shared table with a customer ahead of you, boldly offer to share a table and share a drink with them, which is one of the best parts of visiting Hirome Market.
In addition, the eating and drinking areas in each store are actually good spots. You may be able to bring in food from other stores if you order drinks from that store, so check to see if you can bring your own food and use it.

Hirome Market
  • Address 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 8 minutes drive from JR Kochi Station
    Approx. 3 min. walk from Tosaden Kotsu Ohashi-dori Stn.
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Ohashi-dori bus stop after taking a local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Business hours 10:00-23:00, Sundays 9:00-23:00 *Varies by store
  • Closed About 6 days a year *Depends on the store
  • TEL 088-822-5287
  • Parking Charged

With so many stores to choose from, many first-timers are not sure where to go. The staff of OMO7 Kochi by Hoshino Resorts, who have visited Hirome Ichiba many times, have carefully selected their recommendations from among the many stores. We hope you will try them in the following order.

Eat shio tataki at a famous bonito restaurant with a high local support rate.

Shio tataki (6 slices): 1,560 yen. The signature bonito tataki is available with salt and sauce. Served with garlic and wasabi.
Shio tataki (6 slices): 1,560 yen. The signature bonito tataki is available with salt and sauce. Served with garlic and wasabi.

This famous restaurant set up store at the same time as the opening of Hirome Ichiba in 1998 (Heisei 10). It has a strong local following, with many people saying, "If you want to eat bonito tataki, this is the place to go! The reason for the restaurant's reputation is, without a doubt, its bonito tataki.

The reason for its reputation is the freshness and quality of the bonito. The restaurant carefully selects fresh bonito caught in the surrounding seas and serves it as straw-baked tataki and sashimi. The signature bonito tataki is thickly cut, moist and tender, and the salt applied in just the right amount enhances its flavor. The smoky flavor of the straw-roasted bonito that wafts through your nose will further stimulate your appetite.

A wide variety of local gourmet foods that are perfect as snacks with sake!

The restaurant is located near Jiyu Hiroba, where shared tables are spread out.
The restaurant is located near Jiyu Hiroba, where shared tables are spread out.

In addition to the bonito menu, a variety of Kochi specialties are also available. Jako-ten (fried fish cake), tempura of green laver, fried river shrimp, and crab cream croquettes handmade by the chef are just a few of the dishes that make great snacks. Why not try them with a glass of locally brewed sake?
The restaurant also offers noodle dishes such as "Hachikin Ramen" and "Shimanto Ramen" made with "Tosa Hachikin Chicken" and vegetables from Kochi. The wide variety of items on the menu is sure to make you want to visit again and again.

Local Guide Comment
As the sign on the front of the restaurant says, "We think our tataki is the best in Kochi," this is a well-known bonito restaurant in Kochi. If you have any doubts about your choice of restaurant, try Yairo-tei's bonito first.
Yairotei
  • Address 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 8 min. drive from JR Kochi Station
    Approx. 3 min. walk from Tosaden Kotsu Ohashi-dori Stn.
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Ohashi-dori bus stop after taking a local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Business hours 10:00~L.O.21:30, Sunday 9:00~L.O.21:00
  • Closed Same as Hirome Market
  • TEL 088-871-3434
  • Parking Paying a fee (Hirome Market)

Tosa's traditional single-humped fishing. A restaurant specializing in straw-baked bonito tataki, one of Kochi's most popular dishes.

Shio Tataki
Shio Tataki" from 800 yen for 5 slices. Myojinmaru's style is to serve the freshly straw-grilled bonito just slightly warm.

Founded in 2000 (Heisei 12) as the restaurant division of Myojin Suisan, a single-line bonito fishing company. The restaurant is now so famous that it is known throughout Japan as a place where you can taste bonito tataki.

Many people order the "Shio Tataki," a simple, salted bonito tataki that is said to have originated at Myojinmaru. Myojinmaru is also particular about its "Yaki-kiri" style, in which bonito is served fresh from the straw and slightly warm. The bonito, with its aroma from the straw-baked bonito, is served with wasabi and yuzu juice, as well as sun-dried salt from Kuroshio Town, Kochi Prefecture.

Live performances of straw-grilled bonito to whet your appetite!

The straw-grilled bonito is grilled with great gusto. The flavor is sealed in by searing over this high heat.
The straw-grilled bonito is grilled with great gusto. The flavor is sealed in by searing over this high heat.

Myojinmaru is also famous for its live bonito straw grilling performance. The realistic experience of having the bonito grilled right in front of your eyes will whet your appetite. Because the bonito is grilled at a high temperature of approximately 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius all at once, the intensity of the heat and the aroma of the grilled bonito are also carefully considered. The straw is grown on the restaurant's own farm. Other ingredients are also carefully selected from Kochi Prefecture, and the restaurant's thorough attention to taste shines through.
The bonito tataki is also served with rice in dishes such as "shio-tataki donburi" and "shio-tataki nigiri. You can fully enjoy the charm of bonito in a variety of ways.

Local Guide Comment
While katsuo tataki is a great accompaniment to beer, it also goes great with white rice. The set meal menu, which includes tataki, rice, and miso soup, is also available and is recommended for lunch.
Myojinmaru Hirome Ichiba
  • Address 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 8 min. drive from JR Kochi Station
    Approx. 3 min. walk from Tosaden Kotsu Ohashi-dori Stn.
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Ohashi-dori bus stop after taking a local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Business hours 11:00-21:00, Sunday 10:00-20:00
  • Closed Same as Hirome Market
  • Parking Paying a fee (Hirome Market)

A fresh fish restaurant offering a variety of meals such as rice bowls and set menus.

The
The "Tosa-don" rice bowl with a generous portion of fresh dorome in the center is priced at 1,000 yen. It also comes with soup.

The restaurant is run by a long-established local fresh fish restaurant established in 1925. The shop is run by a long-established local fresh fish shop established in 1925, and it sources fresh fish of high quality from its long history of cultivating a good eye for fish.

At Hirome Market, you can enjoy a variety of rice bowls and set menus that use local fish. One of the most popular dishes is the "Tosa-don," a bowl of rice topped with a generous portion of thickly cut bonito tataki, dorome (raw sardine fry), and kama-age shirasu (baby sardine). The rice is made from Niida rice, a local brand with a gentle sweetness and rich aroma. It is a popular dish that allows you to taste the delicacies of Kochi all in one bowl.

Taste the local sake as well as the delicacies of Kochi!

The restaurant is located near Yosakoi Square, the main entrance to Hirome Market. There is also a table in front of the store.
The restaurant is located near Yosakoi Square, the main entrance to Hirome Market. There is also a table in front of the store.

Other dishes such as "Bonito Tataki Donburi", "Kama-age Shirasu Donburi", and "Shio Tataki Teishoku" are also available for lunch to fill up your stomach. There is also a full lineup of dishes that go well with sake, such as "Maigo-gai (maitake clams)," "kibinago tempura," and "katsuo no kakuni (bonito cubes)," which are commonly eaten in the local area. A wide variety of local sake is available from sake breweries throughout the prefecture, and the sake tasting set, which allows you to taste three or five different types of sake, is recommended for visitors from outside the prefecture, as they can enjoy popular brands from Kochi Prefecture all at once.

Local Guide Comment
In addition to the menu items that can be ordered and eaten on the spot, packaged sushi and snacks are also available in the store. This is a great place to take food back to your hotel when you are short on time.
Hon Ikezawa Dirome Ichiba
  • Address 2-3-1, Obiyacho 2-chome, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 8 min. drive from JR Kochi Station
    Approx. 3 min. walk from Tosaden Kotsu Ohashi-dori Stn.
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Ohashi-dori bus stop after taking a local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Business hours 10:00-22:00 (L.O.21:30), Sundays from 9:00
  • Closed Closed on Hirome Market, Year-end and New Year's holidays
  • TEL 088-872-0772
  • Parking Paying a fee (Hirome Market)

A dizzying array of delicacies and fresh fish

Clockwise from front left:
Clockwise from front left: "Utsubo tataki" 800 yen, "Noretsore" 600 yen, "Itadori" 300 yen, "Whale blade tataki" 480 yen

The store boasts the largest sales floor area in Hirome Market. As its name suggests, the store sells a wide range of items, including delicacies, seafood, noodles, local sake, and souvenirs.

What you should try here are a variety of local delicacies that are not commonly found in other prefectures. Just looking at the storefront is an exciting experience, as you can find items such as Eel Eel Tataki, Whale Tataki, Tokobushi (tokobushi) called Nagareko, Bonito Sake Pole, and young Conger Fish called Noretsore. When rice dishes and locally brewed sake are included, there are approximately 200 items on the menu.

Specialty udon noodles are a great way to end the meal!

A variety of delicacies in the refrigerated section of the store, each small enough to try a variety of dishes.
A variety of delicacies in the refrigerated section of the store, each small enough to try a variety of dishes.

Not only is the number of items on the menu impressive, but also the beautiful presentation of each dish is impressive. The items lined up in the showcase are so fresh that you can't help but grab a few to go with your drinks.

Udon is also a specialty, and many customers order udon to round out their meal after a few drinks. 350 yen for a bowl of udon makes it affordable, and many regular customers add a side dish to their udon for lunch. The casual atmosphere of Chinmido, which can be used according to the occasion or mood, is also an attraction of the restaurant.

Local Guide Comment
Next to the section selling and offering fresh produce is a merchandising section with a selection of souvenirs, including famous local confections. Local sake and other products are also sold here, making it a good place to look for souvenirs.
Hirome Ichiba Chinmindo
  • Address 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 8 min. drive from JR Kochi Station
    Approx. 3 min. walk from Tosaden Kotsu Ohashi-dori Stn.
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Ohashi-dori bus stop after taking a local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Business hours 10:00~L.O.23:00, Sunday 9:00~L.O.22:30
  • Closed Same as Hirome Market
  • TEL 088-872-0266
  • Parking Paying a fee (Hirome Market)
  • Memo Products listed may not be available depending on the season.

Take a break with hojicha (roasted green tea) sweets.

Hojicha (roasted green tea) soft serve ice cream is 450 yen for takeout. Eat-in: 780 yen with bean confectionery and hojicha (roasted green tea).
Hojicha (roasted green tea) soft serve ice cream is 450 yen for takeout. Eat-in: 780 yen with bean confectionery and hojicha (roasted green tea).

This café offers sweets made with hojicha (roasted green tea) produced in Tsuno Town, located in the midwestern part of Kochi Prefecture. Recommended as a casual sweet is the hojicha soft serve ice cream, which has an addictive aroma and slight bitterness of hojicha. It is milky but has a light aftertaste, so it is refreshing even after a meal. The accompanying wooden spoon in the shape of Ryoma Sakamoto adds a touch of excitement.
Other items include "hojicha roll cake" and "hojicha chiffon," which are reasonably priced at 1,000 yen with a drink of your choice.

Feel free to stop by for a quick drink!

In addition to table seating, there is also counter seating. Take-out only is also available.
In addition to table seating, there is also counter seating. Take-out only is also available.

In addition to sweets, there are also a variety of snacks and rice dishes that go well with alcoholic beverages. The menu is full of Kochi-style snacks such as "bonito jerky," "Tosa-maki" bonito wrapped in rice, and menu items using "Shimanto Chicken" and "Shimanto Pork.

Furthermore, if you order a drink, you can bring in items purchased at other stores in Hirome Market. The store is located in a relatively quiet zone on the northernmost side of Hirome Market, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your sweets and drinks. This is a place to remember when you need to take a breather.

Local Guide Comment
There are also many products to enjoy tea at home, such as hojicha tea bags. We hope you will enjoy the delicious taste of tea grown in Tsuno Town, a town rich in nature with the headwaters of the Shimanto River, at home as well.
Sweets Shokudo Manten no Hoshi
  • Address 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 8 min. drive from JR Kochi Station
    Approx. 3 min. walk from Tosaden Kotsu Ohashi-dori Stn.
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Ohashi-dori bus stop after taking a local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Business hours 11:30-23:00
  • Closed Same as Hirome Market
  • TEL 088-821-6621
  • Parking Paying a fee (Hirome Market)

Kochi's specialty, Imokenpi, with a wide variety of flavors

A bag of sweet potato kenpis is 350 yen, and if you buy three, you can save 1,000 yen!
A bag of sweet potato kenpis is 350 yen, and if you buy three, you can save 1,000 yen!

The shop is known for its handmade sweet potato kenpi-a specialty of Kochi Prefecture. In the center of the store sits the famous imokenpi tower.

The shop sells about 15 varieties of imokenpi, including plain, black sesame, chocolate, and other flavors. The most popular flavor as of 2024 is the sweet and salty one, which is made with dried salt from the Java Sea, which the president himself carefully selects from among natural salts from all over the world. The more you eat, the more addictive the taste becomes.

The delicious handmade taste loved by men and women of all ages!

A tower of real taro kenpis piled high
A tower of real taro kenpis piled high

The handmade sweet potato kenpis do not contain any additives or preservatives. The local specialties are used to give it not only a great taste, but also a good hardness and crispy texture. The sweet potatoes, called "Kogane Sengan," are fried in high-quality oil to make them crispy and light. The taste is loved by people of all ages.

In addition to imokenpi, the shop offers a wide variety of items that make great souvenirs, such as local confections, local specialties, and processed bonito products. Please visit with the imokenpi tower as your landmark.

Local Guide Comment
There are also flavors that even those with a sweet tooth can enjoy, such as salt flavor without sweetness and salted garlic with its addictive guttural aroma. They are also perfect as snacks for alcoholic drinks.
Kuroshio Bussan
  • Address 2-3-1 Obiyacho, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 8 min. drive from JR Kochi Station
    Approx. 3 min. walk from Tosaden Kotsu Ohashi-dori Stn.
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Ohashi-dori bus stop after taking a local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Hours of Operation 10:00-18:00
  • Closed Closed on Wednesdays and Hirome Market
  • TEL 088-820-6575
  • Parking Paying a fee (Hirome Market)

A wide variety of Kochi's famous products are available. A strong ally in your search for souvenirs!

The store is spacious with a high ceiling. Tenkosu
The store is spacious with a high ceiling. Tenkosu" means "top" or "summit" in the Tosa dialect.

One of the best places to find souvenirs is located about a 10-minute walk from Hirome Market. This select store offers a variety of specialty products from all over Kochi Prefecture, including famous confections, foods, local sake, and sundries. The shop is filled with a wide variety of products, all of which are so tempting that you will want to pick them up.
The shop handles a total of approximately 2,200 items. All of these items have been handpicked by the staff, who have traveled to various locations to find products that they themselves would like to buy. Whether you are a food lover, a person with a sweet tooth, or even a drinker, you can find thoughtful souvenirs for all kinds of people.

A wide variety of goods that you can enjoy just by looking at them.

Many products in stylish packages that would make great souvenirs!
Many products in stylish packages that would make great souvenirs!

The store's displays of confections, alcoholic beverages, and sundries are arranged by genre, making it a fun place to browse and enjoy. The store is full of unique items from 34 cities, towns, and villages in the prefecture, including bath salts made from yuzu yuzu produced in Umajimura, craft beer "TOSACO" made in Tosa-Yamada Town, seasonings from the popular cafe "Le Cafe Chez" in Kami City, and Naruko, an essential part of the "Yosakoi Festival" held in Kochi City in the summer. The shop is open year-round.
The store is open year-round. This is a must-see spot when you visit Hirome Market.

Local Guide Comment
The staff is full of love for the local area and its products, and they want to energize the local community. If you are in doubt about which souvenir to buy, ask them about their products. You are sure to encounter a wonderful product.
Tosa Serekutoshoppu Tenkosu
  • Address 1-11-40 Obiyacho, Kochi-shi, Kochi MAP
  • Direction 6 min. drive from JR Kochi Stn.
    Approx. 4 min. walk from Tosaden-kosotsu Tosamaya Stn.
  • Direction 2 min. walk from Sakai-machi bus stop after taking the local bus from JR Kochi Station.
  • Business hours 10:00-19:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 088-855-5411
  • Parking None

MAP

＜What is Hirome Ichiba?
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.