What other travelers are saying about Miyagawa Morning Markets
We visited on a Sunday morning just before 8am. The market was just beginning to come alive, some stalls were still setting up, and many shops were not yet open. It's best to come a little later if you want to catch the market at its liveliest.
There’s a charming variety of goods on offer, including local produce, pickles, handmade crafts, and dried food products. You’ll also find souvenirs such as wooden toys, local snacks, and seasonal fruits. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, with stallholders happy to chat and offer samples. It’s a nice way to start the day and take in the local culture along the riverside.
This market may be small, but it has a lot of character and charm. The vendors are friendly, and you can find some unique local products here. What makes it even better is the beautiful scenery nearby—it’s a lovely place to stroll around and take in the atmosphere. Definitely worth a quick visit if you’re in the area!
As far as morning markets go, this one felt less Japanese and more like an autumnal New England farmers' market. My husband and I have been to the much wetter markets in Hakodate, Sapporo and Tsukiji, and those were primarily seafood emporiums where the highlight was usually a fresh donburi bowl. This one was made up of stalls covered in white muslin tenting spread along the east side of Miyagawa River.
Shops on the other side of the road were also selling their goods on long tables. The focus was fresh produce, flowers, handicrafts, and most pertinent to us, local food specialties we wouldn't find elsewhere. There were vendors selling the usual suspects like dango and Hida beef nigiri. We were hoping to land some of the huge, succulent grapes we kept seeing in the YouTube vlogs, but they must've sold out by the time we arrived at 10AM on a brisk Monday.
We thought coming on a Monday morning would hinder our local treasure hunt, but our concern dissipated as we got the impression this was a seven-day operation 6AM to 12 Noon. We ended up making two stops on our meanderings. The first was a young, enthusiastic woman selling hot vegan soup where we grabbed a pair of tongs and picked the ingredients among a bounty of local fresh vegetables. For ¥500, It was a delightfully rich miso soup in a small cup.
There was an anxious queue for the second stop where we were waiting to order the ¥900 Caffe Macchiato served in a handmade cookie cup. A young couple handled the orders with the wife artfully crafting the foam tops. It was a fascinating novelty because it was all done in record time in order for us to have enough time to sip it before the cup dissolves. Fortunately we made it, and the coffee was quite lovely for all the effort.
FOOD / DRINK - 5 stars...the vegan soup and the macchiato in the edible cup were tasty
AMBIANCE - 5 stars...leisurely and bucolic
SERVICE - 5 stars...very cordial and specific
TOTAL - 5 stars...a morning market well worth visiting regularly
Exploring the Miyagawa Morning Markets felt like uncovering a treasure trove of Japanese delights. It was a fascinating potpourri, where we discovered charming souvenirs, beautifully crafted handmade items, inviting eateries, and little stalls proudly presenting their local street food specialties. Beyond the expected accessories, the real surprise for me was finding vendors selling authentic homemade Japanese Sticky Rice.
Beautiful sound of stream of water as you stroll in the market. It’s both open markets and stores with varieties of things to buy from coffee,nuts to souvenirs etc. And it’s alongside the stream of water and nicely constructed bridges. Nothing extraordinary.
Price: depending on who you are or what you really want to buy,the rice can be cheap,affordable or expensive.
