Kimura Fresh Fish — Local services in Kyoto

Kimura Fresh Fish is an absolute gem within Nishiki Market and dare I say, provided better quality and value than what I saw in Osaka's Kuromon Market! Perhaps due to the saturation of tourists, there appears to be an inflation of prices in Osaka; however, the variety of seafood available at Kimura Fresh Fish - and their corresponding (cheap) prices - is closer to what I (and I think, most foreign visitors) imagined we'd find in Japan! Rumours have it that even Michelin-starred restaurants buy from here but you can try it for a fraction of the price in store! The store itself isn't glamorous whatsoever and is actually a bit run down. But service is warm and friendly, despite the language barriers and the food is fresh and cheap.

Some of the things we found there, we had never seen anywhere else and made our visit there all the more special. We tried a few skewers of marinated salmon and tuna before moving on to other things like yellow clam, oysters, and firefly squid. We only wish we hadn't eaten so much beforehand so we could have tried more here!

If my review isn't clear, I implore you to try Kimura Fresh Fish if you're ever in Kyoto (or make a trip there if you're in Osaka, or elsewhere!)....

This is a seafood stall where you can order fresh seafood and enjoy it as sashimi on the spot. The opening hour for Sunday stated as closed, but luckily it was opened when I was around.

The oyster was fresh, but the shucking was a bit rough, leaving a few shell fragments behind.

The live prawn sashimi was quite special — the meat was firm, bouncy, and bursting with flavor. What made it even more interesting was that the prawn was still moving slightly while being eaten, adding a unique experience.

The chutoro (medium fatty tuna) was decent. It was fresh and fatty, but the texture wasn’t perfectly smooth as there were still some sinews.

The uni (sea urchin) came from Hokkaido, delivering the expected standard quality and flavor.

Since it’s a fish market stall, the space was naturally quite narrow, and the floor was a bit slippery. However, they thoughtfully provided hot tea, which added a nice touch to the...

Fresh seafood - the best in Nishiki Market! You can have fresh oysters, fresh sashimi or pick something else and they will grill it for you on site (for a small additional fee). I tried an abalone & 2 different sea shells - grilled with soy sauce. They were amazing! The stall has a little seating area around the back where you can sit to eat after ordering something from their stall. They have free water, hot tea & cold tea available in the eating area, plus a variety of sauces available for use as well. Honestly, it’s a hidden gem! Overall, the price, quality, taste & presentation of the food was top tier! You could get your entire seafood fix from...