Saturday, September 19, 2015

Heiwajima Antiques Fair - 平和島 全国古民具骨董まつり















Ota Wholesale Market - 大田市場


The Ota Wholesale Market is not easy to find.  I walked and walked toward the little star I'd marked on my Google map, but there are a lot of buildings in the area that look like they could be massive warehouses.  Eventually I asked a woman passing by and understood only one word of what she said - kaban.  Police box.  I'd seen one of those!  So I went back and walked down that way and soon I saw the sign.


Information is pretty scarce.  Most of what I knew came from this post from GaijinPot.  I went on a Saturday and the visitor's office was not open.  I never saw a guard to check in with, but had already printed the brochure from the website here.  I did not attempt to go down to the sales floors.  I stuck with the elevated paths and walkways which were very easy to follow.  Zoom lens was essential.



Huge replicas on the outside of the buildings tell what's stored in each.












In the market buildings are a few restaurants.
I did some research on sites like this one and decided on Daimatsu which is famous for Anago Tendon (Fried Conger on rice.)



I was glad I knew what I wanted before-hand since the menu was entirely in Japanese.  Prices range from 1200 - 3800 yen (around 12 - 38 American dollars) so it's not a cheap breakfast but a very good one.  (No, I didn't eat the deep-fried fish spine propped on top.  Empty calories.)