Our objective at ICHITOI is to promote Osakan, Kansai, and Japanese food and tool culture. And what better way to start than by at home, with special ingredients known to our local region?
Over the Golden Week holiday, join us at Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide's second floor for the Osaka-Made Market and Food Hall!
With special events, experiences, tastings, and the ability to meet these food producers up close, there's lots to do.
Find out more below!
Table of Contents
Workshop Contents
Event Summary
Hosted at Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide's ICHITOI event space, Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide and the Osakamon Food Micro-Tourism Promotion Council are working together to bring the first ever market into our store, showcasing food offerings, ingredient sales, tastings and more.
This event is really designed for anyone, whether they are a family walking past or a chef looking for their next star ingredient, or even just someone hungry for lunch.
Those curious about traditional Japanese culture such as matcha will also find things to do at our food market, so we encourage anyone to come along!
We hope that events like this bring people together, whether it is chefs to producers or travellers to Japanese food industry staff.
Program Lineup
Try Osaka Kurona, certified as a Naniwa Traditional Vegetable, as well as other fresh food ingredients from Hirakata Doppo Farm, run by producer Ōshima Teppei!
Osaka Kurona flavored manju sweets will also be available, provided by Wakōbō Itowokashi.
A tasting experience of different varieties of Osakan sake will be demonstrated by Inoue Take Shōten.
And finally, a matcha making and tasting experience will be provided!
Discussions and presentations may also be held by both Ōshima Teppei, and Shirai Nobuko, our event's culinary instructor.
What is Osaka Kurona?
Osaka Kurona (大阪黒菜) is a leafy, cool-season vegetable that has been popular in Osaka since the Meiji Era (1868–1912 CE). It was certified as a Naniwa Traditional Vegetable in 2024. There are currently 25 different Naniwa Traditional Vegetables, such as Namba Negi (Namba green onions), Tennōji Kabura (Tennōji turnip), and Kotsuma Nankin (Kotsuma pumpkin.)
In order to be a Naniwa Traditional Vegetable, a vegetable must have been cultivated since before the early Shōwa era (approximately 100 years ago), have a clear history of seeds based on Osakan cultivation methods and climate, and must be produced in Osaka Prefecture.
The Osakan Prefectural Government states Osaka Kurona as having a sweet taste, and unique flavor once it is cooked. Harvested between late October and mid-March, this vegetable has thick, dark green leaves.
While cultivation paused for some time due to Japan's need for high-productivity vegetables and embracing urbanisation, Osaka Kurona has been revived once more and is considered a rare find. This leafy vegetable has been attracting more attention as a highly nutritious and versatile ingredient that can be used in both Japanese and Western cuisine.
Why We're Doing It
ICHITOI comprises of eleven different spokes, with us as a the hub connecting them all together.
Producers, Shopping Streets and Associations, and chefs themselves... All of these spokes are crucial to the entire hub around food culture surviving. If producers can't grow, shopping streets cant unite to sell ingredients, or chefs can't buy or cook food, then what happens to food culture?
We always aim to preserve, promote, and protect Osakan food and tool culture, and events like this help us to continue this ecosystem, and help it to thrive.
Dates and Prices
This event will be held from May 3rd to May 5th at 11 PM to 6 PM.
This event is free to enter, but stalls upstairs may sell items. Items purchased in this event cannot be purchased tax-free.
Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide experiences may also be available on the day. If so, they will be free of charge.
How to Book
There's no need to! Just come on by with an eagerness to learn and try new things. We'd love to see you here, and hopefully you can learn a little more about Osaka and what we cook here.