The “Loco Loco Marché” was planned by producers and welfare service providers from across Okayama Prefecture, with Kurashiki City at its center.
It is held on the third Sunday of every month in the open space of the Achi Terrace Kurashiki complex.
The date may change depending on the COVID-19 situation.
Along with farm produce, the market brings together plenty of photogenic items, including processed goods such as mozzarella cheese, egg sandwiches, and banana juice made with bananas grown in Okayama, seasonal flower arrangements, and handmade goods. It is already attracting attention.
Another benefit is that you can meet the producers face to face and ask about what is in season and how they recommend eating it.
At this second market, 17 groups from across the prefecture took part.
As someone who loves good food, I went along to do some shopping.
The information here is current as of when this article was published in March 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
A rare “red lemon” catches my eye right at the entrance
I joined the line at the blue-tent reception desk. After sanitizing my hands and having my temperature checked, I put a marker sticker on my mask and went in.
At reception, you can get a stamp card.
You get one stamp each time you shop at a stall, and once you’ve collected two, you can try your luck at a fun lottery drum for a chance to win vegetables or sweets (limited to 100 people).
The first stall that caught my eye was “Kurashiki Hiramatsu Farm × COPAIN,” with its display of citrus fruit.
That day’s lineup included “Kaguya Mikan,” “Ogonkan,” “Harehime,” “Haruka,” and “Hime Lemon.”
The one that especially caught my attention was a variety called “Hime Lemon,” a red lemon.
The handwritten description said it had “the aroma of Japanese pepper.”
“A lemon that smells like Japanese pepper!?” I was full of questions.
The owner told me they had received a tree from Iwagi Island in Ehime Prefecture and carefully tended it for 10 years.
It finally began bearing fruit, and they started selling it.
Kurashiki Hiramatsu Farm is apparently the only producer in Okayama.
I tried peeling a little of the skin, and it was surprising how a faint aroma of Japanese pepper wafted out.
“You can use it like sudachi in all kinds of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes,” the owner said.
The citrus season was nearly over, but they were preparing to sell processed products such as frozen mandarins and alcoholic drinks at the next market.
Next door, “COPAIN” had two kinds of fruit sandwiches, mandarin and banana, on offer.
Made with fresh seasonal fruit, these fruit sandwiches look adorable and make a great gift.
Find the item I came for at a cheese workshop run by a dairy farm
The next tent I visited was “Cheese Workshop Haruparu.”
Haruparu is a cheese workshop run by Miyake Farm, which has been in its third generation in the mountainous area of Tamashima, Kurashiki City.
Its popular products include a range of high-quality cheeses made with fresh milk from its own farm.
This was actually my second time trying Haruparu’s cheese.
I loved the “fromage blanc” I tried last time, and it’s no exaggeration to say that I came to the market specifically for it.
Fromage blanc is a refreshing fresh cheese with a slight tang. My favorite way to eat it is spread on freshly baked bread and sprinkled with salt and black pepper.
It has a sour-cream-like flavor that you’ll keep coming back to.
Other cheeses, each carefully made, include smoked scamorza, mozzarella, and caciocavallo. They’re sure to make your everyday meals feel a little special.
Next, I stopped by the tent for “Gold Duck Company,” which grows rice in Bizen City without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, using ducks and goats.
What especially caught my eye were the three varieties of Italian rice grown in Japan.
They were “Vialone Nano,” “Carnaroli,” and “Nagomi Risotto.” Each grain is larger than Japanese rice and has a plump, rounded appearance.
They also sell a set that lets you try a small amount of each of the three varieties.
Not just farm produce! Check out the stylish goods, too
“atelier KLEE” (Atelier Klee) is a flower shop in Mabi, Kurashiki City, that has been making and selling bricolage flowers for a year.
Bricolage flowers are arrangements made with plants that still have their roots, and they’re as charming as bouquets.
They put coconut chips in baskets, then arrange flowers and greenery in a colorful combination.
Just looking at them soothes the heart and makes you feel at ease.
“We hope everyone can enjoy delicious seasonal vegetables and fruit that don’t make it to market for various reasons, such as low yields or irregular shapes.”
From the pamphlet
These are the sentiments behind Loco Loco Marché, according to its organizers.
They also promote “agriculture-welfare collaboration,” linking farmers and welfare services through initiatives such as stalls run by welfare service providers.
From the Writer
Other offerings included takoyaki from “G-Style,” made with daikon leaves that would normally be discarded.
There were also egg sandwiches and pudding from “Hoshi no Sato Tamago” in Bisei Town; banana juice from “Ohisama Farm,” made with fluffy, creamy Okayama-grown bananas with a shelf life of just 20 minutes; and cherry tomatoes from “Okuno Farm.”
Every stall had a tempting range of products, and there was so much to enjoy that it was impossible to see everything in one visit.
It was fun talking with the producers, too. Learning how to choose vegetables and hearing about unexpected products and ways to eat them made me feel like I’d gotten a little extra.
The next market is scheduled for March 13, with new vendors also expected.
They’re also planning to hold the market on Saturday evenings starting in April.
Even the same stalls may offer different products from season to season, making Loco Loco Marché a place you’ll want to visit again and again.
Why not stop by and discover appealing vegetables, fruit, processed foods, and handmade goods?
Loco Loco Marché Information
| Name | Loco Loco Marché |
|---|---|
| Date | Third Sunday of every month (dates may change) 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. |
| Location | JR Kurashiki Station |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | locoloco_marche |
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