Drawn in by the tagline “Produced by women in agriculture in Kurashiki,” I went to the Loco Loco Marche held at Achi Terrace Kurashiki in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture.
At the 16 booths lined up at the venue after the rain, producers sold their prized products while chatting with customers.
As the blue sky began to spread and spirits lifted, here’s a look at the springtime marche and the shops taking part.
The information provided was current when this article was published in May 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
The post-rain marche bustles with shoppers seeking seasonal flavors
Loco Loco Marche is organized by the Loco Loco Marche Executive Committee and held on the third Sunday of every month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The offerings include farm produce, processed foods, and miscellaneous goods lovingly grown and made by farmers and welfare workshops in Kurashiki and Okayama.
The venue is the open space of Achi Terrace Kurashiki, a large commercial complex along the main road connecting JR Kurashiki Station and the Bikan Historical Area. Around 15 groups set up booths each time.
The theme changes monthly; April’s theme was “Bamboo Shoot Festival.”
Enjoy browsing the booths with a stamp card in hand
When you arrive, pick up a stamp card at the reception desk.
Each booth where you shop stamps the back of your card. Once you collect two stamps, you can enter a prize drawing.
Winners receive products from vendors, toy cars, and other prizes.
I collected five stamps, entered the drawing twice, and won a toy car.
It felt like a little bonus.
Apparently, you can carry over one remaining stamp to the next event.
That’s another nice perk.
Just after 9 a.m., many shoppers had already arrived, and some booths had crowds gathered around them.
One bag that particularly caught my eye was made from fabric by a local Okayama carp streamer manufacturer. It was sold by an organization that supports employment for people with disabilities.
The pattern varies depending on which part of the carp streamer is used for each bag, so no two are quite alike; each is a one-of-a-kind piece.
It really felt like “my own bag.”
Another special attraction is the chance to find menu items you won’t see at the shops on an ordinary day.
A popular bakery had prepared marche-only items such as sandwiches and French toast made with its signature bread.
“It was delicious, so I came back to buy more,” shoppers told the producers, sparking a desire to buy.
These conversations are another part of the marche’s appeal.
I, too, thought, “Let’s find something that will make me want to come back.”
With my stamp card in hand and spirits high, I headed for the booths.
In season now: exceptionally fresh bamboo shoots dug this morning
The theme for April 2023 was “bamboo shoots,” a quintessential spring ingredient.
At the MOMONA Peach Farm booth, where a crowd had gathered, there were bamboo shoots dug that morning, boiled bamboo shoots, bracken, onions, and more.
“Spring flavors are right here,” I thought. A steaming bowl of bamboo shoot rice came to mind, and I picked up some boiled bamboo shoots.
The bamboo shoots were dug the day before the marche, boiled right there, and vacuum-packed.
That’s exceptionally fresh.
As I chose the boiled shoots, the producer said, “The tips are tender.”
That’s how conversations begin, isn’t it?
Freshness is everything with bamboo shoots. To help customers boil them as soon as they get home, they had also prepared rice bran for removing the bitterness and a panel explaining the steps.
It’s lovely to see such thoughtfulness to help people enjoy them.
The surprising texture of “Cherry Tomato”
Okuno Farm had rows of ripe, bright-red cherry tomatoes that looked delicious.
Their top recommendation is “Cherry Tomato.”
These cherry tomatoes are round like cherries, very sweet, and have exceptionally thin skins. They are apparently quite labor-intensive to grow.
I bought some along with jam made from Cherry Tomatoes, which, I was told, “goes really well with yogurt.”
The Cherry Tomatoes had skins so thin you’d think they had been peeled after blanching, and they were as sweet as fruit.
The color contrast in the bowl was lovely, of course, and the jam also paired perfectly with the tartness of the yogurt.
From the Writer
Loco Loco Marche offers farm produce, processed foods, and miscellaneous goods lovingly grown and made by farmers and welfare facilities in Kurashiki and Okayama.
Items are sold until they’re gone, so sometimes you look up and they’re already sold out.
In fact, the rice-ball bomb filled with bamboo shoot takikomi rice I’d been hoping to try had sold out less than two hours after the marche opened.
But I was reminded that it’s not just shopping that makes the event enjoyable; chatting is part of the fun, too: “I got up early to make this,” and “The one I got last time was delicious, so I came back.”
The vendors’ dedication came through in their products, and the smiles lighting up their stalls made this marche especially appealing.
The next event will be themed around “Food Stalls from Around the World & Local Gourmet Food,” featuring stalls serving a variety of international gourmet dishes and carefully prepared foods made with local ingredients. It will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
A petting zoo and flower workshops are also planned. We hope you’ll join us!
Locoroco Marche Information
| Name | Locoroco Marche |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, April 16, 2023 |
| Location | 3-9-1 Achi, Kurashiki City |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Locoroco Marche Official Instagram |
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