Izumisano Gyokyo Aozora Fishery Cooper's Market

The Izumisano Fisheries Cooperative Open-Air Market (Aozora Ichiba) is a market directly connected to the Izumisano Fisheries Cooperative, where freshly landed seafood is sold as-is on the same day. In addition to seafood stalls, there are also restaurants and sushi shops, allowing visitors to enjoy seafood on the spot. On the 1st floor, shops selling fresh seafood line up, and the afternoon catch—known as “hiru-ami”—goes to auction starting around 2:00 p.m. When the auction begins, the market becomes lively all at once. Note that auctions are not held on Wednesdays and Sundays. Also on the 1st floor is a sushi shop, while the 2nd floor has restaurants and facilities where you can enjoy activities such as barbecues. There are also other types of shops, including a flower shop and a cutlery shop. By train, you’ll generally need to take a taxi from Nankai Izumisano Station or Nankai/JR Rinku-Town Station, which costs around 700 yen, so coming by car is recommended. There is also a free parking lot with space for about 300 cars, which is reassuring.