Kichiike, a general merchandise supermarket located in Okachimachi, Tokyo, has been in business for more than 100 years and mainly deals in fish and seafood. In addition, since the founder is from the former Matsunoyama-cho, Niigata Prefecture, and the directly managed factory is located in Betsukai-cho, Hokkaido, the company handles many products from Niigata and Hokkaido in particular. Of course, the company also handles seafood from Kyushu and various other regions, making it a fishmonger that is highly regarded by professionals.
Yoshiike has many deep-rooted fans, such as the “Yoshiike’s Favorite Geisha” gathering held every Friday from 23:00 on the audio SNS site Clubhouse. By the way, the most recent meeting on July 30 was the 24th. Even if we talk about Yoshiike for almost half a year, we still can’t talk about him enough.
Today, I would like to tell you about the three major characteristics of Mr. Kichiike from one of his stories.
Feature 1: The selection of seafood is unbelievable, and you can even get rare seafood.
The first feature of Yoshiike’s is its product lineup. The store carries seafood and processed products from all over Japan, many of which are not available at ordinary supermarkets, department stores, or fish shops. Of course, it depends on the season, so you won’t always find what you are looking for, but here are just a few of the items available.
Rare Seafood 1 Clione
Around February, clione, also known as “angels under the ice,” sometimes arrive. Clione seem to be sold for the purpose of appreciation, but those who see them for the first time are sure to say, “What? I am sure that they will be surprised.
Rare Seafood 2: Grape Shrimp
The super-premium shrimp “grape shrimp” is also sometimes sold here. I saw them in early summer in Ibaraki Prefecture, and at the time they were very inexpensive for grape shrimps, at about 1,500 yen for two.
Rare Seafood 3: Saltmarsh Squid
Saltmaru squid, which should be sold almost exclusively in Nagano Prefecture, is also sold here. Saltmaru squid is a processed squid product made by removing the entrails from peeled squid, boiling the squid, and stuffing the body of the squid with salt along with the legs. The assortment of processed products is also quite impressive! It is like this
Feature 2: A large assortment of non-seafood items.
And it is not only seafood that is well-stocked. Kichiike has a huge assortment of produce, meat, groceries, and everything else you can think of.
For example, in the produce section, there are more than 12 varieties of tomatoes alone, more than 8 varieties of lemons alone, easy access to ginseng, sugar cane, banana flowers, and so on.
In the meat department, there are half a dozen varieties of bacon and sausages, and they even have Matsusaka beef….
At the grocery, there is a huge variety of butter, natto (fermented soybeans), seasonings, and so on.
There are many things that you can only get in the local area, so you can’t find them anywhere else. You may be able to find something you can only buy in that area at Kichiike.
Characteristic 3: The unique sense of unpretentiousness that makes it a hit.
Third, Mr. Yoshiike has a unique, unpretentious sense of style. This is something you have to see in person, but there are many fans who are impressed. It is difficult to describe in words, but here are a few examples.
The first and most obvious is the “alien” hanging behind the bakery “Ondine” on the basement floor. It is hanging with a pop-up sign that reads, “Finally captured! is a dried whole “stingray” that looks like an alien.
One of the most popular prizes at the raffle held at the end of the month is a salmon fillet, which is given to those who fail to win. It’s so unique and exciting that it makes you wonder, “Is it really okay if I don’t win? This is such a unique prize that it is a joy to win.
In addition, many of the clerks at Yoshiike are gentle and kind. Although fishmongers have an image of being bossy, you will feel at ease when you visit Yoshi-ike. Even if there is a problem with a product, he will tell you honestly. Many people must love the professional yet unpretentious atmosphere.
So, this time, we introduced you to Yoshiike in Okachimachi, Tokyo. If you are a fish lover and have never been there, please visit us.
