Unique stores and artists gather from Kumamoto City and other prefectures,
Markets are held on the second Saturday of every month☆.

Seedmarket" just started last July.

We have covered "Seedmarket" held on the second Saturday of every month in "Shimodori" in the central area of Kumamoto City!
Although it only started in July last year, it has become a popular event that attracts many people as a market with a rich variety of food, drinks, and sundries, where local cafes and stores, individual sundry creators, illustrators, and other artists, and producers of farm products and specialty goods gather from within and outside of the prefecture. It has become a popular event that attracts many visitors.

Now, please take a look at the introduction of "Seedmarket" stores as well as interviews with the staff members involved in the market☆.

 

What is Seedmarket?

Staff distributing leaflets at the entrance of the market. All staff members are young, in their 20s and 30s!

“The word ”seed" means "to sow a seed," and the idea is to sow new seeds in the "town" and create an attractive town.

This market is held with the aim of providing a place for those who are interested in opening a business in the city or who are planning to start a business in the city, etc., to challenge themselves at this market, to attract customers for their own stores, etc., and to demonstrate their own charm in the center of the "city" and to communicate their own appeal. The event will be held in the center of the "city".

With the help of musicians and DJs from the city, the market venue was decorated with music that matched the atmosphere of the place and time.

 

March 8 (Sat) 8th Vendor Introduction

Here are all 22 stores that were open on Saturday, March 8 at the time of the interview.

 

Exhibitors Foods & Drinks

Liquor&Spirits

The beer is sold with an introduction to the flavors of each beer, with the hope that people will better know the delicious taste of authentic beers from around the world.

It has a completely different flavor than the beers made in Japan by major breweries, with a gorgeous aroma and a soft, carbonated, champagne-like throat.

 

B-Food Club

Selling "Beef tongue" and beef rib skewers, which are famous as soul food of Sendai City. The beef tongue is cut into thick slices so that the juiciness and flavor can be more fully appreciated.

We focused on this market, which is bustling with people and more visible to the public, and opened a stall from Fukuoka! 600 yen per bottle.

 

Nakase Farm

Beniharuka” is produced by Nakase Farm, which has been dedicated to red potatoes for 30 years. The name ”Beniharuka" comes from the fact that it is "much sweeter" than any other red potatoes.

It is called "honey sweet potato" because of its sticky texture, and when baked, it has a sugar content of 45 degrees! When baked, it has a sugar content of 45 degrees Celsius!
1 baked sweet potato 200 yen 3 baked sweet potatoes 500 yen 2 kg Beniharuka set 800 yen

Address: 578 Iwasaka, Otsu-cho, Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture
Phone: 096-221-7829
URL:http://www.nakase-nouen.com

 

Beam House

Sales of "tteokbokki", pancakes and namul, famous Korean dishes, from "Liang's House", a Korean restaurant in the city.

Tteokbokki, Korean rice cakes that are more elastic and less sticky than Japanese rice cakes, are sold with a homemade sweet and spicy sauce made with plenty of Korean chili peppers. The pancakes are filled with vegetables and freshly baked hot! You will be surprised at the low price for the quantity and size of the pancakes!
Ddeokbokki ¥200 Jeonjimi ¥300 Namul ¥250

Address: 3-6-13 Demizu, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 096-373-6131
URL:http://www.yannoie.com/

 

I'm going to ...

Vietnamese restaurant serving rice noodle pho and ”banh mi” sandwiches. The pho ga, a Vietnamese classic with chicken in a light broth, and pho ma (bar) topped with tender horse sinew will warm you from the inside out.

Also, the banh mi with aromatic grilled meat marinated in sweet and spicy sauce and pak choi sandwiched between two pieces of meat is full of Asian atmosphere!
Pho ga 500 yen Pho Ma (bar) 700 yen Banh mi 500 yen

Address: 2-1-38 Kotohira, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 080-2788-0493
Hours: 15:00~21:00 (Mon-Thu) / 11:00~15:00 (Sat-Sun, once a month)
Closed: Friday

 

Wakuwaku-tei (nickname for Osaka)

To promote Kumamoto's eels, the event sold gohei-mochi (rice cakes) baked in rice, spring rolls wrapped in spring roll skin, and other Chinese steamed buns.

The savory aroma of the food being grilled on the teppan draws you in. Moreover, customers rush to the shop for the extremely inexpensive price of 150 yen per item!
Eel Gohei-mochi: 150 yen per piece Eel stick spring roll: 150 yen per piece Eel Chinese steamed bun: 150 yen per piece

 

Living Partner K-B

Selling "Hinohikari" rice directly from farmers in Kumamoto, produced with great care. It is characterized by its firm texture and tastes good even when cold.

They offer free rice milling and delivery within Kumamoto City! 30kg 8,000 yen is also appreciated for commercial use by restaurants and other customers.
3kg 1,980 yen 5kg 2,600 yen 10kg 3,500 yen 30kg 8,000 yen

Address: Blossom Building 1F3, 8-12-18 Watarika, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 096-277-1286
Business hours: 9:00~18:00 (closed on Sundays)

 

Sangatsu-no-ka

Selling homemade waffles baked by hand, this store is from "Nano cafe & bar" in the city's Suido-cho.

Local students are known to walk around with these waffles in hand. The to-go sets are very popular as souvenirs.
Plain 200 yen Chocolate 250 yen Take-out set (2 chocolate, 3 plain) 1,000 yen

Address: Uedori Sky Heights Excel, 2-7 Suido-cho, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto
Tel: 080-6420-3128 (Nano cafe & bar)

 

Tartelette.

As the name suggests, the store is from "Tartelette," a store that offers a full menu of coffee and other café items centered on tarts. They open a store at events as much as possible in order to expand their connections with people.

On this particular day, there was a special lineup of French sweets called "canelés". Coffee and sweet, rustic-flavored canelés are a perfect match!
Canulé 250 yen, coffee 300 yen

Address: 5-21 Minamitsuboi-cho, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City
URL:http://www.tartelette-cafe.com/

 

Happy Autumn

This is a seafood stall from Nagasaki. Each time, customers ask for something different, such as, "Bring oysters this time," or "Do you have abalone? The menu is different each time.

This time, oysters and scarlet fan clams baked in butter are served with a glass of white wine that goes perfectly with them. The wine and oysters are easy to enjoy, and above all, the reasonable price of one coin is very appealing☆.

Oysters (steamed and grilled): 500 yen per package Raw oysters for heating: 500 yen per bag White wine: 400 yen per glass Scallop butter roasted: 300 yen per piece, 500 yen per two pieces

 

Vendors: Artists' works

Border's

Border's, which does not have a store but works privately, handcrafts all of its pieces, including brooches, earrings, and pins, from parts.

The colors are colored with colored pencils and have a not-too-strong color balance and relaxing characters, and are favored by women of all ages, from their 20s to 40s.

 

DECO rer Lapin

As part of the "Revitalization Project," the company has created handmade goods using yarns and materials from sweaters and clothes that have been used and worn by the family and loved ones, and transformed them into cute key chains and charms.

Among them, original antique-style accessories that reuse old watch dials, screws and other parts, and various buttons attracted much attention.

Artist : Kasumi Okamoto
mail: ritookasu@hotmail.co.jp

 

HARU

The works of the illustrator, who produces a variety of expressions such as cut-and-pasted three-dimensional illustrations, acrylic paintings, and watercolors. Many children stopped and gazed at the warm animal illustrations and pop-colored illustrations!

Illustrator: Haruyo Shokuda
mail: kirakira.haru7@gmail.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/haru.haru.1829405

 

Jasmine's room Accessory

The creator of these earrings has been making them as a personal hobby, without setting up a store. The creator of these earrings has been creating them as a personal hobby, without setting up a store. The original designs and high degree of perfection are overwhelming.

The earrings, in particular, have motifs such as silk ribbons and Swarovski on the catcher, making the back look very glamorous! Moreover, you will be surprised at the astonishingly low prices of around 1,000 to 2,000 yen for all of them!

They only have a store at Seedmarket, so if you would like to visit, please come here☆.

 

Re-glass

A variety of accessories and interior items woven from used ”recycled glass,” heat-resistant ”Pyrex glass,” and ”glass beads” are available. glass beads. Just one of them will add a simple, pretty shine and color to your room! Workshops on "bottle art" and accessory making are available at the store.

Address: 3-3-52, Yamanouchi 3-chome, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 096-368-4040
URL:http://reglass.web.fc2.com/

 

atelier smile purus

With the policy of "bringing smiles to people's faces," Keiichi Moriguchi, a color pencil artist, and Yumi Shimazu, a miscellaneous goods creator, work together as an artist unit. Their works, created under the theme of making things that connect smiles with smiles, are all things that will make you feel warm and smile just by looking at them!

Address: 1-13-20-105 Jinsui, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City
URL:http://www.art-smile-plus.com/

 

myriads Asian Goods Hearty

 The shop not only reconstructs and repairs natural stone bracelets, necklaces, and beads, but also offers a wide variety of rare and precious stones. The shop offers a wide variety of products, including original accessories using natural stones and power stones, as well as unique Asian household goods!

Traffic Center Branch
Address: Transportation Center B1F, 3-10 Sakura-machi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 096-326-8838

Oe Daiei Store
Address: Daiei Kumamoto Store 1F, 4-2-1 Oe, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 096-373-7933

 

Lazy fellow

Leather products are hand-sewn by female artists using skins from Italy and other European countries. Because all the work is done by hand, each piece is unique, one-of-a-kind, and original.

The wide range of works includes small items such as straps and ballpoint pen cases, as well as large items such as computer cases, and since they are made from a woman's perspective, they are colorful and full of cute shapes!

URL:http://ameblo.jp/lazyfellow20090211/
Online store:http://lazyfellow.jp/

 

Folk Material Reborn

A variety of silk ribbons and fabrics purchased directly in India by the owner, who also works as an artist creating antique beaded accessories.

They are useful not only as decorations but also as materials for making things. Other retro stamps carved from wood were also popular.

Address: 1588 Yamaga, Yamaga City
Phone: 0968-36-9322
mail: folkmaterial@yahoo.co.jp

 

Fukiko Nogawa, Yoko Minayoshi, Mamekaba Honpo

 This limited unit for this market is comprised of Fukiko Nogawa (right), an illustrator who creates coloring books to learn about Japanese customs; Tsuya Kawabata (left), an illustrator and designer who creates handmade bean illustrated books; and Yoko Minayoshi (center), an illustrator and miscellaneous goods creator.

Atelier Tomneko Fukiko Nogawa

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/fukiko.nogawa

Studio Hippo Illustration & Design by Tatsuya Kawabata

Address: 1-306 Stasion Uminonakamichi, 1-2-63 Nata, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City
Phone: 092-607-7762
URL:http://mamekaba.web.fc2.com/

Mnya Mnya Minayoshi Yoko

mail: neko-wasabi2844@ezweb.ne.jp
twitter: @necology28

 

Tsukamoto cockatoo marten (Cacatua arundinacea)

A construction company that handles new home construction, remodeling, furniture and interior design. Just looking at the wall hangings and tapestries that make full use of wood, one's dreams of a home begin to grow. A set of tables and chairs that make the most of the grain of the wood stood out.

Address: 5-1-19 Tsuboi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 080-6414-2941

 

cat's cafe Nekojarashi

cat's cafe Nekojarashi, a cat café where you can spend time with more than a dozen cats in foster care, has opened a store. The market offers a wide variety of goods such as handmade cat bandanas and leashes as well as information on fostering. Many cat fans visit the market for the purpose of visiting this store booth!

Address: 7-1-6 Tsukide, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto City
Phone: 096-221-4365
Business hours: 11:00~20:00
Closed on Fridays, 1st and 3rd Saturdays
URL:http://222nekojarashi.web.fc2.com/

 

Interview with Miwako Imada, Staff

To provide an opportunity to connect people who are thinking of establishing a business or planning to open a store, and free artists who are working individually, so that the central city area will be more active in the future.

▲Image: Staff Miwako Imada

Q: When did you start?

This was last July (2013). This will be the eighth time."

Q: What is the concept behind Seedmarket?

We hope that by having stalls in the market, people who are thinking about starting up a business or developing a store, or artists who are working on their own will have a chance to connect with each other, and that by holding the market in this central city street, it will be seen by as many passersby as possible and become a great place for self-dissemination. We also hope that the market participants will be attracted to the central city area, and that they will establish businesses or relocate to currently vacant storefronts.

Q: How did Mr. Imada get involved?

"The market here is calledJoto ManagementThe project is based on a local revitalization project called "The City Center Revitalization Project". When this project was launched, local businesspeople like myself, young local shopkeepers, and young public servants were approached to discuss what we could do to revitalize the central city area. We decided to name the project "Seedmarket" in the hope that it would plant seeds in the city center. We, the staff, are volunteers who are involved in the project while doing our personal jobs."

Q: What were your impressions/impressions at the start?

We were able to smoothly clear the major hurdle of starting the event, such as traffic regulations, because we had people from city hall and related departments on our staff, but it was the first time for us to organize an event by ourselves, so we were really desperate because we did not know how to do it. How should we recruit stall holders, what kind of regulations should we set up, etc. ...... We visited other events and listened to what the organizers had to say, and through a process of trial and error, we managed to create a form for the event. Thanks to the support of the organizers, we were able to have more than 20 stalls from the first event, and the event was a great success with a large number of people coming to the event.

Q: Who is currently opening stores?

Some of them have been with us since the beginning of the event, while others sell seasonal produce. We are still in the recruiting stage for the next event, but we expect to have the largest number of vendors to date."

Q: What are your goals for the future?

First of all, we would like to increase the number of volunteer staff members who are rooted in the community, like ourselves, and let people know more about the local shopping district. We also conduct a survey of customers and vendors at each event, and we would like to use the feedback we receive to expand the scale of Seedmarket.

Thank you for your time!

 

Access

Address: 1-4-3 Shimodori, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Venue: Central City, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture / Shiromi-cho Street
(Street from the corner of old Daiei Shimodori to Densha Dori)
Hours: 11:00-17:00 (rain or shine)
Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/seedmarket

 

MAP

1-4-3 Shimodori, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-0807, Japan

 

Interview and editorial staff

Model Report: Nozomi Nakamoto
Photography and production: VOKE Ltd.