NARA -- A farmers' market has opened near the west gate of JR Nara Station with the aim of increasing the consumption of farm products from Nara Prefecture.
Called Mahoroba Kitchen JR Nara Ekimaeten (Mahoroba Kitchen store near JR Nara Station), the market was established by JA Naraken, a prefecture-wide agriculture cooperative. It is the second Mahoroba Kitchen the organization has opened following its inaugural market in the city of Kashihara in the prefecture.
The market, which opens daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. except during the New Year's holiday, occupies a roughly 250-square-meter area. As of the end of June, 320 JA members have registered to have their products sold at the market, with items including fruit, tea, eggs, vegetables and local specialties such as yamatomana leaves and round eggplants available to buy.
In addition to selling farm products at the market, JA Naraken plans to begin sales to hotels and restaurants.
"Of course we want to sell safe agricultural products, but we also want to take advantage of the favorable location to promote our goods to tourists and foreign visitors," said Kenji Sunda, head of the market.
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