local farmers’ markets

Hello. I love Japanese food and one of the best experiences I have had so far was at a Sunday morning farmers market in Tokushima. People from the entire area gathered there to sell their crops and also served local specialities. It was great.

Does anyone have experience w these kinds of places? what are they called in Japanese? when and where do they usually take place? how can I find out the schedule?

thanx

If they take place in the morning (as they usually do), they are normally called asaichi (morning market). Many cities have them.

One of the ones I like particularly well is the one in Hakodate although that one is dominated by fishermen rather than farmers:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5353.html

Takayama has a morning market, too, but it is rather small, at least in the season when I was there:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5907.html

Kochi has an interesting market every Sunday:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5600.html

And many cities have large market areas, such as Tokyo' Tsukiji Market or the markets in Kushiro, Niigata, Sapporo, Kyoto, etc.

Tokyo Tsukiji:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3021.html

Sapporo Nijo Market:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5310.html

Kyoto Nishiki Market:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3931.html

Kanazawa Omicho Market:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4207.html

Somewhat different but also highly recommended are flee markets such as the Toji flee market in Kyoto:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3919.html

Where there are fishing harbors or where there are vegetable farms, you can see this type of market. Almost every touristical spot in the countryside has one unless it's mid winter. Ask at your accomodation, or if you're a resident ask your neighbors.

. . . famous ones in Japan is near Tokyo: Katsuura in Chiba Peninsula. Not very big at all compared to many I've seen of lesser stature in Japan.

There are also many of them scattered across the Kanto area in the suburbs, selling mainly vegetables since they are inland. And most road stops or Michi No Eki are pretty similar.