The Touts of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
During Golden Week in 2026, my daughter and I traveled to Istanbul.
In this magazine, I will write about what I saw and felt during our five-day stay in Istanbul.
Yes, since it was a sightseeing trip to Istanbul, we naturally visited the Grand Bazaar, which is both a famous landmark and a treasure trove of souvenirs.
Is this a bazaar, a shopping street, or a theme park? Regardless, it is a dazzling, chaotic place.
It says 1481 on it
Istanbul is truly impressive
Iznik pottery, coffee goods, lamps, and so on
They are lovely, but expensive
First of all, the touts are incredible.
When they see Asians, they call out, 'Ni hao, Annyeonghaseyo, Konnichiwa!'
I guess they figure one of them will hit the mark.
In the past, it was probably just 'Konnichiwa,' but
the order of these greetings shows how the number of travelers has changed.
I still can't help but react to 'Konnichiwa.'
Then, they follow up with,
'Tokyo? Osaka?'
I shouldn't say anything, but I end up saying,
'Tokyo!'
And then it begins.
'I have been to Tokyo.'
'Roppongi is nice.'
'My brother lives in Japan.'
'Scarves, plates, we have plenty, they are cheap.'
At the rug shop, I met a tout who was very fluent in Japanese.
'These rugs are all handmade and authentic.'
'No, no, I don't have the money.'
'We have them starting from about 30,000 yen. You go to Yakiniku Jojoen, right? It costs about that much for one visit, doesn't it?'
Hahaha!
The young men touting at the storefronts are usually quite young.
Even if you are interested in a product, there are usually no price tags, so
when you ask, 'How much is this?'
they say, 'I'll go ask the boss,'
and head into the shop.
Then the boss comes out and says,
'Hmm, it's actually 400 lira, but since you're Japanese, I'll give it to you for 300 lira.'
'Oh? That's expensive. The shop before was cheaper.'
'Hmm, well, how about 250 lira?'
The price of most items is negotiable.
There was a lovely kilim-patterned cushion cover.
When I asked, it was 400 lira. That's fine, I'll buy it.
When I took it to the register and unfolded it,
two of the four tassels that should have been on the corners were torn off.
Then the boss said,
'Oh, this? These fall off easily anyway. So, you might as well just take the other two off from the start.'
I actually quite like this casual attitude.
Well, that's the Grand Bazaar for you, but like other historical sites in Istanbul, its history is not to be underestimated.
As written on the entrance gate, it was founded in the 15th century by the order of Mehmed the Conqueror, the first Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
Their negotiation skills have been cultivated over 600 years.
I have compiled my Istanbul trip in a magazine below.