Ngasem Market: Once a Lake, Now a Pool of Memories

If you ever wander near Taman Sari and suddenly feel a strange calmness in the air—like things are slower, gentler, and you get the sudden urge to eat gudeg for breakfast—you’re probably standing around Ngasem Market. This place isn’t just a typical market. It’s a pocket of nostalgia tucked into the old soul of Yogyakarta. Believe it or not, it used to be a lake. Yep, a real lake.

Back in the day, Sultan Hamengku Buwono II liked to chill here. Not for fishing or rowing a boat, but simply to enjoy the view of his palace from outside the fortress. A kind of early-19th-century “me time,” if you will.

Birds, Status, and the Rise of the Market

As time passed, the lake dried up, life moved in, and eventually, a marketplace grew. By the early 1800s, this area had become known as Ngasem Market. It officially earned its title as a bird market around 1809, proven by old photographs that captured people buying and selling birds here.

In the 1960s, things really took off. Bird sellers from Beringharjo Market were relocated to Ngasem, turning it into the place for all things feathery. For Javanese men especially, keeping a pet bird was more than just a hobby—it was a status symbol. “I’ve made it in life. Look at my singing lovebird!” That sort of thing.

Ngasem’s bird section became so huge, it took up a third of the entire market. Tourists started calling it the “bird market,” and it became one of those quirky, must-see spots for both local and foreign visitors.

From Chirps to Chatting Over Coffee

But time moves on, and Jogja doesn’t like to stay still either. In 2010, the bird vendors were relocated to PASTY (an animal and plant market) in Dongkelan, Bantul. The goal? To preserve the nearby Taman Sari area and open it up for better tourism development.

Since then, Ngasem Market has gone through quite the glow-up. It’s now more of a traditional market mixed with a community hub. You can buy daily essentials, enjoy local food, even catch a performance or two in the open amphitheater nearby. The atmosphere is artsy and alive. Local artists often sketch the market’s scenes, turning its daily bustle into timeless visuals. It’s a place that breathes history and creativity.

Where History Meets Taste

Ngasem is currently undergoing further revitalization, with plans to more seamlessly connect it to Taman Sari, creating a smoother blend of cultural tourism and everyday life. But even amid all the change, one thing remains true: the food is still deliciously authentic. Traditional snacks and local breakfast dishes? You’ll find them here, and they’ll take you straight back to your childhood—or at least, what your childhood should’ve tasted like.

Ngasem Market teaches us a beautiful truth: places may change, but memories stay. From tranquil lake, to noisy bird bazaar, to a cultural and culinary haven—Ngasem is living proof that Yogyakarta knows how to honor the past while embracing the present.