Japan’s local fish market vendors also have more time to chat with customers. Some markets even offer more than just sushi: how about oysters on the shell to try right on the spot,  little food stalls where they offer rice and soup to enjoy with tuna or uni you’ve just purchased in the market, or a fish store offering fresh squid sashimi that comes right out of the tank?

So, if you visit a new town in Japan, ask if there’s any local fish market open to public.

Here are just a few of the local fish markets that you might consider visiting on your travels through Japan:

Shiogama Wholesale Fish Market

Located in Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecturem the Shiogama Wholesale Fish Market is approximately 30 minutes by train from Sendai in Japan’s Tohoku Region.

This market is open to both professionals and the public. If you are traveling, it is best to go after 9:00 am when the real business is over. You will see fresh honmaguro tuna from Oma, anago eels, and lots of items in season such as hoya or sea squirt, noresore or baby anago, oysters, sea urchin and more. Just like Tsukiji, you can watch the guys with a big knife performing a tuna cutting ritual.
There is a tiny restaurant in the corner of the market where they offer rice and miso soup for around 300 yen. You can enjoy whatever you purchased in the market with the set. Make your own big uni don or kaisen donburi!

Hours: 3:00 am 1:00 pm Sundays 6:00 am to 2:00 pm

Location: 1-20-74 Shinhama Cho, Shiogama, Miyagi

Access: 15 minutes walk from the JR Shiogama station or 5 minutes by taxi

See more images from the Shiogama Fish Market on Flickr.

Nakaminato Fish Market

The Nakaminato Fish Market in Nakaminato, Ibaraki is approximately 30 minutes by JR and local train from Mito, Ibaraki in the Kanto region of Japan.

This market beats Tokyo Disneyland! It is a giant seafood amusement park where you find everything related to seafood and where everyone at all ages can have fun.

The train ride to Nakaminato is something not to miss. Picture a single car old train railing along the rice paddies without any homes in site. When you arrive at this gigantic market by the sea, you will find all kinds of places and things to eat with one specific category – all seafood. You will find lots of sushi and seafood restaurants to choose from after shopping for fish, but stalls in the market offers shucked oysters on the spot, uni lump with soy flavor BBQed on the shell or BBQ shrimps. They even have a DIY BBQ grill in the middle of the crowded market. In addition to fresh seafood, you spot all kinds of dried fish being made – including the whole process from the cleaning part, dipping in sauce part, skewering, or the final drying part. Finally, you find all kinds of seafood such as fish famous as winter delicacy, anko, big local clams, and crabs.

Hours: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Location: 21 Minato Motomachi, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki

Access: From JR Katsuda, take a single car local train, Hitachi-Naka Kaihin Tetsudo that runs twice an hour to Nakaminato Station. About 10 minutes walk from the train station.

See more images of the Nakaminato Fish Market on Flickr.

Fish Market & Auction in Kochi

The Local fish market auction in Kami-no-kae, Kochi is in the middle of nowhere in Kochi between Kochi City and Shimanto Nakamura in Japan’s Shikoku Region.

Participate in the program offered by Kami-no-kae Fishing Co-op where you can learn from the local fishermen how to tie ropes, fish using rock weights tied to the rope, and row an old style fishing boat. See how you can sign up for such experience.  In the afternoon, watch local guys bring in the fish and auction it off to a dozen local restaurants and shops in matter of 10 minutes (a short fish market video taken in Nakatosa, Kochi).

This is one extreme of a local fish market, but in the same area, there is a very nice fish market where you can stroll and have something to eat. It is called Taisho Ichiba and the whole market feels like it has stepped back in time to the Showa period (1926–1989).

Taisho Ichiba

Hours: noon to dusk

Location: 6382, Kure, Nakatosa Cho, Takaoka, Kochi

Access: 10 minutes walk from the JR Tosa Kure station

See more images of Taisho Ichiba at Sushiboy555′s photo set on Flickr.

Other Fish Markets in Japan on Tokyofoodcast

Wajima Morning Market in Ishikawa

Take some time to get our and explore some of Japan’s local fish markets and stop by and visit me at Tokyofoodcast to follow my foodie adventures in Japan and learn more about Japanese food and food culture.

Images used with permission of Tokyofoodcast

It’s a beautiful part of Japan and one that you should consider visiting when planning your trip.  Enjoy this list of great things to do and see in Shikoku, organized by prefecture, and if you’ve ever been please add your suggestions by commenting below.

Ehime Prefeture

Explore the town of Matsuyama, visit Ishite-ji Temple and explore the impressive Matsuyama Castle.  (Matsuyama Sightseeing Map)

Rent a Bicyclce and ride the Shimanami Kaido Bridge, the only bridge that allows cyclists to ride from Hiroshima Prefecture, on Honshu, Japan’s main island, to Ehime Prefecture.

Visit the Ehime Prefectural Science Museum and watch the stars from the world’s largest planetarium with a dome thirty meters in diameter.

See the Japanese Noma Horse, a rare short breed horse that almost became extinct at Noma Uma Highland

Relax in the waters of Dogo Onsen (hot spring), Japan’s oldest spa, said to have been opened about 3,000 years ago.

See the “dozo” (old-style warehouses made of clay) houses of the Yokaichi Gokoku quarter in Uchiko-cho.

For more information on planning a trip to Ehime prefecture, visit the Japan National Tourism Organization’s Ehime pages.

Kagawa Prefecture

See the stream that is actually the narrowest straight in the world, Dofuchi Straights.

Walk the 1,368 stone steps to Kotohira-gu Shrine said to protect people’s health and guard against evil and where the deity that protects seafarers is enshrined.

See the sand sculpture of an ancient Japanese coin and the adjacent Hall of World Coins at  “Kanei-tsuho” Zenigata.

The Tatara Bridge and Seto Ohashi are two world renown bridges featuring unique architecture, impressive silhouettes and views.

Visit the Yashima peninsula to explore some of the sites featured in the epic Japanese novel, Tale of Genji.

Explore Marugame City.

More great things to do and see in Kagawa Prefecture can be found by browsing Kagawa Profile and the Japan National Tourism Organization’s Kagawa pages.

Kochi Prefecture

Have a bit of fun at the Anpanman Museum.

Play on the world’s longest monkey bars (utei).  See if you can navigate the whole 102 meters!

Visit the Coral Museum in Tosashimizu City.

Attend the Yosakoi Festival in mid August featuring a national Yosakoi Dance Competition .

Tour Urado Castle Park in Katsurahama and visit the Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum to learn about one of the key figures in the modernization of Japan.

Take a ride on an old logging train when you visit Umaji Village

Cruise the Shimanto River or visit Cape Murato or Cape Ashizuri to enjoy some of the prefecture’s natural beauty.

Browse the Japan National Tourism Organization’s Koihi pages or Welcome to Kochi to fill out your itinerary.

Tokushima Prefecture

Take in the incredibly fast moving Naruto Whirlpools from an observatory or by cruising the Naruto Straits.

The world’s largest bronze Tanuki, named “Kincho Tanuki”, sits in Komatsushima City Station Park.  Kincho Tanuki appeared in the animation film “Heisei Tanuki Gassen Pompoko”, or POM POKO: The Raccoon War, by Studio Ghibli.

Take the treacherous trip across the vine bridges in the Iya Valley or take in the natural beauty of Oboke and Koboke Gorges.

In August, visit to take in the festive Awa Odori in Tokoshima City.

Take the Bizan Ropeway up Mt. Bizan.

Visit Tokushima Awanavi or the Japan National Tourism Organization’s Tokushima pages to learn more about what to do and see in the prefecture.

Shikoku Overview

Take this suggested itinerary for a fantastic four day trip through the Shikoku Region or visit Welcome! Shikoku for more information about great things to do and see in the region.

Articles in the Japan: A Closer Look series:

• Japan: A Closer Look at Hokkaido
• Japan: A Closer Look at Tohoku – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look at Chubu – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Kanagawa
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Tokyo Practicalities
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Tokyo – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look At Tokyo:Lesser Known Facts And Figures
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kansai – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
• Japan: A Closer Look at Chugoku – Part 1 & Part 2

Image Credit:  Flickr, paper fortune / おみくじ,personal collection, 銭形 Zeni-gata & Getting a closer look at swirling water