What other travelers are saying about Shiogama Fish Market
Was an experience that I do not mind repeating. Eye opening. So many types of seafood, shell fish and dry stock. Bought two packs of dried and dehydrated scallops for my mum’s carer. She boils soups and porridge or broth for my mum.
Visited on a Tuesday morning as market is closed on Wednesdays.
Many sections at the market and majority sells fresh seafood and section selling dried seafood. You can buy small portions from the vendors and go to the eatery stall and order your rice with miso.
There are also a number of food stalls where you can eat ramen, sashimi-don, sushi, barbeque fish, etc and there is also a sake-alcohol stand where there is zunda beer available as well.
Had early lunch at Mamiya Shoten when they opened at 10.30am. This is a charcoal barbeque fish stall and I loved the shioyaki cod fish collar...SUPERLICIOUS 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
After that, I bought chutoro (bluefin tuna mid-fatty), uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) and took home for dinner...SUPERLICIOUS 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
Highly recommended visit for those who love seafood and sashimi.
Shops here are extremely friendly ! Food here is cheap and super fresh. Make your own sushi bowl is simple. But we didn’t know how and figured it out.
1: Pick the seafood you want from any shop, any shop. Nego the prices if you can - have it cut if necessary.
2: head to the store (at the corner) that’s says make your own Don. My kaisendon something like that.
3: pay only for the rice / light cooking if any and side dishes
4: enjoy the freshest possible seafood.
We drove here from Sendai, and arrived at around 11am. Many of the stalls are already closed, but those that were still open were still selling fresh seafood. You can buy sashimi from different stalls for a super cheap price, they slice the fish for you and also shuck all shellfish so they are ready to eat. You can compile it all together and eat it with rice at the dining area at the back. They sell miso soup and rice there, which goes perfectly with the super fresh seafood!
How to Make Your Own Kaisendon 🍱✨
1. 🛒 Pick your favorite seafood from any stall
2. 🍚 Head to Counter No.6 to choose your rice, miso soup, and sides
3. 🐟 Enjoy your delicious, custom-made kaisendon!
📍 Shiogama Fish Wholesale Market, Shiogama, Miyagi
The market typically opens early in the morning around 6:00 AM and operates throughout the day. For the most authentic experience, visit between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM when you can witness the famous tuna auctions from the second floor viewing area. The tuna auctions are particularly spectacular between May and December. Early morning visits also offer the freshest selection of seafood before the best items are sold to restaurants and wholesalers.
Yes, unlike most wholesale markets in Japan that restrict access to licensed buyers only, Shiogama Fish Market welcomes the general public with free admission. This makes it unique among Japan's major fish markets, as visitors can freely explore the market floor, interact with vendors, and purchase seafood directly. The market maintains this open-door policy while operating as a fully functional wholesale facility serving restaurants and retailers throughout the region.
The market offers multiple dining options, from creating your own kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) using fresh ingredients from various stalls to grilling seafood at designated areas. Popular items include fresh scallops, oysters, squid, and large prawns that can be grilled on-site for 500 yen grill usage fee. You can also purchase fresh tuna, swordfish, and other seafood to take home. There's a DIY grill area just outside the market hall where you can cook your purchases immediately.
From Sendai, take the JR Senseki Line to either Hon-Shiogama Station or Higashi Shiogama Station. The journey takes about 25 minutes and costs 330 yen one way. From Higashi Shiogama Station, the market is a 15-minute walk, while from Hon-Shiogama Station it's a 40-minute walk. By car, the market is approximately 15 minutes from Rifuna IC on the Sanriku Expressway. The market address is 1-20-74 Shinhamacho, Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture.
Shiogama Fish Market processes a significant portion of Japan's tuna and swordfish catch, with the biggest Bigeye tuna catch in Japan. The city has the highest number of sushi restaurants per capita in the country, reflecting its deep seafood culture. The market houses over 140 stalls and nearly 20 shops specializing in tuna - a concentration found nowhere else in Japan. Unlike Tokyo's famous Tsukiji, Shiogama offers a more accessible and interactive experience where visitors can participate in the market culture rather than just observe it.
