An introduction to Shiogama
Shiogama is located in Miyagi Prefecture and lies close to the center of the Tohoku region, approximately 16 km from Sendai. The city embraces Chiganoura (Shiogama Bay), a portion of the beautiful scenic bay of Matsushima.
Although small, Shiogama is a city of rich and diverse features. Its abundant cultural and traditional heritage includes landmarks such as Shiogama Shrine, the seafood industry (the city's major industry), and the tourism industry that, together with nearby Matsushima, attracts many visitors. Shiogama also offers many areas of unspoilt nature. From Shiogama's clean water comes locally-brewed sake, and from its sea, protected over the generations by the local people, comes a bounty of seafood in quantities that are remarkably plentiful, even for the Tohoku region.
Shiogama Fish Park
Shiogama Fish Park is located in the Shinhama-cho quarter of Shiogama. This large-scale market was established in its current location in 1965 and boasts a history of 50 years. The box-shaped, generously proportioned building is home to over 140 seafood stalls dealing in fresh fish, processed marine products, and salted and dried seafood. With Shiogama Port located right next door, the wholesale market sees large hauls of fresh fish unloaded daily.
The fresh tuna (maguro) catch at Shiogama Port is one of the largest in the entire country. Inside the wholesale market are over 20 stalls specializing in tuna. In particular, Sanriku Shiogama Higashimono, the brand name given to big-eye tuna, is noted for its supreme freshness, fattiness, color and gloss. Caught during the October to December period, this prized product is only available for culinary enjoyment during this brief season.
ENJOY SHOPPING
Typically, wholesale markets are only open to dealers, but Shiogama Fish Park is also open to the general public, who can purchase fresh fish at cheap, wholesale prices in exactly the same manner as the professionals. The wholesale market's 105 specialty stalls offer several hundred varieties of seafood, including fresh and frozen fish, tuna, octopus, prawns, oysters, dried fish, and processed marine products.
ENJOY EATING
For visitors who would like to enjoy a meal, there are five restaurants and various kinds of seafood dishes waiting inside the market. Of these, My Kaisendon is particularly popular. Customers buy as much seafood as they would like to eat at the market. They then buy a rice set for ¥400 at My Kaisendon section and create their very own kaisendon (seafood rice bowl).
- 1. From any number of stalls, buy the seafood that you would like to eat during your visit to the market. Ingredients such as sashimi that are sold in packs are best shared among a group.
- 2. Once you've finished shopping, make your way to the rest area in sales section 6. (On Sundays and national holidays, the rice set is also available at sales section 3.)
- 3. Buy yourself a rice set for ¥400 and arrange your seafood selections beautifully on top of the rice.
- 4. You're done! You're ready to start your meal!
- Come to enjoy a kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) made with fresh seafood caught in Sanriku at Ichiba Shokudo Tadano (sales section 1) or Kase (sales section 8).
- Kaisen Yatai Dottoya offers dishes such as prawn tendon (tempura rice bowl), sea eel tendon, and is recommended for those who are not too keen on eating raw seafood.
- In addition to rice sets for My Kaisendon,offers a choice of meals created from seasonal marine products.
Basic information
Shiogama Fish Park
- Address: 1-20-74 Shinhamacho, Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture
- Access: 15 minute walk from Higashi-Shiogama Station, JR Senseki Line
- TEL: 022-362-5518
- Opening hours:
- Weekdays: 3:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays)
- Saturdays: 3:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
- Sundays: 6:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Restaurant information
- My Kaisendon Corner (sales area 6)
- Opening hours:
- Weekdays: 6:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (last order: 12:00 p.m.)
- Weekends and national holidays: 6:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (last order: 1:00 p.m.)
- Ichiba Shokudo Tadano (sales area 1)
- Opening hours:
- Weekdays: 6:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
- Weekends and national holidays: 6:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
- Kase (market branch) (sales area 8)
- Opening hours:
- Weekdays: 7:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
- Weekends and national holidays: 7:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.