Shiogama Fish Wholesale Market — Local services in Shiogama

Took the train and walked for about 15 minutes to this place from Higashishiogama Station. Note that you will see a Shiogama Fish Market building on the way, but that is not the same so just keep walking along the main road and you will reach the right place in maybe another 5 minutes.

This is how it works if you want to make your own kaisendon: there are many vendors selling ready-to-eat raw fish in small portions (starting from 300 yen as I recall) and you simply buy whatever you want. If you like raw oysters then you should eat at the spot, after you pick the kind of oyster and the vendor will shuck for you - so big, fresh, and sweet! Anyway after you finish buying all the raw seafood, proceed to Section 6 where there is an eatery that sells rice and miso soup set in three sizes. They also sell beer, some fried food, and set meal (if you have someone in your group who doesn't eat raw food). Order your rice, find a table, sit down and start assembling your kaisendon! By the way wasabi is 10 yen a packet if you want some, so order them when you order rice.

Very nice and fun experience! Vendors are very friendly and helpful. Get there early because it...

This market was fun to visit. About a 15 min walk from the train station, don't go to the large white building that says "shiogama fish market" but follow your gps. On the way you might see a tracktor caring large blue fin tunas in it's plow from the handling facility to the wholesale market. At the market, you can point to a clam or scallop and they will prepare it for you in the spot with wasabi, a bowing thank you, and followed by a smile of appreciation. You can pick random seafood items and build your own "chirashi" bowl with the items. The rice and soup was about 1000 yen. The only thing I thought these vendors could do to market twoards tourists would be to offer more variety plates rather than buying a pound of the same type cut tuna. We ended with the Toro and akami scrapings with some salmon roe. In the end we had a fun time and a great meal. There is a cook your fish on coal option as well. Furthermore, the place didn't smell at all, found that...

After all the hype we'd heard beforehand about the Shiogama Fish Wholesale Market we were totally underwhelmed and disappointed with our experience. Perhaps it was just a bad day to go? We arrived by car at 8:30am on a Thursday morning - parked right outside the front door. Was very disappointed - the place was very quiet with virtually no customers, no vibe and many of the stalls were already closed or were closed for the day(?). Where to eat? We'd heard about the 'create your own' KaisenDon bowls - but how/where/what to do - we couldn't find much. (There was a coffee booth open - but not much more) After about 15mins walking around hungry for seafood we just gave up underwhelmed and left.

Note: Don't mistake the other new, large, true wholesale seafood market on the waterfront down the road - that is for professional fish...