Shiogama Fish Market

Shiogama is one of Japan's most important fishing ports and one of the busiest fish processing centers in the country. The Shiogama Fish Market (塩釜水産物仲卸市場, Shiogama Suisanbutsu Nakaoroshi Ichiba), one of several markets that line the wharves, is a wholesale market that is open to the general public. It contains about 140 shops and stalls selling all manner of fresh and processed seafood products including local specialties such as Matsushima oysters and local varieties of processed fish cake.

Shiogama is known for having the most sushi restaurants per capita in the country. In the fish market, too, visitors can enjoy a sushi breakfast or lunch from a restaurant inside the market. Alternatively, visitors can also make their own seafood rice bowl (kaisendon) or grill fresh seafood in one corner of the market.

To make a personalized kaisendon, first purchase a rice and miso soup set for 400 yen, then add various small pieces of seafood available at an additional cost from the different stalls on top of the rice bowls. Likewise, some seafood, such as scallops, oysters, squid and large prawns, are available for grilling. Using the grill costs 500 yen.