Miyagi Prefecture is home to around 142 fishing ports along its coastline. Notably, Shiogama, Kesennuma, and Ishinomaki are designated as Specially-Authorized Type 3 Fishing Ports—a prestigious status held by only 13 ports across Japan.

Each port region has its celebrated specialties:
・Kesennuma: Famous for having Japan’s highest catch of fresh bonito and shark fin.
・Ishinomaki: Best known for premium Kinka saba (mackerel), typically caught during autumn.
・Shiogama: Renowned nationally for handling one of Japan’s highest volumes of fresh, unfrozen bigeye tuna. From October through December, look out for Sanriku Shiogama Higashimono, a highly prized seasonal brand of tuna celebrated for its fat content, luster, and rich flavor.

The entire coast of the prefecture is dotted with fish markets. Established in 1965, the Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market features over 90 specialty stalls, including more than 20 stalls dedicated exclusively to raw tuna. While wholesale markets are traditionally reserved for commercial buyers, Shiogama Market welcomes the general public to purchase fresh seafood at wholesale prices.

Beyond seafood shopping, the market is a top culinary destination where visitors can create custom seafood rice bowls, grill market purchases over charcoal, or enjoy specialty food stalls.

To ensure a smooth experience, keep the following market rules in mind.
・No Eating While Walking: Eating food while browsing market stalls is strictly prohibited.
・Designated Dining Areas: All purchased food must be consumed either in the designated eat-in dining hall in Sales Area 6 or at My BBQ Terrace located outside Stall 5.
・Arrive Early: Many stalls and eateries close early in the afternoon or run out of daily specials by late morning.

The market's most famous attraction is My Kaisendon (DIY Sushi Bowl), an interactive dining experience where you build a custom seafood rice bowl using raw fish purchased directly from market stalls.

How it works
First, go around the shops and select your sashimi. You can choose one favorite fish, or gather several pieces little by little. Shop for your ingredients as you picture the seafood bowl you want to create. Some shops sell small packs of assorted seafood. We recommend checking out each shop.

Once you purchase your sashimi, head to the front entrance of the market (at the south exit) and purchase a rice set (400 yen, miso soup included) at My Kaisendon Corner. You can find it at Sales Area 6 in the back. Three rice sizes are available: regular, large (500 yen), and extra large (600 yen). You can also ask for vinegar sushi rice for an additional 50 yen.

Finally, once you are served, you can eat your meal at the neighboring eat-in corner. Enjoy a seafood bowl specially topped with your favorite seafood, whether it’s delicious, flavorful tuna, fragrant sea urchin, or melt-in-your-mouth juicy shrimp. Prices vary by ingredients, but you can usually make a filling bowl of seafood and rice for about 2,000 yen.

You can order a rice set up to one hour before closing. If you'd like to try it yourself, come early and be mindful of the time when choosing your ingredients.

My Kaisendon Corner
・Location: Sales Area 6
・Hours: Weekdays 6:30 AM – Noon; Weekends & Holidays: 6:30 AM – 1 PM
・Closed: Wednesdays
・Phone: 022-367-1622 (Shiogama Market Sales Center)

For visitors who prefer cooked seafood, Kaisen Yatai Dotto-ya in Sales Area 6 specializes in crisp, golden tendon (tempura rice bowls) and seafood set meals. Because it is so delicious, it has even gained popularity amongst foreign tourists. You can also enjoy a tempura bowl or a seafood set meal from the market for around 1,000 yen.

Their recommended dish is the Ebi Tendon (1,000 yen), which includes two large shrimp tempura and vegetable tempura. The tempura’s crisp coating is soaked in sweet sauce and pairs well with the rice. The star of the dish is the shrimp, which are super plump and deliver a delicious sweet flavor with every bite. You can also order beer and sake and enjoy both together from noon onward.

Kaisen Yatai Dotto-ya
・Location: Sales Area 6
・Hours: 8:30 AM-Noon (weekends/holidays: 8:30 AM-1 PM)
・Closed: Wednesdays
・Phone: 022-367-1622 (Shiogama Market Sales Center)

If you want to enjoy hot, charcoal-grilled seafood, head outside to My BBQ Terrace located at Outside Stall 5. Here, you can grill and eat the seafood you buy at the market. If you’re not sure how to use the grill, ask the market staff. They will teach you when to turn over the seafood and when it is ready to eat.

The estimated cooking time is 5-10 minutes for shellfish and 15-20 minutes for regular fish. Fish and shellfish grilled over a charcoal fire are extra flavorful and juicy! Order a rice set at My Seafood Bowl and enjoy a great DIY meal together. Let the fish fat and flavor slowly drip into the rice for an extra-delicious dish.

My BBQ Terrace
・Location: Outside Stall 5
・Hours: 8 AM - 1:30 PM
・Closed: Wednesdays
・Phone: 022-367-1622 (Shiogama Market Sales Center)

Not in the mood for seafood or tempura? Why not enjoy an egg dish instead? Located in Sales Area 6, Tamago Kobo is a popular egg-specialty stall that prepares fluffy Japanese rolled omelets (tamagoyaki) fresh to order, right before your eyes.

You can order Dashi-yaki (egg cooked in dashi) and Ama-yaki (sweet cooked egg) for 200 yen each, made with bonito and kombu dashi. You can also try a Cheese Tamagoyaki (400 yen) or a Mentai-Mayo Tamagoyaki (500 yen). You can order for dine-in or take-out.

The Atsuyaki Egg Sandwich (300 yen) is rapidly growing in popularity. The balance between the sweet egg and tart mayonnaise sandwiched between the bread is what makes it really delicious. If ordering as take-out, we recommend heating it up for about 20 seconds in the microwave before eating.

Another popular item of this shop is the Mochikomi Seafood Tamagoyaki, in which you can have ingredients you purchase in the market rolled into your egg. Mentaiko, tarako, and broiled eel are the most popular. If you want to try a unique dish, this is definitely one to try.
*Some ingredients may not be suitable for your tamagoyaki depending on type and size.

Tamago Kobo
・Location: Sales Area 6
・Hours: Weekdays 6 AM-12:30 PM (Weekends/holidays 7 AM-1:30 PM)
・Closed: Wednesdays
・Phone: 080-3336-1005

Best Time to Visit
Plan to arrive between 7 AM and 9 AM. Arriving early ensures the widest selection of fresh catches before stalls sell out and guarantees ample time before dining reception cutoffs.

Visitor Services
Multilingual Pamphlets: Guide maps and instructions in English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean are available at Sales Area 6.

How to Get There
・By Train: From Sendai Station, take the JR Senseki Line to JR Higashi-Shiogama Station (~30 minutes). The market is a flat 15-minute walk from the station.
・By Car: Approximately 1,000 free parking spaces are available on-site for market visitors.

While raw fish and custom seafood bowls are the main attraction, Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market offers plenty of variety if you’re craving something different. You can grab a freshly roasted specialty coffee at UNDERDOG COFFEE, savor rich seafood-dashi ramen at Dashi Rou -SaKaNa-, try traditional chicken soba at Arai Shoten, or feast on handmade dumplings at Shiogama Gyoza Center.

Whether you come early to build your own dream kaisendon, grill fresh catches over charcoal, or simply soak in the lively atmosphere with a warm cup of coffee, Shiogama Market delivers one of Tohoku’s most memorable culinary experiences. Just remember to bring a light cardigan or jacket when you visit—even during warm summer days, the refrigerated market halls stay crisp and cool year-round!

Text by: SHOE PRESs