After leaving Sendai Station’s West Exit and taking a left at Hotel Metropolitan Sendai, Osakana Center Ichinoichi can be found a mere 140-meter (5-minute) walk straight ahead!

Inside the market, you can find a shop called Aoya which offers a variety of farm products, ready-made dishes, and bento boxes.

Additionally, at the restaurant inside, you can enjoy some drinks with fresh seafood dishes such as sushi and seafood bowls as well as hamayaki - lightly seasoned and broiled seafood!

Since it offers outstandingly fresh seafood at reasonable prices, you’ll find a range of customers, from business people to tourists, on any day of the week!

Another feature that adds to the shop’s popularity is its easy-going atmosphere reminiscent of an izakaya (casual Japanese pub).

Once inside, you’re greeted by a large lantern with the Japanese kanji character for ‘fish (sakana)’ painted on it! Also decorating the shop is a fishermen’s banner generally used by fishing boats to let ports know of their great catch.

On the shelves, you’ll find daruma (red-painted good luck dolls) and Japanese woodblock prints, all lending to a unique, ‘only in Japan’ atmosphere! With so much to offer, there’s no doubt you’ll want to snap some photos.

The shop has two floors and a total of 70 seats. Besides the counter stools, where you can comfortably dine alone, the shop offers table seating. Each table has a menu; orders can be made by calling staff over. Although there isn’t an English menu, English-speaking staff can assist you any time!

We ordered the shop’s specialty called the Sushi Shop’s Seafood Bowl.

When served, we couldn’t hide our surprise as the toppings were practically spilling over! Though said to change depending on the season, this dish offers ten delicious fresh ingredients.

On the day of our visit, we had a bowl filled with tuna, sea bream, salmon, octopus, yellowtail, gizzard shad, whiskered velvet shrimp, minced tuna, chopped tuna chunks, and a rolled omelet.

Everything is undeniably fresh, with most ingredients being directly shipped by fishers at Miyagi Prefecture’s famous ports. This includes Ishinomaki City and Onagawa Town.

Actually, it’s so topping-filled that you’ll struggle to reach the rice! According to shop staff, most customers place toppings on a separate plate to enjoy with some wasabi and soy sauce. However, you have the option to enjoy this dish any way you like! Some customers just pour soy sauce over the bowl and dig in!

Upon taking a bite, you’ll be astonished at how big each topping is. To make its customers happy, the shop is exceptionally generous in preparing the portion sizes. So much so that even some of the biggest eaters have difficulty finishing everything!

Though all ingredients are of the highest quality, the flavors of Miyagi Salmon, a top salmon brand from Miyagi Prefecture, are absolutely superb!

Due to using techniques called shinkei-jime or ikejime to preserve the freshness of the meat, this salmon has a rich sweetness and melty texture. Generally, it’s said to be in season from March until July, but Sendai offers it year-round.

For visitors to Japan who want to enjoy standard nigiri, we recommend the Eight-Piece Chef’s Choice Nigiri.

This is a standard sushi platter that offers delicious seafood toppings of the season. Served with small side dishes, it costs a very reasonable 1,150 yen.

Since ingredients are shipped directly from fishers in Ishinomaki and Onagawa, you can expect everything to be incredibly fresh! To add to the enjoyment, the shop is also working on adding hamayaki to its menu. With chefs offering to grill seafood at their customer’s tables-this is a dish many are looking forward to.

At Osakana Center Ichinoichi, English-speaking staff are available. Even staff who don’t speak English are known for their friendly service! Make sure to stop by when you’re in Sendai City.

Health & Safety Measures
Indoor disinfection measures taken - Sanitizer installed - Disinfected after each guest leaves - Ventilation measures in place - Coin trays used - Plastic partitions installed - Staff wear masks, gargle, wash hands regularly, and monitor body temperature - Entry declined to anyone who is feeling unwell - Masks required/temperature check enforced

Text by: ShoePress

*The information in this article is current as of May 2022. Please check the official website for the latest information.