Do you know the popular fish market in Nagoya, Japan?
The fish market is called the “Yanagibashi fish” market which has over 400 shops and fish stalls, dating back to the Edo era (1603–1868).
Even though its size is much smaller than the one in Tokyo, however, the lively market is full of fresh seafood such as giant tuna, octopus, shrimp and many other varieties of meat and vegetables from early morning.
The useful Information
- Address: 4-11-3 Meieki, Nakamura-Ku, Nagoya
- access: 5 minutes walking from Nagoya station
- Opening hours: Early morning to around 10.00 a.m., closed on Sundays, Most of Wednesdays, and holidays
- Map
Wedensday is closed
I should have checked information on the google map carefully before leaving the hotel in Nagoya, but I didn’t. We woke up very early morning at the day and decided to walk to the fish market.
When we got the market, we found out something wrong with the market because all stores and shops were closed and the street usually is busy were empty.
While we were strolling in the main building, a guy came out and told us the market was closed on Wednesday.
24 hour-open Izakaya restaurant in the market
Although the market is closed, there are few Izakayas restaurants are opened.
Surprisingly, they are opened for 24 hours every day. (except for the New year’s holiday)
Oketasekoyo
“Oketasekoyo” is the Izakaya chain restaurant in Nagoya, and the signature menu here is “Miso Tonchan”.
“Miso Tonchan” is known as “Nagoya Meshi“, which is pieces of pork innards marinaded with Miso sauce.
It serves with a table “Shichirin” charcoal grill, and grill innards by yourself.
Tonchan, とんちゃん, is a nickname of pork innards.
For Japanese people, it is a very common food.
Weird? You know, it’s very low cal.
Isomaru Suisan
“Isomaru Suisan” is a Japanese style seafood Izakaya restaurant chain and also open for 24 hours.
The main food is mostly seafood, they serve “kaisen don” which means fresh sashimi pieces on rice.
We almost had a morning beer here to heal our broken heart, but my husband is a not big fan of Japanese style seafood restaurants (especially fishy smell).
Saved our life
Most of the restaurants around the fish market are closed, and I was a little bit worried about how I could make my mistake up.
On the way back to the hotel, we found the sign of 24 hour-open sushi restaurant lit up on the 2nd floor of a tiny old building.
Honestly, I knew about the sushi restaurant existed from a guide I read before and remembered the restaurant got good reviews.
So I was very excited when I found coincidently.
Maruhachi Sushi (丸八寿司)
“Maruhachi Sushi” (丸八寿司) has been their business for 38 years near “Yanagibashi fish market” aka “Nagoya’s kitchen”.
The restaurant is located on the second floor, go up the old narrow steep stairs and the door appeared on the left.
Maruhachi sushi is an authentic sushi restaurant, not a conveyer belt sushi, so there is only a long counter table.
Shame as my nationality, this was the first time for me to have sushi on the counter, so I was very nervous about how to order.
The first order was “tekka maki” (the tuna roll) and “Maguro” (tuna) which are my husband’s favorite.
At the first bite, we lost our words…
OMG, sooooo good!!!
Tuna was absolutely fresh and even “Nori” (the seaweed sheet) was a high-quality taste.
The sushi is not be served with wasabi, order wasabi if needed.
My husband really loved tekka maki, so we ordered it again and “Ebi no nigiri” (shrimp sushi).
By the way, they don’t have a table menu, instead, handwriting menus everywhere in the restaurant.
Not only sushi, but also there are many seasonal seafood dishes.
No doubt, “Maruhachi Sushi” buys fresh seafood from the “Yangibashi fish market”, everything is so tasty.
My husband was so impressed and said that he had never had such delicious sushi ever.
And me either.
There is an English menu on the wall, so you can get some hints from it.
There is no indication of the price of dishes, well, in our case, we paid about ¥3,000 for
- Tuna roll × 3 (means 3 plates, 6 rolls)
- Tuna × 2 (means 2 plates, 4 tuna sushi)
- Shrimp × 1 (means 1 plate, 2 shrimp sushi)
- Sweet shrimp × 2 ( means 2 plates, 4 sushi)
- Lemon sour × 2
Do you knoe how to say “Check please” in Japanese?
It is “Okaikei Onegaishimasu” (お会計お願いします) in Japansese.
Do you want to know how to order sushi at the authentic sushi restaurant?
General Information
- Address; 21-5, Meieki 4 Chome, Nakamura-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
- Opening Hours; 0:00 – 24:00
- Map
The common Sushi name in English
Tuna
マグロ（赤身）Maguro; Lean tuna
大トロ Ootoro; Fatty tuna
中トロ Chutoro; Medium fatty tuna
漬けマグロ Zuke-Maguro; Mainaded tuna with soy sauce
ねぎトロ (軍艦巻) Negi-toro(Gunkan-maki); Fatty tuna with green onion *”Gunkan” roll
ねぎトロFatty tuna with green onion usually serves with small rolls.
*Gunkan Maki…Gunkan, also known as battleship maki because of its shape, consists of nori (seaweed sheets) rolled around a pad of nigiri rice to form an oval-shaped cup.
Common Sushi
サーモン Sahmon; Salmon
鯖 Saba; Mackerel
鰯 Iwashi; Sardine
真鯛 Madai; Red sea bream
カンパチ Kanpachi; Greater Yellowtail
ヒラメ Hirame; Flatfish
アジ Aji; Horse mackerel
カレイ Karei; Righteye Flounder
コハダ Kohada; Dotted gizzard shad
カツオ Katsuo; Bonito
ハマチ Hamachi; Yellowtail
ブリ Buri; Japanese Amberjack
サヨリ Sayori; Halfbeak
サンマ Sanma; Saury
サワラ Sawara; Spanish mackerel
スズキ Suzuki; Sea bass
太刀魚 Tachiuo; Large head hairtail
鱈 Tara; Cod
ニシン Nishin; Herring
ハタハタ Hatahata; Sandfish
Shell fishes, squids, fish eggs
タラバガニ Taraba-Gani; Red king crab
松葉蟹 Matsuba-Gani; Snow crab
毛蟹 Ke-Gani; Horsehair crab
渡蟹 Watari-Gani; Blue crab
海老 Ebi; Shrimp
甘海老 Ama-Ebi; Sweet shrimp
イカ Ika; Squid
イカゲソ Ikageso; Squid tentacles (legs)
タコ Tako; Octopus
アナゴ Anago; Conger eel
鰻 Unagi; Freshwater eel
鱧 Hamo; Pike conger
シャコ Shako; Mantis shrimp
イクラ Ikura; Salmon roe
ウニ Uni; Sea urchin
アワビ Awabi; Abalone
数の子 Kazuniko; Herring roe
ホタテ Hotate; Scallop
赤貝 Aka-Gai; Ark-shell clam
粒貝 Tsubu-Gai; Whelk
鳥貝 Tori-Gai; Cockle
鮟肝 Ankimo; Monkfish liver
貝ひも Kai-Himo Scallop mantle
サザエ Sazae; Horned turban
ホッキガイ Hokki-Gai; Surf clam
ミルガイ Miru-Gai; Horse clam
*Bolded menus are my favorite.
Conclusion
If you want to go to the fish market, it’s better to go early in the morning like between 5.a.m. to 6 a.m.
The market is very busy especially before 5 a.m., so be careful you don’t bother buyers and workers over there.
I know you will not make the mistake I made, make sure the market is opened before leaving the hotel.
Don’t forget to stop “Maruhachi sushi”, but there are few restaurants in the market too!
( we visited the market numbers of times when we lived in Nagoya. I am going to introduce my photos someday here!)
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