A Fisherman-Delivered Taste of Noto: Grill Morning-Caught Oysters at Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten
If you visit the Noto Peninsula, the blessings of the sea in Noto are something you absolutely have to taste.
One place drawing attention for letting you experience Noto’s appeal directly is Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten.
Because it is run by fishermen who handle everything from oyster farming to processing and cooking, it offers premium, morning-caught oysters you can only encounter here.
From seafood you grill yourself to dishes like Noto vegetables and nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) kamameshi, you can savor Noto’s food culture with all five senses, a culture recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS).
If you are looking for an unforgettable food experience that represents Noto, this is a place you should definitely visit.
What Kind of Place Is Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten?
Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten is a rare style of seafood restaurant operated by fishermen themselves.
It began when Mitsuhiro Sakai, aiming to address the local shortage of successors in oyster farming, opened the restaurant using local oysters and vegetables he grew himself.
In spring and summer it operates as a hamayaki-style restaurant (tabletop charcoal grilling), and in fall and winter as an oyster hut, with the appeal of enjoying different ingredients depending on the season.
In particular, all oysters are produced in-house, and being able to grill fresh, morning-caught oysters on a wire-mesh grill and enjoy them right away is something unique to this restaurant.
In addition, the menu, which makes generous use of vegetables and fish raised by the rich nature of the Noto Peninsula and lets you experience the region’s food culture as a whole, is another reason for its popularity.
With a lively interior that evokes a fishermen’s hut, it is also ideal for meals with family, couples, or friends.
Access to Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten
It is about a 1-minute walk from Kasashibo Station on the Noto Railway Nanao Line, and about a 15-minute drive from Wakura Onsen. It also has parking, making it easy to drop by during sightseeing.
4 Secrets behind Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten’s Popularity
Noto is a place where you can enjoy abundant seafood landed in the Sea of Japan, such as cold-season buri (yellowtail), Noto oysters, and wild-caught fugu (pufferfish).
Among them, the reasons Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten is so popular can be broadly summarized into four points.
Here, we will introduce what makes it so appealing.
1. Taste Morning-Caught Seafood at Peak Freshness
Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten’s pride is its overwhelming freshness, thanks to being directly operated by a seafood company.
From June to October, it offers seasonal seafood such as scallops and large shrimp, and from October to May it serves fresh Noto oysters that were landed that very morning in Nanao Bay.
The ocean aroma that spreads the moment you open an oyster shell, the plump, springy texture, and the rich umami are at a level you won’t find at typical restaurants.
2. Fully Savor High-Quality Noto Oysters
Noto oysters are raised in Nanao Bay, where nutrients flow in from rich mountain forests, and they grow in the relatively short period of one year.
Because they are raised in a blessed environment with abundant plankton, they are small yet packed with umami, with a meaty texture and strong sweetness.
At Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten, which also handles farming, you can fully enjoy fresh, high-quality oysters.
3. A Hands-On Hamayaki Experience You’ll Never Forget
At each table, you can enjoy a hamayaki style where you grill fresh seafood yourself, such as oysters, scallops, and squid, on a charcoal grill set at your table.
A live, sizzling meal with savory aromas spreading right in front of you offers not only deliciousness but also a special kind of fun.
4. Noto Vegetables Are Also Grown In-House, Bringing Together Local Ingredients
Not only seafood, but also local ingredients such as Noto vegetables are used generously.
What’s more, all vegetables are grown in-house, letting you enjoy the fresh taste that only just-harvested produce can offer.
Another great point is that you can experience Noto’s food culture, recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) as “Noto no Satoyama Satoumi” (satoyama and satoumi landscapes).
Popular Course Menus at Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten
At Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten, there are two main course offerings that differ between spring and summer and fall and winter.
Let’s take a look at what makes each course appealing.
Savor Seasonal Seafood from the Sea of Japan: The "Hamayaki Course"
In the "Hamayaki Course" offered from June to October, you can fully enjoy fresh seafood caught in Noto.
Starting with Noto appetizers, it includes a hamayaki-style platter of five exceptionally fresh seafood items such as turban shells, scallops, and squid, plus fried fish, and for the finale, a luxurious nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) kamameshi (served with miso soup and pickles).
With a hearty lineup from appetizers to kamameshi, it lets you enjoy Noto’s mountain and sea blessings in one go.
A Seasonal Limited-Time "Yaki Kaki Course" (October to May) to Indulge in Noto Oysters as a Full Course
Starting with Noto appetizers, it is a luxurious course where you grill and enjoy 10 shell-on oysters on a wire-mesh grill.
It also includes fragrant fried oysters (kaki fry) and kamameshi packed with oyster extract (served with clear soup and pickles).
It is an irresistible lineup for oyster lovers, letting you enjoy oysters from start to finish.
There Are Also Plenty of Set Meals and A la Carte Options!
While it is best known for cooking on a wire-mesh grill, it also offers a wide variety of other set meals and a la carte dishes.
Options are plentiful, including ebi fry set meals, tonkatsu set meals, sazae kamameshi, and kani miso.
It also offers Noto local sake and wine, so you can enjoy pairings matched to your meal.
Noto Oysters You Can Buy from the Official E-Commerce Site
Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten also operates the official e-commerce site "Godaime Sanji" so you can enjoy at home the same fresh oysters you taste at the restaurant.
It is popular with people who want to share a flavor they loved during their trip with family, or who want to enjoy the taste of Noto again.
Wrap-Up
Hamayaki Noto Fudo Honten is in a great location, just a 1-minute walk from Kasashibo Station.
Under the philosophy of "half farming, half fishing," it is a popular restaurant that shares Noto’s food culture through both seafood and farm produce.
The hamayaki experience of grilling oysters yourself is also perfect for making memories on a family trip or a couples’ trip.
Easy to stop by during sightseeing as well, it is a place you will want to visit if you come to the Noto Peninsula.