Oarai Seafood Market, Kaisen Donburi-tei

The Oarai Seafood Market provides fresh fish caught in the Kashima Sea off the coast of Oarai; on holidays, it’s crowded from early in the morning! The market offers a wide variety of fish, from standard fish in Japan such as splendid alfonsino, shore plover, and red seabream to rare species that are hard to find in urban markets. All fish purchased can be cleaned free of charge.

Attached to the popular market is Kaisen Donburi-Tei. As the restaurant’s name suggests, the highlight of the menu is a variety of gorgeous seafood rice bowls. The restaurant offers a wide variety of seafood, including a bowl with a thick slice of tuna at the top, a bowl of kama-age shirasu (sardine babies) with its plump texture, and a sea urchin and salmon roe bowl, both are popular luxurious seafoods. The most loved dish of all is the special kaisen donburi, which features seven to eight different seasonal fresh seafood!

As well as the kaisen-don, other set menus are also worth trying, including the Toro Saba Oarai Fisherman's Grill Set with a unique homemade sauce, and the Tai Dashi Ramen Set, which uses broth made from the bones of sea bream. Also, check out the special menus featuring rare seafood in limited numbers such as tuna kabuto (head of tuna), makogarei (flatfish), and anko (monkfish).