This site is an online media that delivers all sorts of trivia about the six Tohoku prefectures, from sightseeing and gourmet spots to local customs, history, and more
Aomori Prefecture is known as a treasure trove of seafood! There are markets all over the prefecture where you can buy fresh fish, so locals can always get their favorite seafood at low prices. However, it can be intimidating for tourists to visit markets bustling with wholesalers and locals
In this article, we'll introduce Elm's Fresh Market, which is accessible even to tourists! What is the appeal of Elm's Fresh Market, which is overflowing with locals on weekends? If you come here, you'll find not only fish, but also meat, vegetables, and even alcohol, making it the perfect place for BBQ season!
Elm is a large shopping mall in Goshogawara City
Elm is a large shopping mall located in Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture. The store will be renovated in March 2024, when Ito-Yokado on the second floor will close. The Shinsen Market was also renovated for the first time in 10 years, and reopened on March 1st of this year. On the first day of the reopening, the mall was so crowded with shoppers that it was difficult to move. With the introduction of electronic money and self-checkouts, it seems likely to become even more popular
I went to Elm's Fresh Market
What is the appeal of Elm Fresh Market, which attracts so many visitors from inside and outside Aomori Prefecture? We went there to find out for ourselves!
I arrived around 3pm on a holiday, and the parking lot was so full I wondered if there was an event going on. There were attendants there, but they didn't tell me where there were open spaces, so I ended up driving around looking for an empty spot... The parking lot in the specialty store district is more crowded, so I recommend the parking lot on the Fresh Market side. By the way, it gets busiest between 2pm and 4pm on weekends and holidays, so if you don't like crowds, it's best to go in the morning or later in the evening
Inside the fresh market
Elm's Fresh Market underwent its first renovation in 10 years in the spring of 2024, and the store is now bright, with self-checkouts and electronic money installed. Compared to the crowded parking lot, the Fresh Market had fewer customers, but the specialty shopping area selling clothing and miscellaneous goods was bustling with people
As soon as you enter Elm's Fresh Market, you'll see rows of prepared foods on the left. They have a wide selection of salads, grilled fish, sushi, and more, all made with local ingredients. As soon as you leave the prepared foods section, you'll find a wide selection of seafood lined up on the sales floor, all of which look fresh and delicious!
On this day, there were flounders and filefish lined up. As you can see from the photo, the prices were incredibly cheap! Hokkaido flounder is sold for 58 yen per 100g, and there are few supermarkets these days where you can buy domestic flounder at such a bargain price. I bought a filefish, which you can see in the back, for 480 yen, and it was a great deal as it was packed with liver
This shop is Uogashi Kasaho , and in addition to Elm, it is also located in the commercial facility THREE, which opened this year in Aomori City.
Kasaho has a wide variety of shellfish, which are displayed already shucked, as shown in the photo. This is recommended for those who want to eat oysters but can't shuck them themselves or don't know how to do it. As the weather was nice that day, they were also selling a BBQ set that included shrimp, oysters, and turban shells
They also sold hard clams, which are not often seen in Aomori Prefecture. These shellfish are kept alive, and if you ask the staff at Kasaho, they will prepare them for sashimi. Kasaho will prepare them for various purposes, from filleting them into two or three pieces, to preparing them for sashimi or frying. It may take some time if it is busy, but they will do it for free, so even people who cannot prepare fish can purchase with peace of mind
Once you pass the Kasaho section, you will come across Yamamoto Suisan at the back. This is a fish shop with its main store near Elm, and also has a store in Aomori city
The must-buy at Yamamoto Suisan is the sashimi. The colorful sashimi is beautifully arranged, and just looking at it is mesmerizing. It's a sashimi platter, but the contents are slightly different for the same price, so it's fun to choose the one that includes your favorite fish. At the back of this sales floor, sashimi is sold in a rack, and fatty tuna and medium fatty tuna are lined up in a tight space
In addition to sashimi, there is also a wide variety of fresh fish! Sometimes they sell octopus and shark heads, and whole conger eels... They also sell rare fish, so the market is crowded with customers during the tourist season
They also had a lot of spiny crabs for sale, which are said to taste better than hairy crabs. If you don't know how to eat them, just ask the store staff and they'll kindly explain how to prepare them and the best ways to eat them. Yamamoto Suisan also offers free preparation of fish, so feel free to buy them at your favorite store
Information
Name: Elm Town Shopping Center Fresh Market Prepared Food
Address: 517-1 Karakasayanagi Fujimaki, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture, 037-0004
Although we weren't able to introduce them this time, Elm Fresh Market also sells meat and vegetables. As the BBQ season is just around the corner, why not try grilling some delicious seafood at Elm Fresh Market?
![f5bf6fe68cc4ca62f3fdb2c19c8f700d](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/f5bf6fe68cc4ca62f3fdb2c19c8f700d-150x150.jpg.webp "Gojome Town (Akita Prefecture): Home to a morning market that has been running for over 500 years and the "zelkova tree with breasts"")
![8032_Tsugaru Kanayama ware](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/f21682c6b355bc0e91d804466b2643f7-150x150.jpg.webp "Irresistibly simple! Exploring the charm of "Tsugaru Kanayama ware" [Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture]")
