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
"Sun Fish Kamaishi," a market built on an elevated platform in front of Kamaishi Station, where the JR Kamaishi Line and Sanriku Railway intersect, is a complex facility featuring shops selling seafood and processed goods, as well as restaurants
It is connected by a walkway to "Sea Plaza Kamaishi," a Kamaishi City-run information center also located in front of the station, and has become a popular tourist spot in Kamaishi
I heard that at Sun Fish Kamaishi, you can enjoy "hamayaki," where you can grill and eat the seafood and processed products you buy right there, so I went to try it out
Why Sun Fish Kamaishi is called the "Ekimae Bridge Market"
Look for the large illustration of a sunfish
There was once a "bridge market," believed to be the only one of its kind in Japan, located on a bridge over the Kashigawa River that flows through Kamaishi City
Apparently, there were about 50 shops lined up on both sides of the bridge, including direct sales shops selling vegetables, fresh fish, processed seafood, and other seafood and mountain produce from the Sanriku region, as well as souvenir shops, general stores, and restaurants
A panoramic view of the bridge market in Kamaishi City (February 1992). Source: Wikipedia (Photographer: Suikotei, File name: Kamaishi-kyoujyouitiba.jpg)
The bridge was scheduled to be replaced, and in 2003 (Heisei 15), the bridge market closed, and Sun Fish Kamaishi was established, taking over its name
What kind of grilled seafood can you enjoy at Sun Fish Kamaishi?
The seafood grilling area has six tables that seat four people each
This system allows you to purchase fresh fish, shellfish such as oysters and scallops, and dried seafood from shops within the facility, and then grill and eat them at the "Seafood Grilling Area" on the first floor of the facility
First, browse the shops on the first floor
Each shop is packed with seafood, making it hard to decide what to buy
As of the end of March 2026, the following shops on the first floor of Sun Fish Kamaishi sell ingredients for grilled seafood:
Miyagawa Shoten: Live fish, fresh fish, and processed fish products
Narita Shoten: A specialty shop for seafood delicacies
Konsei Shoten: Homemade salted sea urchin and grilled sea urchin
Shichibeiya Shoten: Sashimi and Goyo Wakame Seaweed
These are freshly caught crabs and shellfish
These shops sell fresh seafood landed at the fishing port that day, as well as overnight-dried seafood with concentrated flavor, all at bargain prices
Take your time looking around and find your favorite ingredients
On the first floor, you'll also find restaurants like "Niboshi Chuka Soba Gento" and "Sushi Arata," and you can order ramen or sushi to be delivered to the beachside barbecue area
Tell the shop where you bought it, "I want to grill it and eat it!"
Fresh fish can be prepared for you upon request
While you're choosing your favorite ingredients, tell one of the shops where you bought them that you'd like to have a beach barbecue
The restaurant will contact the staff member in charge of the "hamayaki" (grilled seafood) at the facility, and they will come over to prepare it
While you choose your ingredients, the facility staff will prepare them
The staff prepared the grill, work gloves, plates, chopsticks, tongs, and condiments
While you choose your food, the staff will prepare the necessary equipment on your table, including the grill, paper plates, chopsticks, tongs, and other utensils
Additional plates, chopsticks, and paper cups are available in the venue and can be used freely if needed
Paper cups, paper plates, and disposable chopsticks are available for free use
Condiments such as soy sauce, salt and pepper, ponzu sauce, and lemon juice are also provided and can be used freely. You are also welcome to bring your own preferred condiments
Once you've finished shopping, they'll light the grill for you, and then all you have to do is grill and eat; there's no time limit
What to do if you don't know how to cook it?
If you ask the staff at the store where you bought it, they will kindly teach you the best way to cook it, so don't worry
Since different ingredients require different cooking methods, don't be shy about asking questions and enjoy your meal!
You can easily purchase additional ingredients at the store, and delivery is also available
The restaurant is just a 5-second walk from the seafood grilling area
One of the attractions of this grilled seafood system is that if you feel you haven't eaten enough, you can immediately buy more at the shop
The clams were fresh, plump, and absolutely delicious
I also found the grilled clams to be very delicious, so I immediately went back to the same shop to buy more
In addition to ingredients that are meant to be grilled, you can also eat sashimi and dried foods that are not meant to be grilled, as long as you purchase them from the shops within the facility
The medium fatty tuna sashimi was also exquisite, and the price was reasonable – simply fantastic!
Furthermore, a nice service is that you can order ramen from "Gensho" on the first floor of the facility, or sushi from "Sushi Arata," and have it delivered right to your table while you're enjoying the grilled seafood
Once you're finished eating, just throw away the trash and leave the grill as is
The final dish of grilled food is whole dried squid
After eating, please dispose of fish bones, seashells, and other waste properly in the trash cans provided at the venue
The staff will take care of cleaning up the grill, so just remove anything that could catch fire from the surrounding area, extinguish the fire, and leave it as is
You're welcome to bring your own drinks!
The local sake I brought was "Horigome," a junmai sake from "Horinoi" in Shiwa Town, Iwate Prefecture
At places like "Sushi Arata," you can order non-alcoholic drinks such as juice, oolong tea, and green tea, as well as alcoholic beverages such as beer and shochu cocktails
Sushi Arata is closed on weekdays
"Sushi Arata" is only open on weekends and holidays, so it's not available on weekdays, but you are welcome to bring your own drinks
It's recommended to buy beer or your favorite alcoholic beverages in advance and bring them along in a cooler bag
I also brought along some beer I bought at a convenience store and my favorite local sake to enjoy some grilled seafood
Regarding the usage fee for the grill
For a group of four, two grills are ideal
The basic fee for using a grill is 500 yen per grill, but the price becomes cheaper as the number of people increases
Due to its size, it's recommended that one grill be used by two or three people
Please refer to our official website for pricing details based on the number of people and the number of grills required
Reservations for grilled seafood can be made through the official Jalan website
The second floor houses a seafood restaurant and a snack bar, among other establishments
It's usually not crowded on weekdays, so you can enjoy it without a reservation, but it can get busy on weekends and holidays, so advance reservations are recommended
Reservations can be easily made through the official "Jalan" website, and you can choose to pay either online by credit card or in cash at the location
Sun Fish Kamaishi frequently holds various events, such as the "Nokke Don" (a rice bowl dish featuring various toppings), so you can enjoy these events along with grilled seafood
Additionally, the second floor houses seafood restaurants and snack bars, so after enjoying grilled seafood, you might consider going upstairs for a second round of drinks depending on the time
Sun Fish Kamaishi <Information>
Facility name: Ekimae Hashikami Ichiba Sun Fish Kamaishi
Location: 2-1 Suzuko-cho, Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 0193-31-3668
Opening hours: 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM (After 4:00 PM, access to the second-floor store is via the stairs on the left side of the entrance.)
Opening Hours: Please check the official website for the opening hours of the restaurants on the second floor
I'm a former Edoite (Tokyoite) who loves Morioka and the six prefectures of Tohoku, and I'm a big fan of history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and choral singing.
I'll introduce you to interesting things, delicious food, and great places in Tohoku!
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