{"id":73451,"date":"2015-01-28T08:52:58","date_gmt":"2015-01-27T23:52:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fukuoka-now.com\/?post_type=feature&p=58250"},"modified":"2017-11-29T17:04:25","modified_gmt":"2017-11-29T08:04:25","slug":"nagahama-fish-market-citizen-day-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/nagahama-fish-market-citizen-day-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Nagahama Fish Market Citizen’s Day – Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every half-decent guidebook of Japan introduces going to the fish market as a must-do. Why? To find out, Fukuoka Now checked out a recent public day at the city\u2019s central wholesale market.<\/p>\n

Report by Tomo Greer, with photos by Tristan Theservent<\/em><\/p>\n

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Red scorpion fish on offer for just \u00a5500 each!<\/p><\/div>\n

Early Saturday morning, January 10th, in Minato, Fukuoka, the Nagahama Fish Market was crowded with parked cars, traffic patrol officers and seafood lovers making their way for the monthly \u2018Citizens Day\u2019. The usually private fish market opens up to the general public every second Saturday of the month, giving locals a chance to grab some of the freshest, finest fish in town. The event attracts a daily crowd of up to 10,000 people, and has been running for over seven years.<\/p>\n

If you want a taste of Fukuoka\u2019s fish market, get there early – this city\u2019s love for seafood is not to be underestimated. Despite the icy winter winds, a long line extended from the entrance, throughout the building and outside, with the keenest waiting since 7:00 am. To most of those lined up, this was routine. Speaking to some of the attendees, they all had their eyes on a particular deal. \u201cIt\u2019s the \u00a51,000 assortment box,\u201d an ojichan<\/em> explained to me. \u201cIt sells out in minutes. If you want in, you have to come early.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The deals are so good many locals line up as early as 7am!<\/p><\/div>\n

Fukuoka Now was given the privilege to tour the market before it opened to the public. A 200m long walkway was filled with 40 stalls selling every kind of fish imaginable – sliced, cooked, fresh or even some prawns and squid still alive. An overwhelmingly fishy odour wafted throughout the market – but not to say that it was unpleasant or bothering. The freshness of the fish permeated the air, making it the kind of fishiness that made you hungry rather than repulsed. Luckily, tasters were given out everywhere by friendly fisherman, who were up for a good chat. \u201cI\u2019ve been up since 12:00 last night,\u201d one of them spoke as he was eating his breakfast (dinner?) – unsurprisingly, a fish-filled bento box. \u201cAfter clean-up time is bedtime for me!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Some fisherman get to go home not long after the markets open. The official hours for the market are from 9:00 ~ 12:00, but in reality there\u2019s no fish left if you arrive toward the end. As the clock on the wall read 9:00, we seemed to be standing in the way of shoppers sprinting from the entrance, with cash in one hand and a bag in another, running toward the stall with the famous \u00a51,000 fish assortment box. A shop assistant held a sign that read \u201climited stock today – 100 boxes\u201d while organising people in a single line. At 9:04, disappointed shoppers left the line as the stall called it a day.<\/p>\n

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The very popular \u00a51,000 assortment box of fresh fish. What a deal!<\/p><\/div>\n

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And fortunately for the shoppers who missed out on the \u00a51,000 box, there\u2019s plenty of other fish in the sea! The market remained cheery and colourful, with several other tasty deals. Being in the midst of oyster season<\/a>, kaki<\/em> (oyster) appeared to be popular and inexpensive compared to off-season retail price. Aji<\/em> (horse mackerel) and saba<\/em> (mackerel), Fukuoka\u2019s trademark fish, were sold almost everywhere, as well maguro<\/em> (tuna), the king of Japanese seafood. You could purchase seaweed, dried fish, sashimi, whale meat, and even chocolate and biscuits to accompany your fish.<\/p>\n

Towards the front end of the market, a tuna-cutting show followed by a tuna auction took place; selling the seafood delicacies of otoro<\/em> (fattiest part of the fish) and chutoro<\/em> (medium fatty tuna.) A big, shiny tuna at an impressive 62 kg was laid out on the table. The energetic fisherman then began to demonstrate how to fillet a tuna, as well explaining the tasty and the fatty parts. Like master-surgeons, they effortless cut through the flesh of the tuna, swiftly moving from head to tail. The years of experience they had was evidenced; volunteers called upon to sample the action had difficulty in just putting a knife through the flesh.<\/p>\n

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Rather than the conventional auctioning method, the first few pieces of tuna were sold through a jyanken<\/em> (paper scissors rock) battle, followed by the traditional auctioning for the limited amounts of tuna cheek fat and tail fat. On average, the retail price for 200g of otoro<\/em> would cost over \u00a54,000, but here this amount was sold unbelievably cheap for \u00a52,000.<\/p>\n

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Auctioneer calls bids for otoro<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

At the far end of the market was a fish filleting class, where participants got a hand-on experience filleting tai<\/em> (snapper.) Two tables were laid out, each with a fisherman instructing filleting methods and showing a few handy tricks. The filleted tai<\/em> was then laid out on another table, along with soy sauce and wasabi, for anyone and everyone to enjoy a welcome morning sashimi treat.<\/p>\n

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Fish filleting class<\/p><\/div>\n

All this generosity by the Fish Market serves to promote seafood; which once was, and probably still is, of paramount importance in the Japanese diet. Even in the seafood hub that is Fukuoka, globalisation has decreased the sale of fish in the city, as the western world has introduced its diet busting stables like McDonalds and Dunkin Doughnuts. Mr Toyonaka, the organiser of the Citizen Day, expressed his disappointment, \u201ca lot of Japanese people don\u2019t know how to filet a fish properly. We hope to educate citizens of Fukuoka on the sort of things our grandmothers used to teach us, like being able to recognise, name and fillet a fish, and the nutritional benefits each fish has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fish market has taken the initiative, and has begun public tuna auctions, filleting classes, and hands out leaflets on nutritional information about each fish variety. (Did you know that mackerel is good for brain function? And squid is great for your skin?) There\u2019s also a corner where commonly cooked fish are displayed with their names, and a tank next to it where you get to touch a shark!<\/p>\n

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Fukuoka Now reporter, Tomo Greer petting a fish.<\/p><\/div>\n

On any other day, you can still enjoy the fish market from a distance. The auction for wholesalers and seafood restaurant owners take place at 3:00am from Mon ~ Sat, which you can enjoy from the visitor walkway that looks down on the market. There\u2019s a spectacular view of the bay from the 13th floor of the building, and a mini fish museum for children on the second floor. On the first floor you\u2019ll find locally beloved seafood restaurants serving up sushi, sashimi and other magical seafood dishes. Check out their website<\/a> for cooking classes that take place on a weekly basis too.<\/p>\n

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Exterior shot of the building next to the market.<\/p><\/div>\n

Access<\/strong>: 5min walk from Akasaka Station, 15min from Tenjin Station.
\nCitizen Day:<\/strong> Every second Saturday of the month.
\nVisitor walkway:<\/strong> Open 24hrs, but market closed on Sundays.
\nRestaurant hours vary by place. Check out their website for more details. <\/a><\/p>\n

Finally, here are some common Japanese fish names that might come in use at the fish market, or when you\u2019re ordering at a kaiseki or sushi restaurant!<\/p>\n

Buri<\/em>: Yellowtail
\nSaba<\/em>: Mackerel
\nKanpachi<\/em>: Amberjack
\nAnago<\/em>: Japanese conger eel
\nUnagi<\/em>: Eel
\nSumi-ika<\/em>: Cuttlefish
\nTako<\/em>: Octopus
\nSuzuki<\/em>: Japanese seabass
\nMaguro<\/em>: Tuna (when ordering sashimi or sushi, referred to as toro)
\nShirasu<\/em>: Baby sardines
\nIwashi<\/em>: Sardines
\nFugu<\/em>: Pufferfish
\nHirame<\/em>: Flounder
\nSake\/Shake<\/em>: Salmon
\nShira-uo<\/em>: Whitebait<\/p>\n

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