Toyama has many fish markets – but only one authentic fish market (like the famous Tokyo fish markets) where the Japanese visitors go to get their fresh yellow tail sashimi. Since we had a bit of time after work – we decided to head to the port area and see a few of them. We drove through some very picturesque rice paddy fields on the way there… one thing I have noticed about the Japanese landscape is that it’s almost impossible to get away from their power grid infrastructure when attempting to take pictures – it’s ALL above ground and it’s higgeldy piggeldty everywhere. This warning is sign says “water!”, but is presumably meant to be read more like “WATER!” to let hapless passers-by know that there may be water in the rice paddy fields? The roads are all largely built up on banks about 3-4 feet above the level of the rice/water but I imagine plenty of people end up driving into the drink with the way people habitually speed around here. There’s some legislative loophole here where the police can’t have speed cameras as it is illegal to film someone unless they are engaged in illegal activity. So the convention (ie: the internet) says that you can do up to 39km per hour over the speed limit in a 100 zone, and up to 29km per hour over the posted speed limit in a 60 zone before the cops will care at all; because that is the limit where disqualification of license is the penalty. The result of which is EVERYONE is doing 70 in a 50 zone and so on… This is the first ‘fish market’ we visited – the Shinminato Kittokito Fisherman’s Market. We did not stay long,… there were no workmen sorting and slinging about their fresh catch. There were no barrels and barrels of fish splayed out on ice waiting to be auctioned – so we determined it is a ‘tourist fish market’. A suspicion that was borne out when a bus load of Chinese tourists came in and started shoving each other out of their way to get to a large and very modern canteen. Not a bad spot if you want preserved fish products and souvenirs, but the place doesn’t even smell like fish and there isn’t any seabirds anywhere! There is plenty of shopping here to lighten your wallet, and it is redeemed a teeny bit by having an amazing little saké shop.I had heard (read: saw someone raving about it on a YouTube video), about the famous shrimp flavoured ice cream here and felt that must be pretty weird so naturally had to buy one to try it.Mr K said “That is the most Instagrammable thing I have ever seen you do – spend 350JPY on an ice cream because someone else on the internet did!” To which I replied, it’s only the most Instagrammable thing you’ve ever seen me do if I buy it, take a photo, post it on bloody Instagram and then dump it!” Which wasn’t my intention, but I have to say it tasted bloody ordinary, so most of it did unfortunately end up in the bin. Whoops! And he has the audacity to pick on me and my ice cream… exhibit A, if it may please the court:

Translated for your enjoyment:

Next we went to the Himi Port fish market. Now this one I knew was going to be the real deal. The only reason I knew about it is from seeing a Japanese man reviewing how he came all the way from Tokyo to have fresh yellow tail sashimi here and that the restaurant (singular) is always busy and it is through this obscurely signed door. I have no idea what the restaurant is called but it shows up as ‘地方卸売市場 氷見漁港’ on google maps. I’m sure the restaurant has a name – but I have no idea what it is. Yep! Okay, this is definitely a fish market. Fresth fishy smell -check. Wet concrete everywhere – check. Seabirds squabbling all over the place – check! We arrived around 1pm and all the auctions for the morning’s catches were over but the restaurant was busy as all giddy up – as promised. So we took a number and waited to be called. Which took about 20 mins given the time of day.Inside was a modern hustling restaurant that seated about 60 and was half closed off (I think it’s off season now for visitors). Mr K liked the robot waiters, I was drooling over the menu. Some boring non-descript fish and rice for Mr K, which was served with a optimistically labeled bottle of ‘SAUCE’ that turned out to be ponzu. LOL.Naturally, when there is no soft drinks on the menu (that one is able to decipher) saké is the go-to whether it’s lunch or dinner (hell, I’d probably have saké for breakfast if it was an option…). I have no idea what brewery it came from but it was very quaffable. And then… the main events! The mixed sashimi platter full of all good things.And a yellow tail platter full of, well, yellow tail. BEST SASHIMI I have ever tried in my entire life. Quite five times better than anything Sono in Brisbane has ever served. *chef’s kiss* totally worth the mystery drive and the wait above the busy fish market. Don’t be taken in by Tourist Fish Market in Toyama, people!

We do however, decide to go for a drive to the other fish market that I had seen online, Himi Banya-Gai (mostly because it was barely three minutes drive from the authentic one). Himi Banya-Gai. This one is sooo touristy it even comes with its own tourist information centre, a government looking facilities block and about seven fishy canteens, a glass shop, shops full of pastries and preserved fish products – so much so you feel like you are in the food hall of a major department store.This is what passed for premium fresh yellow tail here: some weird foil wrapped packets labeled 1st class, 2nd class and 3rd class yellow tail. And all for way more than what we paid at the port. The squidly products looked interesting, but without refrigeration to take them with us, they stayed in the shop. All pre-packaged fish products. 🙁 I’m sure it makes a nice trip out here if you live in the area to stop up on pantry staples, but I’m so glad we found the port restaurant for some super fresh offerings. Ah, finally some fresh fish – for you to buy and take home and prepare…?

“This is Himibozu-Kuhn- a cheerful Umibozu child from the sea of Himi. He is always carrying a fishing rod and catching yellowtail. Happiness comes when you pat his head.”

After the fish market/s we made our way back to Toyama and on the way through town dis a blockie to have a look at the Toyama Castle. It was getting a bit later and closing very shortly so we decided not to attempt to go visit. It looks very much like other castles we have visited in Osaka and Aomori – I love the Japanese castle style.The original castle was built in the 1500s but this building is a replica re-built in the mid-1800s after an earthquake, which is quite a common story with Japanese castles. From there it was back to our lodgings at the Dormy Inn Toyama and would you believe it? More saké was on the menu, and tonight a cheap and dirty take-away curry for dinner. Long day was long.

We like the Dormy Inn btw – it’s a fairly common chair here. Think something like a Rydges or a Novotel but with smaller rooms 🙂 It’s reliably clean, tidy and will have public onsens baths if you want to visit them and decent breakfasts.