Himi Fisherman's Wharf
Himi is Japan's most celebrated fishing port for buri (wild yellowtail tuna) — the cold winter buri from Toyama Bay, fed on rich upwelling nutrients, are prized above all others. The Icchome Ichiba market beside the harbour serves buri shabu-shabu, crab, and fresh shiro-ebi in a glass building overlooking the Tateyama mountain range and the sea simultaneously.
1.5–2 hours
Free (food costs vary)
Market: 8:30–18:00; restaurants: 11:00–18:00 (some until 20:00).
November–February (buri season)
Himi Station on Himi Line (from Takaoka, 25 min)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
Himi buri — Japan's finest wild yellowtail, fat and clean from Toyama Bay's cold deep waters
- 2
The market glass wall looks directly at the Tateyama mountain range — snow peaks above the fish counter
- 3
Buri shabu-shabu: thin slices of raw yellowtail swirled in hot dashi — the definitive Himi dish
Local Tips
Himi buri (yellowtail) is famous throughout Japan — the winter season (Nov–Feb) brings the finest fatty fish. The morning market section is most interesting before 10am when fishing boats have recently docked. Clear winter days give extraordinary views of the Tateyama mountain range across Toyama Bay — one of Japan's great coastal panoramas.
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