Alex Quinn's Japan Journal

2/5/2005, Fish markets in Aioi, making oyster okonomiyaki at home

Akemi came to my place for the weekend.  Saturday afternoon, my co-worker, Mr. Shimizu, took us for a ride in Aioi.  He lives in Aioi and knows the sights much better than me.  The purpose of the trip was to go to a fish market, Kouhai, that he took us to on January 15.  I really liked the fish market and asked him to take me back when he got the chance.

Before we went to the Kaihou fish market, we stopped in this oyster market.  It's not really a market at all.  They're just processing oysters, but they'll sell oysters to anybody who stops by.  And, they're really good, really fresh oysters.  Really tasty.

This guy sold us the oysters.  1 kg (≈2.2 pounds) with no shells for ¥2000 (≈$20).

These people are all shucking oysters, too.  In front of them is a conveyer belt that carries the shells away.

Finally, we made it to Kaihou, the fish market that motivated the trip.  We didn't buy anything.  For me, it was well worth it just to go and admire the great array of fresh fish and think about future meals I could eat.  We already had lots of oysters in hand, so buying fish would be unwise.

Kaihou fish market

Fish are sold from big tanks.  They come directly from the sea into this place.  It's much like buying fish at a fisherman's wharf, but it seems fresher than what we have back in Seattle.  Quite a bit of it is still alive, including many of the fish.

Scallops

They also have some kind of restaurant there, but I've never been inside.

Same sign, a little closer.

The ride back was beautiful.  We stopped briefly and enjoyed the seaside.  I took these from the car.

Car ride from Aioi fish markets back to central Aioi.

Car ride from Aioi fish markets back to central Aioi.

Car ride from Aioi fish markets back to central Aioi.

That night, Akemi taught me how to make Osaka-style okonomiyaki at home.  We used the oysters.  That's my favorite kind of okonomiyaki.  Akemi did almost all the cooking, but I did make one and I helped flip.

Oyster okonomiyaki, in progress.

Oyster okonomiyaki, in progress.

Oyster okonomiyaki.  All done.

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