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Spot guide · ShimonosekiKarato Market
Fugu sushi from the fishmongers’ stalls, Friday to Sunday only
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Checked · Researched, not yet visited · times from official timetables and our estimates · Takumi Yamada
A working fish market on the edge of the Kanmon Strait that also sells to the public. On Fridays, weekends and public holidays its fishmongers set out sushi on the market floor, the Iki-iki Bakangai: fugu nigiri and the day’s catch as nigiri and bowls. You pick piece by piece and eat outside on the boardwalk over the water.
Three things the plaques won't tell you
- Check the day of the week before you plan: stalls run Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays only.
- The market closes on most Wednesdays; the Kanmon ferry and the tunnel run every day.
- The Kanmon ferry to Mojiko leaves from Karato Pier next door, about every 20 minutes in the daytime.
You pick piece by piece and eat outside on the boardwalk over the water.
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Questions people ask here
Which days are Karato Market’s sushi stalls open?
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: Friday and Saturday 08:00–15:00, Sunday and holidays 07:00–15:00. There are none from Monday to Thursday or at New Year, and each stall closes when it sells out.
Can I walk to Karato Market from the cruise ship?
From Arcaport, yes: about 1 km and about 15 minutes along the waterfront by our estimate. From Choshu Dejima, no: it is 7.6 km away on foot; take a taxi, about 20 minutes.