Sakaiminato Seafood Market

Sakaiminato Fishery Products Direct Sales Center is a seafood market where you can buy extremely fresh catches from Sakaiminato—one of Japan’s leading fishing ports—at low prices, serving as an essential “kitchen” for locals. Seafood landed at Sakaiminato is lined up at the center the same day, so you can get very fresh items quickly. Ask the staff (the pros) about what’s in season, recommendations, and cooking methods—they’ll share lots of helpful knowledge. You can also request filleting/cleaning services that can be hard to do yourself. You may be able to eat what’s prepared on the spot, and there’s also an attached dining area, so it’s worth visiting even if your itinerary doesn’t allow you to carry raw seafood. Seasonal highlights include: spring (Sakaiminato salmon), summer (fresh bluefin tuna, rock oysters, white squid), autumn through winter (red snow crab), and winter (Matsuba crab). Access: by car, about 25 minutes from Yonago IC; about 5 minutes from JR Sakaiminato Station. By public transport, from JR “Sakaiminato Station,” there is a free shuttle bus (15 minutes) running between the center and Mizuki Shigeru Road, but it operates only on weekends and holidays—so be careful. It’s also about 2.2 km from the station on foot (about 25 minutes), about 20 minutes on foot from Mizuki Shigeru Road, and rental bicycles are available at the tourist info office near the station.