At 6:00 in the morning, I got to Numazu Fish Market “INO”. This time, thanks to a staff of the market, I was meant to tour INO. There already were so many onlookers on the second floor gallery despite a weekday early-morning. I looked down on the wholesale floor and found varieties of fishes and a throng of people around them. Right, auction ! Here in INO, not to mention seafood landed on Numazu Port, fresh seafood is carried in from all over Japan. Therefore, licensed buyers and intermediate wholesalers show up from around the country. INO is such a vigorous and exciting market ! Saba mackerel is what is landed most in Numazu, by the way. You like it ?＾＾

I was so special that time to be let in the market floor. I felt so excited because you know I love fishes ! Sea breams, flatfishes, squids, mackerels, horse mackerels and many more fishes, all seemed so good to me.＾＾ The auctions are basically bid by Kg. It goes so fast because seafood must be kept fresh. The live fishes are also traded by bidders with good prices.

After the tour of the market, the attendant was so let me in the cooled special auction room for big deals. I was so lucky because this room is rarely supposed to be open to the public. The atmosphere was rather strained, no wonder because in this room was auctioned large fishes such as Tuna and Swordfish. Especially tuna.

You know what ? The value of tuna is estimated by the cut meat of tails. Now which one do you prefer ? The upper white-looking one is to be regarded more valuable because the white meat indicates higher portion in fat.

The purchased frozen Tuna and swordfish are often cut with a large band saw because, you know.＾＾ Some load them onto the truck to be shipped to the next destination and others carry them to the store or restaurant nearby. On my way back, I saw just-landed fishes in a large container. They sorted them by species, mostly sardines, horse mackerels, and small squids. Large sea breams and cutlass fishes were found sometimes. Other unmarketable fishes are carried away to make them ground for fertilizer. No life is taken for nothing.
By the way, have you ever recognized the meaning of “INO” ? INO is the goddess of the sea in the Greek Myths. Sounds romantic for the name of a fish market, isn’t it ?

Basically, you can tour the fish market auction from the gallery on the 2nd floor. Groups might be allowed in the market floor for advanced inquiry. For those who are not good at getting up early in the morning, they have 3 restaurants on the second floor. Please enjoy yourself with plenty of fresh seafood at a low cost !

Numazu Fish Market INO
Access from JR Numazu Station ： 10 minutes by bus, or 30 minutes walk.
Fish auction hours ： 5:45 – 7:00
Admission ： Free ＊closed every Saturday

For Japanese (889KB)

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾