Fukuoka City Central Wholesale Fish Market

Tucked into the Nagahama district, roughly ten minutes on foot from northern Tenjin, Fukuoka's central wholesale fish market has been the beating heart of the city's seafood trade since 1948. Run by Fukuoka Chuo Fish Market Co., it handles fresh, frozen, and salt-dried seafood consigned directly from producers: a working market that rewards the curious visitor willing to step off the tourist trail. On the ground floor of the Uoichiba Kaikan building, a handful of eateries serve dishes made from the morning's landed catch, offering some of the most honest seafood eating in the city.

When to go

The market opens to visitors on Saturdays only, between 9 am and 5 pm. Arriving earlier in the morning gives you the best chance of experiencing the market at its liveliest, with the day's catch at its freshest.

“The market itself is not open to the public in general. I think it might have open days to public. Please check their website or tourist information centre to check. The building next door offers food, post office, and a hair salon if you are in need.”— Guanpeng Li, Google review