Toyama Bay Seafood Guide:Best Places, Dishes & When to Visit

Discover the best seafood in Toyama Bay with our local guide. Learn where to eat, what to try, and when to go for peak flavor. Updated for backpackers & foodies.

Introduction: Toyama Bay’s Ocean Feast Awaits

Welcome to Toyama Bay; a pristine pocket of Japan’s northern coast that offers some of the freshest, most unique seafood you’ll ever encounter.

This isn’t your average sushi guide. This is a deep dive (pun intended) into the bounty of the Japan Sea, pulled straight from Toyama’s famously deep bay and brought to your plate just hours after it was caught.

Whether you’re a hardcore seafood lover or a curious backpacker or traveler looking for something memorable to eat, Toyama Bay will ruin seafood for you anywhere else.

Really, the locals are stuck up. They refuse to eat seafood anywhere else in Japan because they say it’s inferior to Toyama. And I won’t lie, it’s rubbed off on me. When I visit Tokyo or somewhere else, I stick to ramen, donburi, international food, but not seafood. Maybe some unagi in Kyoto… that’s still the bomb.

Before we dig in (literally), let’s set the scene: The bay’s dramatic depth, plunging over 1,000 meters close to shore, means deep-sea creatures like firefly squid, white shrimp, and yellowtail make their way to the surface and to Toyama’s markets with shocking speed.

Combine this geography with generations of fishing tradition, and what you get is a culinary paradise mostly undiscovered by the average traveler.

Read this for a Guide to Toyama

And for more events and things to do in Toyama, read the best time to visit Toyama article.

What Makes Toyama Bay’s Seafood So Special?

–Natural Refrigerator: Cold, nutrient-rich currents and a unique V-shaped coastline make Toyama Bay ideal for preserving freshness.

It’s like a mountain valley in the water. Just look at a map.

–Close Catch Distance: Fish and squid can be caught and brought ashore in under two hours.

Many people go camping at a free spot on the beach, and wake up early in the morning or stay up late at night and go out with nets to catch firefly squid when it’s in season. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the blue hue lighting up the bay.

–Seasonal Variety: Every month brings new delicacies; you can eat like a local and follow the rhythm of the ocean.

–Culinary Culture: Toyama’s chefs and fishers have refined these ingredients into dishes you can only experience here.

Firefly Squid Article

Toyama Black Ramen

Shomyo Falls

Signature Catches of Toyama Bay

Hotaruika (Firefly Squid)

• Season: Late March to early May

• Where to Try: Namerikawa’s port, izakayas across Toyama City, even the supermarket has some fresh or boiled.

• Taste: Sweet, umami-rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

When you take a bite, they gush out in your mouth like a custard cream filling. Some love it, some hate it because of the texture. It’s undeniably my favorite seafood.

• How It’s Served: Raw as sashimi, boiled with miso, or marinated in soy and sake. I recommend it boiled with shumiso sauce, giving it a nice mustardy flavor.

You can literally see them glow in the early morning sea. It’s otherworldly.

Related Post: Firefly Squid Season in Toyama

Shiro Ebi (White Shrimp/ Glass Shrimp)

• Season: April to November (peak in spring)

• Nickname: “The Jewel of Toyama Bay”

• Appearance: Translucent pinkish-white and delicately curled

• Taste: Subtle, sweet, and silky smooth

• How It’s Served: Sashimi, rice bowls (shiro ebi don), deep-fried kakiage style

This shrimp is so soft it barely resists the bite. It feels like ocean velvet.

I recommend it deep fried, almost like french fries… or chips for you Brits. There’s a great place in the Toyama station near the omiyage gift shop area. You’ll fall in love with the white shrimp chips.

Buri (Yellowtail)

• Season: Winter — November to February

• Nickname: Kan-Buri (Winter Yellowtail)

• Taste: Fatty, bold, rich

• How It’s Served: Sashimi, grilled with salt, or as part of a nabe (hot pot)

Kan-buri is Toyama’s winter pride. It’s buttery without being heavy, and sushi chefs all over Japan fight over the catch from this bay.

I worked at a restaurant in Toyama that specialized in high-end Japanese food. Over in Sogawa. We would get some large fish, sometimes 20 kilos a fish, sometimes still muscle spasming with freshness.

The head chef would slice it up in front of customers with his razor sharp blade. It made it look so easy. The best fresh sashimi I’ve ever had.

Himi Uo (Himi Fish Assortment)

• Location: Himi Port, west of Toyama City

• Notable Fish: Flounder, mackerel, rockfish, squid, and seasonal catches

• Experience: Visit early morning markets and try catch-of-the-day kaisendon (seafood bowls)

You’ll want to go hungry. The variety is wild; one day it’s mackerel grilled over charcoal, the next it’s flounder sashimi with sea salt and citrus.

Visit early in the morning. Like fishermen early. Before the sun is up, 4am. Freshest catch, all in those markets. I recommend a hotel near the sea in Himi, or have a car if you’re road tripping through Toyama.

Tokyo’s Tsukiji market is a joke compared to this market. Sure, you might not get the world’s biggest Tuna straight from the Pacific Ocean,

Best Seafood Markets and Restaurants in Toyama

 

Uozu Port Fish Market

• What It’s Known For: Daily auctions, seafood street food stalls, and great morning donburi

• When to Go: Early morning (6–9 a.m.)

• Why It’s Special: It’s where locals shop, the atmosphere is authentic, not polished for tourists

Shiro Ebi Tei (Toyama City)

• Specialty: White shrimp bowls and tempura

• Bonus: Seasonal seafood tasting sets for under 2,000 yen

Himi Banyagai (Himi City)

• What to Try: Freshly grilled squid, sashimi plates, Kan-Buri during winter

• Tip: Visit the docks first, then eat on-site — fish doesn’t get fresher than this

Toyama Station Restaurants

• Pro Tip: Look for “Toyama Bay Sushi” sets at sushi counters inside the station complex

When Is the Best Time to Eat Seafood in Toyama?

Month	Best Seasonal Catch	Notes
March–May	Firefly Squid, White Shrimp	Glowing squid season + spring delicacies. I’d come in April. Firefly squid, cherry blossoms, not rainy, snow wall, cool weather… perfection.
June–August	Rockfish, Squid	Light, refreshing seafood for summer. Nice hikes in the mountains.
September–October	Mackerel, Flounder	Fall variety with firmer textures. Koyo, the fall leaf color change. Beautiful views on the Kuobe gorge train. Amazing hiking weather.
November–February	Winter Yellowtail (Kan-Buri)	Fatty, rich -perfect for warming dishes

Each season in Toyama tells a different seafood story.

Insider Tips for Seafood Lovers and Backpackers

• Use the JR Pass: Toyama is accessible by Shinkansen — just over 2 hours from Tokyo

• Early Bird Advantage: Visit fish markets before 9 a.m. to beat crowds and get the best cuts

• Learn Basic Japanese Seafood Terms: Words like sashimi, donburi, namashirasu, and nitsuke go a long way

• Bring Cash: Especially for market vendors and small-town eateries

• Stay Central: Toyama City is your best backpacker base: easy transport to Himi, Uozu, and Namerikawa

Related: Gokayama UNESCO Village Day Trip

Related: Best Time to Visit Toyama Snow Wall

FAQs About Toyama Bay Seafood

Can I eat Toyama Bay seafood if I don’t like raw fish?

Absolutely. Most restaurants serve grilled, boiled, or fried versions of seasonal catches.

Is it expensive to eat seafood in Toyama?

It definitely can be. Toyama is one of the best places in Japan for affordable high-quality seafood perfect for backpackers. Any seafood is going to be more expensive than chicken & rice, but the supermarkets even have fresh caught fish from opening time that you can buy for a few dollars and cook yourself.

Are there English menus available?

Major places near Toyama Station usually have basic English menus or pictures. For local markets, Google Translate is your best friend. Toyama is still pretty rural. I’m always amazed when I visit Kanazawa or Takayama right next door and start hearing English. It doesn’t happen in Toyama.

What’s the best seafood for first-timers?

Start with white shrimp rice bowls or grilled yellowtail. Both are easy introductions with big flavor. Then try the fun stuff like Firefly Squid if you’re ready to be truly amazed.

Can I ship seafood home from Toyama?

Some markets like Himi Banyagai offer vacuum-sealed boxes for domestic shipping — ask about it on-site. The Toyama station gift shop area also has frozen or jerkied firefly squid. I prefer boiled, but this works as a nice gift.

Final Thoughts: This Isn’t Just Seafood: It’s Culture on a Plate

You don’t just eat in Toyama… You experience. You watch squid glow at dawn. You sip miso soup made with bones of fish caught that morning. You walk past steaming stalls and plastic crates full of still-twitching shrimp. It’s raw in every way — honest, fresh, and alive.

Don’t sleep on this region. Everyone goes to Osaka, Kyoto, or Tokyo. But Toyama Bay is where food still tells the story of place. Make a little stop here along the new golden triangle, between Tokyo, Osaka/Kyoto, and Kanazawa. Toyama is a 30 minute train from Toyama and on the way anyways.

Want more insider Toyama guides? Check out:

• Toyama Black Ramen: A Local Legend

• Gokayama: Japan’s Quiet UNESCO Gem

• Tonami Tulip Fair 2026 Travel Guide