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- Wakayama
Katsuura Port Nigiwai Market
Katsuura Port boasts the top tuna fish haul in the country
Known as part of the World Heritage-registered Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, the town of Nachikatsuura in Wakayama Prefecture is also famous for the fishing port that hauls the largest volume of tuna in Japan. In the Nigiwai Market located inside Katsuura Port, visitors can taste right there on the spot delicious texture of fresh tuna that has never been frozen. Savor the distinct flavor and texture of fresh tuna, which are nothing like defrosted tuna.
Feast on all tuna has to offer at the Katsuura Port Nigiwai Market
To purchase fresh tuna, head for the Nigiwai Market for the freshest products only available right inside the fishing port. You can also enjoy various tuna dishes such as sushi, rice bowls and deep-fried skewers. If the weather is nice, enjoy the tasty foods and pleasant breeze outside on the wooden decks facing the ocean. At the back of the Nigiwai Market, you may be able to see a tuna-cutting show and experience up close how massive tuna fishes are.
Watch the auction of the impressive lineup of freshly caught tuna
By 7 a.m., the gleaming giant tunas are lined up inside the port, and brokers busily move around the fish to make their bid. Visitors can watch this auction from the second-floor deck. Since freshness is vital, the tunas are immediately towed out as soon as they are sold, and the floor empties rapidly. The tuna hauled at Katsuura Port are caught by longline fishing, a sustainable method with consideration for the tuna ecology. You can also participate in a tour guided by a fisheries cooperative member during the auction (fees apply).
The Tuna Festival attracts tuna connoisseurs from around the country
Held every January, the Tuna Festival features fun attractions such as the dynamic cutting of a whole raw tuna right in front of your eyes, and the tuna weight quiz in which you can win various local specialties and blocks of tuna. In addition, delicious tuna fish ball soup and sashimi from the tuna cutting show are served free to visitors, and you can also purchase fresh tuna. This is a festival all tuna lovers should not miss.
Location
| Name | Katsuura Port Nigiwai Market |
|---|---|
| Website | https://en.visitwakayama.jp/venues/venue_74/ |
| Address | 7-12 Tsukiji, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama |
| Access | Approximately 5 minutes' walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station Approximately 80 minutes' drive from the Susami-minami IC on the Kisei Expressway |
| Inquiries | TEL: 0735-29-3500 (Katsuura Port Nigiwai Market) TEL: 0735-52-5311 (Nachikatsuura-cho Tourist Information Center) |