Fine sake and fine food, delivered from Mashike.

Kaisen Sakagura Fumiichi

The first thing to order is the "Three-Shrimp Masu Mori" — sweet shrimp and botan shrimp caught off Mashike, plus the rare, spiky-shelled Gojira shrimp. The large, ultra-fresh shrimp overflow from the wooden masu box they're served in, letting you fully savor the sweet, springy flesh.

Since Mashike is known for herring fishing, don't skip the kazunoko (herring roe). The top recommendation is the premium "Nama Haradashi" — fresh, unsalted roe, worlds apart in both texture and flavor from the commonly available frozen kind. If you still have room, the takeaway "Mashike Battera," made with whole kazunoko and herring, is also worth trying.

Sushi is available as nigiri too. As sushi chef Honda puts it, "good ingredients deserve good rice." The shari, made from a custom rice blend cooked fluffy with natural spring water, melts gently in your mouth alongside the fish. At lunchtime, you can even try the "Jumbo Nama Chirashi," supervised by Mashike's popular "Sushi no Matsukura."

Mashike's specialties aren't limited to seafood. Sake from "Kunikoi Shuzo," Japan's northernmost sake brewery founded in 1882, is another. Fumiichi specially sources Rumoi-region-limited and seasonal sakes from the brewery, like "Kita no Kirameki" and "Shokan Bijin." The best pairing for seafood raised off Mashike's coast is, without question, local sake made with the same region's water. Even a cider made from local apples is available — a touch only possible thanks to Fumiichi's deep commitment to Mashike.
Every delicacy here traces back to that connection with Mashike. By the time you finish savoring it all, you'll likely find yourself wanting to take a drive up the coastline.