Furukawa Fish Market

What to know

The Furukawa Fish Market, also known as the Aomori Gyosai Center (青森魚菜センター, Aomori Gyosai Sentā), is a public fish market in central Aomori. Like the Auga Fish Market a few blocks north, it features tightly packed rows of vendors selling local seafood, vegetables, and pickles.

What makes the Furukawa Fish Market special is a system that lets visitors create their own seafood donburi (called nokkedon) from the seasonal, local seafood sold right at the market. Similar seafood donburi are available under different names at other fish markets around the country, usually on a limited basis; however, at Furukawa Fish Market they are sold every day the market is open.

To make your own nokkedon, purchase tickets (170 yen per ticket or 2000 yen for a set of 12 tickets). Each ticket can be exchanged for items around the market. Use your tickets to buy a bowl of rice (one ticket for a regular portion, two tickets for a large portion) and then wander around and check out what the fishmongers have for sale. Most sell a variety of raw fish, crab, shellfish, seaweed, fish eggs, and other goodies in small portions priced between one and three tickets. Tell them what you want, pay with your tickets, and they will put the item on top of your rice.

You cannot take your nokkedon outside, but should eat it at one of the tables set up around the market. Condiments such as wasabi, soy sauce, and ginger are provided, along with free tea and water. Hot miso soups and small trays of pickles can also be purchased with your tickets from the various vendors.

The Furukawa Fish Market is about a five-minute walk southeast of JR Aomori Station and about a block and a half south of the Auga Fish Market.