Local Guide
Boasting seafood! 6 gourmet spots in Senzaki, Nagato City

For Yamaguchi Prefecture, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides, seafood is one of its major attractions. Before you travel, you should definitely check out some of the gourmet spots boasting seafood. The area on the Sea of Japan coast between Hagi City, Nagato City, and the northern part of Shimonoseki City is called "Kitaura" in the prefecture, and this article takes a close look at the Senzaki Port area, a major fishing center in the prefecture! Because it is the home of the market, there are many famous restaurants where you can enjoy a wide variety of seafood, such as squid, turban shell, and sea urchin, with outstanding freshness. Each restaurant has its own signature menu, including ikizukuri, kamameshi, sushi, donburi, barbecue, and dried fish. Here are six recommended restaurants in Senzaki that have garnered particular attention.

Enjoy Senzaki squid, which boasts of its rich sweetness, live.

The restaurant's most popular
The restaurant's most popular "Ikei-Ika Zen" (3,500 yen). In addition to the live squid, you can also enjoy geso tempura and squid shumai.

The squid, called "Senzaki squid," is nurtured by the fierce currents off the coast of Nagato City, and has a firm flesh and rich sweetness. Kiraku" is one of the first restaurants to be mentioned when it comes to tasting Senzaki squid.
The "Ika-ai-ka-zen" (set meal) includes tempura of squid geso and squid shao mai, and is truly a squid feast. The main dish, ikizukuri, is made to order, with squid swimming in a tank in the restaurant and then scooped up and processed. The clear flesh and moving geso will surprise you, and as soon as you put it in your mouth and enjoy the crunchy texture, you will be immediately impressed by the rich flavor that spreads out. Enjoy the unforgettable taste of Senzaki squid to your heart's content.

A wide variety of seafood from Senzaki. Tiger puffer fish is also available at reasonable prices!

There are many tatami rooms where you can enjoy seafood in a relaxed atmosphere with your family.
There are many tatami rooms where you can enjoy seafood in a relaxed atmosphere with your family.

The quality of the fresh fish purchased by the owner, a middleman at the Senzaki market, is unquestionable, and the menu includes such delicacies as "Kaisendon" (2,700 yen) and "Senzaki Sashimi Gozen" (2,980 yen), both prepared by a skilled chef. The "raw sea urchin rice" (3,500 yen for black sea urchin, market price for red sea urchin), which uses a whole plate of sea urchin, is also popular. You can enjoy the rich flavor with a slight aroma of the sea.
Also, you should not miss the "fugu zushi zen," which is a typical dish in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The restaurant farms its own tiger puffer fish and offers a sumptuous array of sashimi, deep-fried fish, confit, and shumai, all at a reasonable price of 3,500 yen.

Local Guide Comment
The "Ika-ita-Uni Gozen" (6,480 yen), a gorgeous combination of a plate of sea urchin and Senzaki squid, the two top delicacies the restaurant is proud of, is also very popular. This is a blissful premium menu that will make your trip to Nagato even richer and more memorable.
Kiraku, the main live squid restaurant
  • Address 4137-3 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 minutes from the Mine IC of the Chugoku Expressway
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Nagato City Station, get off at Senza Kitchen and walk 5 minutes.
  • Business hours 11:00 - 14:30 (L.O. 14:30), 17:00 - 21:00 (L.O. 20:30)
  • Closed Wednesdays (closed irregularly from October to December)
  • TEL 0837-26-1235
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Phone: Open by appointment only in the evening (reservation required by the day before).

The lingering taste is irresistible! Enjoy local fresh fish in nigirizushi

Special nigiri
Special nigiri" (2,700 yen). Every piece of sushi is blissfully fresh and delicious!

This popular restaurant is located in the Senza Kitchen and Dining Building of Roadside Station. You can enjoy a variety of dishes using the freshest live fish that is purchased every morning. Of the many items on the menu, the "Toku Nigiri," the signature dish, is a must-try. You can enjoy 9 pieces of locally caught seafood such as sea bream, sunfish, fatty tuna, fresh shrimp, sea urchin, squid, and horse mackerel.
The fish is fresh and has a rich texture and flavor, while the sea urchin, squid, and fresh shrimp are exceptionally rich. The lingering taste of each and every dish is irresistible.

Don't miss the sushi rolls, rice bowls, set menus, and more!

The restaurant has been in operation since before Senza Kitchen opened. A popular gourmet spot for sightseeing in Qinghai Island
The restaurant has been in operation since before Senza Kitchen opened. A popular gourmet spot for sightseeing in Qinghai Island

This restaurant has long been popular not only with tourists but also with locals. The restaurant also offers a wide variety of rice bowl dishes, such as "Nama-Uni-don" (3,500 yen), "Kaisen-don Special" (2,700 yen), and "Aji-tataki-don" (1,250 yen). Tempura, sashimi, and arayaki (sea bream and sunfish) are available both as individual items and as set meals (from 1,450 yen).
The sushi, of which the restaurant takes pride, is also excellent, especially the thick rolls. The "Kamimakizushi" (1,100 yen per roll) is filled with seven different ingredients, including shrimp, sea eel, and kanpyo (dried gourd). The "Salad Roll" (1,100 yen per roll) is popular among children and women, and the "Hosomaki" (thin roll) and "Temakimaki" (hand-rolled roll) are also popular. Hosomaki (thin rolls) and Temaki (hand rolls) also offer a wide variety of ingredients.

Local Guide Comment
The restaurant sometimes closes when they run out of items, so it is best to visit early. The restaurant prides itself on the freshness of its ingredients, so it is best to enjoy nigiri and donburi at the restaurant, but if you are short on time, takeout is also an option (except for set menus). You can also enjoy the best of the best on the way to the restaurant or at your hotel.
Sushi and Live Fish Cuisine Sengoku
  • Address Senza Kitchen Dining Building, 4297-1 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 minutes from the Mine IC of the Chugoku Expressway
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Nagato City Station and get off at Senza Kitchen.
  • Business hours 11:00-16:30 (L.O. 16:00)
  • Closed 2nd Thursday of the month *Open in August and on national holidays
  • TEL 0837-26-0682
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Open only when the restaurant is sold out. Prices are subject to change depending on availability. Reservations by phone are recommended for take-out (even with a reservation, there may be a wait time depending on the situation).

Plenty of sea urchin from Kitaura! Enjoy the rich taste of freshly cooked kamameshi!

Sea Urchin Kamameshi (3,300 yen). The raw sea urchin gradually hardens over time, so be sure to taste it hot as soon as possible!
Sea Urchin Kamameshi (3,300 yen). The raw sea urchin gradually hardens over time, so be sure to taste it hot as soon as possible!

This long-established restaurant in Senzaki is famous for its seafood kamameshi. Its signature dish is "sea urchin kamameshi," which is made with plenty of fresh sea urchin from Kitaura.
The rice is carefully cooked over an open flame in an iron pot for 20 minutes, one portion at a time, and you can enjoy the fragrant roasted sea urchin mixed in with the broth. When the rice is fluffy and cooked, a generous amount of raw sea urchin is placed on top, and the heat of steaming coats the rice with its delicious flavor. When you open the lid, you can smell the appetizing flavor of the sea. Enjoy the rich flavor of the raw sea urchin alone, or mix it in with the rice, however you like it.

Both the rice bowls and set menus feature a wide variety of excellent products! Enjoy all the seafood from Senzaki!

In addition to table seating, there is also a spacious tatami room.
In addition to table seating, there is also a spacious tatami room.

The menu also features a variety of dishes using plenty of Senzaki seafood that is purchased every morning, such as "Kaikou-don" (1,450 yen) and "Nama-Uni-don" (3,000 yen), which cover the entire bowl with about 6 kinds of ingredients, "Hamaya set meal" (2,750 yen), which features 5 kinds of sashimi and tempura, and the reasonably priced "Iso set meal" (1,470 yen). The menu is full of seafood from Senzaki, which is stocked every morning.
The restaurant also offers a wide variety of individual dishes, such as grilled turban shells (2 for 1,080 yen), which can only be found in Senzaki. If you are in doubt, we recommend the "ZOU-NO-HANA" set meal (4,880 yen; "ZOU-NO-HANA" is a famous rock formation on Aomi Island), which includes fresh sea urchin, sashimi, grilled fish in a jar, cooked Thai fish, and other delicacies from Nagato.

Local Guide Comment
The restaurant boasts a wide variety of kamameshi, including "turban shell" (2,120 yen), "sea eel" (1,730 yen), and "local octopus" (1,520 yen). Don't miss the "kama gozen" (sea urchin kama gozen, 4,500 yen, etc.), which includes additional sashimi and deep-fried (or grilled) dishes.
Hamaya
  • Address 4137-5 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 minutes from the Mine IC of the Chugoku Expressway
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Nagato City Station, get off at Senza Kitchen and walk 5 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 11:30-15:00 (L.O. 14:00)
  • Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
  • TEL 0837-26-1436
  • Parking Free of charge

The concept is "Eat Nagato. The menu features a variety of popular dishes, including kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) at the top!

Kaisendon
Kaisendon" is available at 1,350 yen for the "Top," 1,850 yen for the "Extra-Top," and 2,600 yen for the "Extra-Top" shown in the photo! Special" 2,600 yen.

This popular restaurant is located in the "Roadside Station Senza Kitchen," a hot spot in Nagato City. You can enjoy a variety of menu items that focus on Nagato's proud ingredients, such as fresh local fish and dishes using the specialty "Choshu Dori" (Choshu chicken).
The signature dish, "Kaisen-don" (rice bowl with miso soup and pickles), is a highlight not only for its freshness of local seafood, but also for its gorgeous appearance. The highest grade "Toku! Tokujo" bowl is filled with 12 to 13 kinds of seafood, including sea urchin, squid, tuna, sea bream, shrimp, and turban shells, as well as seasonal ingredients.

Don't miss out on the rice bowls and set menus! Enjoy Choshu chicken as well as seafood!

The restaurant overlooks Senzaki Bay. Relaxing tatami rooms are also available.
The restaurant overlooks Senzaki Bay. Relaxing tatami rooms are also available.

Other specialties that are sure to be a repeat customer include the "sea urchin donburi," a bowl of rice topped with a full portion of local sea urchin, "kaiho kobore maki," a bowl of rice topped with sea urchin, turban shell, and tuna, "ika zukeudon," "tokkyo zukeudon," and "kujira no tatsutaage," all of which are sure to become a repeat customer's favorite.
Each set meal of sashimi and boiled fish is also available, and if you are having trouble choosing a menu, we recommend the "Senzaki Eat-all-you-can-eat Set Meal. You can enjoy all of Nagato's delicacies at once, including the restaurant's famous "Hanabi Sushi," three kinds of sashimi, boiled and seasoned fish, and fried Choshu chicken.

Local Guide Comment
In addition to seafood, the restaurant offers a wide variety of menus using local Nagato ingredients, such as the "Nagashu Dori Oyakodon" and the "Nagashu Dori Sanzokuyaki/Kaizoku Musubi Set," making it an easy choice for families.
Dining Area Senzaki Honmaru
  • Address Senza Kitchen Kitchen Building, 4297-1 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 minutes from the Mine IC of the Chugoku Expressway
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Nagato City Station and get off at Senza Kitchen.
  • Business hours 11:00-19:00 (L.O.18:00)
  • Regular holiday 2nd Thursday of the month *Open during peak season
  • TEL 0837-26-2580
  • Parking Free of charge

Concentrated flavor goes great with rice! Enjoy the excellent dried fish from Kitaura at the set meal!

Hinomono set meal
Hinomono set meal "Yuyake" (1,880 yen). The rice made from local terraced rice paddies in Yuya is also excellent, and refills are available.

Located in the Senza Kitchen's direct sales area, the set menus include dried and fried overnight fish made from local Kitaura fish, such as settsuke horse mackerel, nodoguro, and barracuda. Among the set meals, the "Yuyake" set meal, which includes dried nodoguro (a popular high-end fish) and fried set horse mackerel, is the most recommended.
The nodoguro is grilled slowly over a charcoal fire, and the rich, savory flavor is truly impressive and will make your rice irresistible. The freshly deep-fried horse mackerel is also an exquisite dish, thanks to its freshness. The miso soup, which is made with locally produced miso and vegetables, is also irresistible.

A wide selection of dried and fried fish, freshly deep-fried and ready to eat for take-out!

The entrance to the restaurant is inside the Senza Kitchen agricultural and marine products store. There is a take-out counter on the Parking side.
The entrance to the restaurant is inside the Senza Kitchen agricultural and marine products store. There is a take-out counter on the Parking side.

The "Hinode" set meal (980 yen) includes dried mackerel and fried barracuda, and the "Yuhi" set meal (1,680 yen) includes fried horse mackerel, fried barracuda, and char-grilled nodoguro (small).
There is also a small window on the Parking side of the restaurant for takeout, where freshly fried items such as the "fried horse mackerel burger" (480 yen) as well as the "fried horse mackerel with setae" (320 yen) and fried nodoguro (650 yen) are available for purchase. With a draft beer in one hand, nibbling while looking out at the sea is also exceptional.

Local Guide Comment
The dried fish, fried horse mackerel, and Spanish mackerel punch cutlets served at the restaurant are made by Uoken, which has a factory in Senzaki. These products, which are dried and aged at low temperatures, can be purchased at Senza Kitchen, a roadside station, and are recommended as souvenirs.
Himonya Shokudo Hidamari
  • Address 4297-1 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi-ken MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 minutes from the Mine IC of the Chugoku Expressway
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Nagato City Station and get off at Senza Kitchen.
  • Business hours Weekdays 9:00-15:00, Weekends & Holidays 9:00-16:00, Take-out 9:00-17:00
  • Closed 2nd Thursday of the month *Open in August and on national holidays
  • TEL 0837-27-0178
  • Parking Free of charge

Seafood barbecue over charcoal with a view of the sea!

Shellfish such as turban shells, abalone, and rock oysters are especially popular.
Shellfish such as turban shells, abalone, and rock oysters are especially popular.

Attached to the agricultural and marine product store at Senza Kitchen, a roadside station. You can enjoy charcoal barbecue of seafood in a location overlooking Senzaki Bay. The system allows customers to freely purchase their favorite ingredients from the agricultural and marine products store in the roadside station and grill them themselves.
Recommended are shellfish such as turban shells and abalone, which are always available in abundance in the sterilized seawater tanks. There are also many other products suitable for barbecues, such as horse mackerel, mackerel, and sea bream, as well as open fish, dried fish, and fillets.

You can come in empty-handed, and the menu includes all the products from Senza Kitchen!

The restaurant overlooks Senzaki Bay. When you are ready to barbecue, go to the agricultural and marine products store right next door.
The restaurant overlooks Senzaki Bay. When you are ready to barbecue, go to the agricultural and marine products store right next door.

The seating fee (200 yen per person, 100 yen for elementary school students and younger, 90-minute time limit) includes the cost of tableware and charcoal, and a supply of gloves and tongs are available, so feel free to come empty-handed. In addition to seasonings such as salt and pepper, soy sauce, and ponzu (Japanese citrus juice), aluminum foil can be used freely, allowing even ingredients not suited for grilling to be enjoyed as foil.
Staff/staff members will be happy to give you advice on what fish is in season and how to grill it best, so it is important to ask for "recommendations" before procuring ingredients to fully enjoy your seafood barbecue.

Local Guide Comment
Not only fresh fish, but also a wide variety of processed foods such as dried fish and fish paste are not to be missed. In addition, there are a variety of local vegetables, Nagato's specialty "Choshu-dori" (Choshu chicken), and many other ingredients that can be enjoyed as barbecue on the sales floor.
Grill House
  • Address Senza Kitchen, 4297-1 Senzaki, Nagato, Yamaguchi MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 minutes from the Mine IC of the Chugoku Expressway
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Nagato City Station and get off at Senza Kitchen.
  • Business hours 9:00-17:30 (last admission at 16:00)
  • Regular holiday 2nd Thursday of the month (open on national holidays and in August), January 1
  • TEL 0837-27-0066
  • Parking Free of charge
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.