Nagato (Yamaguchi)
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 item is “live squid.”
The restaurant’s most popular item is “live squid.”

The Kensaki squid, nurtured by the strong currents off the coast of Nagato City, is known as “Senzaki squid” and features firm, sweet flesh. When it comes to savoring Senzaki squid, “Kiraku” is one of the first restaurants that comes to mind.
For the “Live Squid” dish, the squid is scooped directly from the tank swimming inside the restaurant and prepared fresh upon order. As you marvel at its translucent flesh and wriggling tentacles, take a bite to enjoy its crunchy texture—you’re sure to be moved by the rich flavor that instantly spreads across your palate. Please savor the unforgettable deliciousness of Senzaki squid to your heart’s content.

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

With plenty of sunken kotatsu seating, families can relax and fully enjoy the fresh seafood.
With plenty of sunken kotatsu seating, families can relax and fully enjoy the fresh seafood.

The quality of the fresh fish sourced by the owner—a Senzaki Market wholesaler—is second to none, and when combined with the skills of a seasoned chef, the menu—featuring dishes like the “Umisachi Senzaki (Seafood Rice Bowl)” and the “Senzaki Squid Set Meal”—is nothing short of exquisite.
Also, don’t miss the “Yamaguchi <Fuku> Set Meal,” a must-try when visiting Yamaguchi Prefecture. The restaurant raises its own tiger pufferfish, offering a sumptuous selection of sashimi, deep-fried pieces, confit, and shumai.


Local Guide

The “Sea Urchin Rice,” made with an entire slab of sea urchin, is also highly acclaimed. You can savor its rich umami while enjoying a subtle hint of the ocean’s aroma. It’s a blissful premium dish that will make your trip to Nagato even 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)
  • Phone 0837-26-1235
  • Parking Free
  • 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.” With an unwavering commitment to freshness, every piece of sushi is a blissful delight.
“Special Nigiri.” With an unwavering commitment to freshness, every piece of sushi is a blissful delight.

This popular restaurant is located inside the Senzaki Kitchen & Dining Building at the Roadside Station. Here, you can savor dishes made with exceptionally fresh, live fish sourced every morning.Among the menu items—which vary depending on daily catches—the first thing you’ll want to try is, of course, their signature “Special Nigiri.” You can enjoy nine pieces featuring local seafood such as sea bream, yellowtail, tuna belly, raw shrimp, sea urchin, squid, and horse mackerel.
The portions are generous and deeply satisfying. The fish boasts a crisp, firm texture and rich umami flavor thanks to its exceptional freshness, while the sea urchin, squid, and raw shrimp have an exceptionally rich, creamy taste. The lingering aftertaste of each piece is simply 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 a favorite not only among tourists but also among locals. The rice bowl menu is extensive, featuring items such as the “Raw Sea Urchin Bowl,” “Special Seafood Bowl,” and “Seared Horse Mackerel Bowl.” Tempura, sashimi, and simmered fish trimmings (sea bream, yellowtail amberjack) are available à la carte or as part of set meals.
Their signature sushi rolls are also exquisite. The thick rolls are especially recommended; the “Premium Sushi Roll” is generously filled with seven ingredients, including shrimp, conger eel, and dried gourd strips. The “Salad Roll,” filled with five ingredients such as shrimp and lettuce, is popular with children and women. They also offer a wide variety of fillings for “thin rolls” and “hand rolls.”


Local Guide

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 4297-1 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture (Inside the Senzaki Kitchen Dining Building) 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
  • Phone 0837-26-0682
  • Parking Free
  • Notes The restaurant may close early if items sell out. We recommend calling ahead for takeout whenever possible (please note that even with a reservation, there may be a wait depending on the situation).

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

“Sea Urchin Kamameshi.” Since fresh sea urchin gradually hardens over time, be sure to savor it while it’s piping hot
“Sea Urchin Kamameshi.” Since fresh sea urchin gradually hardens over time, be sure to savor it while it’s piping hot

Located in Senzaki, Nagato City, “Hamaya: The Original Sea Urchin Kamameshi” is a long-established restaurant with a history of over 40 years. In addition to the kamameshi (rice cooked in an iron pot) passed down from the previous generation, the restaurant serves set meals and seafood bowls made with fresh local seafood.The signature “Sea Urchin Kamameshi” is cooked one portion at a time over an open flame in an iron pot for about 20 minutes, resulting in a dish where you can enjoy the aromatic crispy rice at the bottom and the rich umami of the sea urchin.

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.

At Hamaya, you can savor an abundance of seasonal seafood sourced from Senzaki and Hagi. The restaurant offers an extensive selection of set meals, including the “Iso-mori Set Meal,” the “Seasonal Fish Stew Set Meal” finished with a secret sweet-and-spicy sauce, and the hearty “Fried Chicken Set Meal.”For rice bowls, we recommend the “Seafood Rice Bowl,” packed with seasonal seafood, and the “Raw Sea Urchin Rice Bowl,” where you can savor its rich umami and the aroma of the sea. Enjoy Senzaki’s seafood in whatever style you prefer.


Local Guide

The restaurant’s signature kamameshi (rice cooked in a pot) comes in a wide variety, including “Sazae” (turban shell), “Anago” (conger eel), and “Jidako” (local octopus). Don’t miss the “Kamameshi Set” (such as the Sea Urchin Kamameshi Set), which includes additional sashimi and fried 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.
  • Business Hours 11:30 AM–3:00 PM (Last Order 2:30 PM)
    6:00 PM–10:00 PM (Last Order 9:30 PM)
  • Closed Days Closed Tuesdays (lunch) and Tuesdays & Wednesdays (dinner)
  • Phone 0837-26-1436
  • Parking Free

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

The “Seafood Rice Bowl” comes in two varieties: “Premium” and “Super Premium.”
The “Seafood Rice Bowl” comes in two varieties: “Premium” and “Super Premium.”

This popular restaurant is located inside “Michi-no-Eki Senzaki Kitchen,” a must-visit spot in Nagato City. Here, you can savor a variety of dishes that highlight Nagato’s finest ingredients, including fresh local fish and dishes made with the region’s specialty, “Choshu Chicken.”
The signature “Seafood Rice Bowl” (served with miso soup and pickles) is not only a feast for the palate with its exceptionally fresh local seafood but also a visual spectacle.The top-tier “Tokujo” (Special) bowl is piled high with a staggering 12 to 13 varieties of seafood, covering the entire bowl. In addition to sea urchin, squid, tuna, sea bream, shrimp, and turban shell, seasonal ingredients are sometimes included as well.

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

In addition to seafood, the restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes made with local Nagato ingredients, such as the “Choshu Chicken Sanzo-yaki & Pirate Rice Ball Set,” making it a family-friendly spot.

Dining Area Senzaki Honmaru
  • Address 4297-1 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture (Inside Senza Kitchen, Kitchen Building) 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
  • Phone 0837-26-2580
  • Parking Free

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

The “Yuyake” dried fish set meal is a limited-quantity menu item. The rice, made with locally grown terraced-field rice from Yuya, is also exquisite.
The “Yuyake” dried fish set meal is a limited-quantity menu item. The rice, made with locally grown terraced-field rice from Yuya, is also exquisite.

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.

You’ll be spoiled for choice with other menu items as well, such as the “Hinode” set meal—featuring a well-marbled, overnight-dried mackerel and fried barracuda—and the “Yuhi” fried seafood set, a luxurious lineup that includes fried fresh horse mackerel, fried barracuda, and small charcoal-grilled nodoguro.
There’s also a small takeout window on the parking side, where you can buy freshly fried items like the “Fried Horse Mackerel Burger” and fried horse mackerel caught right off the shore. Enjoying a snack while sipping a draft beer and gazing out at the ocean is an exceptional experience.


Local Guide

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 Prefecture (inside Senza Kitchen) 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
  • Phone 0837-27-0178
  • Parking Free

Seafood BBQ with a View of the Ocean

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

Located next to the agricultural and marine products shop at the “Senza Kitchen” Roadside Station, this spot offers a panoramic view of Senzaki Bay where you can enjoy grilled seafood. The system allows you to freely select and purchase your favorite ingredients from the shop inside the Roadside Station and grill them yourself—browsing the fresh fish counter for ingredients is part of the fun.
We recommend shellfish such as turban shells and abalone, which are always plentiful in tanks filled with sterilized seawater. There’s also a wide variety of fish suitable for barbecuing—including horse mackerel, mackerel, and sea bream—available as whole fish, dried overnight, or in 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 work gloves and tongs are provided, so you can easily come in empty-handed.In addition to seasonings like salt, pepper, soy sauce, and ponzu, aluminum foil is freely available, so even ingredients unsuitable for grilling on the mesh can be enjoyed by wrapping them in foil.


Local Guide

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 4297-1 Senzaki, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Inside the Kitchen Building at Senzakichin 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 10:00 AM–4:30 PM (Last order at 3:00 PM)
  • Regular holiday 2nd Thursday of the month (open on national holidays and in August), January 1
  • Phone 0837-27-0066
  • Parking Free

MAP

Nearby Hoshino Resorts Properties
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*The information provided is current as of the article’s update date. Please check in advance before visiting, as details are subject to change.