If you’re visiting Shimonoseki, Karato Market is definitely a must-see spot.
Fresh and delicious sushi is waiting for you inside. For those arriving by ferry, you can easily hop on a bus or taxi (or even walk, since it’s not too far). But if you’re driving, be prepared—parking can be a bit of a hassle, especially on sunny days when the wait time tends to get long. Most people enjoy their food in the open area right next to the market, but recently they’ve opened a dining space on the second floor. There’s a small fee (I believe it was about 300 yen per person), but on a hot day with nowhere to sit, it’s a very welcome option. Grab some tasty sushi, relax, and take in the view of the peaceful blue sea—you’ll really feel the charm of Shimonoseki!

Karato Fish Market in Shimonoseki is a lively waterfront market famous for super-fresh seafood, especially blowfish (fugu). On weekends and holidays, stalls sell sushi, sashimi, and seafood bowls at affordable prices, making it popular with both locals and visitors. You can buy your food, then enjoy it outside while overlooking the Kanmon Strait. It’s a great spot to taste fresh Japanese seafood in a casual atmosphere.

🐟 Karato Fish Market (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi) Review Karato Fish Market is one of the liveliest and most enjoyable seafood markets in western Japan. Located right by the sea in Shimonoseki, it offers visitors a vibrant atmosphere filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of fresh seafood. Every morning, local fishermen and vendors display an incredible variety of freshly caught fish and shellfish. The highlight for most visitors is the weekend sushi market, where dozens of stalls sell beautifully prepared sushi, sashimi, and seafood rice bowls at very reasonable prices. You can walk along the pier with a tray of fresh sushi while enjoying the sea breeze and view of the Kanmon Strait — a truly local experience. The market staff are friendly and energetic, happy to explain the different types of fish and preparation styles. There are also souvenir shops and small restaurants nearby where you can try blowfish (fugu), the specialty of Shimonoseki. The area around the market is clean, lively, and easy to explore. It’s best to visit in the morning (around 8–10 a.m.) when the selection is at its peak. Overall, Karato Fish Market is a must-visit for seafood lovers — a place where you can enjoy delicious, affordable sushi, learn about Japan’s fishing culture, and feel the authentic spirit of a coastal city.

If your looking for a Family tour place, you got the right place. Drink and eat 1-2dollar sushi! You can buy cold sake at the sake shop in the right corner.eat the sushi at the bench out side. Abalone sashimi is Great too.

If you’re visiting Mojiko, take the ferry across to Shimonoseki on Honshu, where you’ll find the famous Karato Fish Market—a popular spot among tourists. The market is especially known for selling sushi and is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. You can buy sushi inside and then enjoy it outside at the many seating areas while taking in the ocean view. The market’s signature specialty is fugu (pufferfish), served as both sushi and sashimi. In fact, the pufferfish is even the symbol of the market. The sushi here is quite affordable, with plenty of vendors to choose from. The taste is pretty good too—not bad at all. The fugu, in particular, has a unique texture: it leaves a slight numbness on your tongue, but it’s delicious.

We went crazy in this market. Great fresh sushi and sashimi with great value. This market is famous for puffer fish and whale. My first experience with whale sushi, it was wild. 22 pieces of sushi with toro, hamachi, eel, sardine, whale with a place of toro and a puffer fish sashimi for below ¥10,000. You can sit and eat by the sea.

This bustling fish market is located a few bus stops away from Shimonoseki station. It's a great place to try out the fresh seafood, which are available at affordable prices. Don't miss out the local specialties such as the fugu sashimi and fugu soup. 🐡

A lot of dinner sushi stalls, very busy even during the weekdays. Check out all the stalls to see different vendors, they even have whale sushi but can’t be filmed. Lots of eating space outside the market and they even have a regular stores in the front.

Plenty selections of souvenirs. You can visit after Karato fish market. Kamin Wharf also got restrooms and several light meal/snack/coffee/tea to visit. I personally recommend Takada coffee for its coffee, tea, and homemade cake.

A trip to Mojiko then to the Karato Fish Market landed us at the Kamon Wharf. It is a wide area connecting must- see spots. There is a shopping mall with restaurants on the wharf. This is also where the fish market is located which is packed on weekends because of the varied sushi selection they sell. A marine world- Kaikyokan and an amusement park is also here. Strolling around this place is a nice daytrip from Hakata if weather is good.

Next to Karato fish market with an awesome view!

Food was good but expect a long wait if its busy.

Very nice area with lots of different shops most selling fugu and other types of seafood. Many of the different shops were quite friendly and spoke a little English or at least enough to get by. Most of what we found was premade and packaged but we did end up deciding to try a couple things including fugu which was good! There was plenty of space outside to find a spot to eat and for the kids to run out a little bit of energy before we continued on to the aquarium.

Nice view over Kanmon Straits. We were lucky to spot a huge cargo ship passing through. The pedestrian area was neat and clean. Many groups of dancers were taking turns to show off their colorful and vibrant programs when we visited. There were several life-sized cardboard cutouts featuring the famous swordsmen, Sasaki Kojiro and Miyamoto Musashi, for tourists photos.

Akama Jingu is a beautiful shrine is located on the stunning Kanmon Straits. The shrine is dedicated to the child emperor Antoku and other warriors who fell during the battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. The location also provides many other historical locations to explore near by and offers beautiful water front views, and restaurants.

Not many people seem to know the true charm of Akama at night. It may not shine as brightly as shrines in bigger cities, but here in Shimonoseki, there's a quiet, subtle beauty that lingers like a faint scent on the breeze. Under the dark sky, it glows with a deep red hue—soft, yet captivating. There’s no need for noise or lights. Just the sound of the sea breeze brushing past, and the stillness that gently wraps around you. As I strolled through the night, passing by this small yet majestic shrine, I found myself completely at peace— a rare moment to quietly walk, breathe, and simply think. I hope you, too, get to experience that kind of night.

A red-white shrine located close to the sea. The architecture is quite unique. The red & white contrasting color makes a pale pink sakura flower more beautiful. The sea view from the shrine is also stunning.

I visited the jingu at around 1pm, 8 May 2025. There were only a few visitors in the jingu, but there were some construction projects ongoing at that time. The complex is free to enter, and the buildings are brightly coloured in a traditional red hue. There is information about the history of the jingu, its relationship with Antoku Tenno and Hoichi the Earless.

Came to this jinja after a short ferry ride from the Kyushu/Mojikou Port side to the Honshu/Yamaguchi side of the beautiful Kanmon Straits. It's about a 10-15 minute walk from the Karato ferry landing dock. Beautiful red and white structures and s pretty cute of the Kanmonkyo Bridge as you head back towards the street. No fee to enter our to look around, but a gift shop awaits to separate you and your funds. We went on a weekday during the late morning/early afternoon. A nice stop if you are in the area. Recommended!

The shrine is kinda quite shiny and fabulous to us. It is nice to stop by and enjoy the beauty of shrine architecture and decoration.

Great Shinto shrine in Japan. This shrine has sacred atmosphere. Vivid colored shrine buildings are impressive!

It's another aquarium in Fukuoka, slightly small, but each has its strength and weaknesses against other aquarium. If like to see puffer fish I think this place had the most variety in Japan....😲 🐟 Great for fish lover. Not forgetting the std seal n dolphins act..👍

Honestly at 2500 yen per person I didn’t think I’d have this much fun at this aquarium. They had a lot of exhibits and things to do but we just walked around the aquarium and enjoyed whatever they had to offer. Seeing the penguin is honestly my highlight. Definitely worth checking out if you have time after the fish market.

Small aquarium. A place I went to to escape the heat in very hot weather. Just a small aquarium. There are dolphin and seal shows a few times a day, and there is also a fish feeding show. I couldn't find a parking lot, so I parked in the parking lot across the street toward Karato Market and paid 800 yen. Parking fee is too expensive. There is a restaurant on the beach on the first floor where you can eat while looking at the aquarium. If you don't want to go into the aquarium, you can eat ice cream (500 yen) at this restaurant while looking at the aquarium.

One of the main attractions of this Aquarium is the number of puffer fish species they have. It's amazing. The dolphin show was good too.

This was the surprise of our trip. It doesn’t seem to be big from the outside but looks can be deceiving, it has plenty to see for everyone. The dolphin show is the best I’ve ever seen in my life, really impressive. Prices are reasonable and both my teenage boys love it.

It is a must visit place if you are in simonoseki. It is a wonderful place for marine life lover. Main attraction is the penguin and the dolphins show that is held half an hour intervals. It is so beautiful to see. Also there are lots of types of fish also. Coral reef, jellyfish, sharks, sea lion, sun fish are few examples. There is blue whale skeleton also. Overall it is a awesome place to visit.

This is really a beautiful place to see the Beauty of Fish .. It's an amazing aquarium... So many amazing fishes ... It feels like touching them with close. .. The dolphins show is the main attraction i found.. it was an amazing experience there .. Yuko 🍀 and Me ... we had a great time ...

Good for children. Paid for ticket. The outdoor train simulator requires ¥300 for 2 people. The indoor train simulator is free but takes a long time for waiting, STRONGLY suggests reserving the indoor train simulator first.

Kyushu railway history museum is a nice museum to understand more about trains, although not a very big one. You can try the train simulator and play with the model train for ¥100. You can even take the mini train ride to become a train captain for ¥300 but could be close due to bad weather.

What amazed me is how much they can fit inside of the tiny park area. With the ¥300 yen ticket per adult you can check out historic trains from the last century parked in a row, a mini outdoor railway park, a diorama room showcasing all the N-gauge Shinkansen and other iconic express trains in Kyushu, a train simulator room, a library of real, ancient relics on train history in Kyushu and so on.

Great museum. Tons of artifacts. Great layout. Just wish things were translated into other languages for non-Japanese speakers. If they were, I would give this five stars.

my sons love trains so when they know there is a train museum in kyushu, they keep nagging to go here. quite nice, not too big like the one we went on another city but they still like it. there are several old trains on the train garage with each of their history. we can also go inside the museum which shows many old things related to trains. kids also can play train simulator by paying 100 yen only, but you need to get ticket reservation because most children would like to play this.

Boring, nothing to see here but a few trains that you cannot enter. Bunch of Japanese kids running around and shouting. Perhaps this is what hell looks like. Everything that seems fun is paywar. Save the 300 yen for a menchi katsu instead

As a train fan this is the place I’ve been owing to go while in Kitakyushu. Adjacent to Mojiko Station there are old train carriages outdoors on display with three of them you can enter inside, as the interior is well preserved. The main building hosts a small 1900 carriage and an exhibition room upstairs with railway artifacts, station and destination signs and old photos. Though not as big as the one near Omiya it is great that there is one.

It's a bridge between Yamaguchi mainland and Sono island. The view from the observatory was very good. There is one car bay in the middle of the bridge from where the sea can be observed. Be careful about wind when you visit. Recommended place.

It is a must visit place in Yamaguchi Ken. The view around the light house and from the top of the light house is so breathtaking. Make sure to visit on a sunny day. The dark blue and green colour sea is so awesome. There is small musuem as well where is is explain who and how the light house was made.

Nice viewing point but the park is a little over grown, but still clean and presentable. If the brush was trimmed a bit sunsets and ocean views would be much better.

Nice view, allow us to relax

I really love this place! Scenery from here is wonderful and the sea breeze is so comfortable that makes you feel relaxed. Must visit here if you travel in Yamaguchi.

Not a very popular tourist spot but highly recommend if you are in Yamaguchi.The entire island is beautiful and the view from the hilltop where the lighthouse is located is beautiful. I visited in may and it was lovely but should be really nice in the summer months.

Just wonderful scenery from here. Many tasty food that you can enjoy in here. Less ppl more fun.!

Food was delicious. Service was perfect.

The ingredients are fresh. Prices are reasonable. Staff is friendly. Recommend to sit indoor on a hot day. No english menu.

Our family enjoyed food at this restaurant, but there were not many people around this area during the period of our visit. Still enjoyed near the ocean^^

If you wanna try some blowfish dishes with decent price, come here! They also provide “Dassai” Japanese sake 👍🏻

It's a really nice restaurant. My friend and I have a great lunch here. I've tasted sea ​​urchin and puffer fish here. Both dishes is really tasty!

Have tried the Shimonoseki traditional soba (mini version). Taste is just so so.

(Translated by Google) I had the Fukufuku Gozen. The sashimi was chewy and thick, and delicious. The tempura was fluffy and delicious. The pufferfish had a slight odor in the hot pot, which I personally didn't like. Overall, I was very satisfied with the ocean view from the restaurant. It was a weekday afternoon, so we were able to get in right away. (Original) ふくふく御前をいただきました。 お刺身は弾力ととろみがあり美味しかったです。天ぷらはふわふわとしていて美味しかった。鍋にするとフグは少し臭みが出ていたので、個人的にはあまり好きではなかったです。 お店から見える海の景色が総合的にはかなり満足。 平日昼間でしたのですぐ入れました。

If you come early, and the market has not yet started, just head to upper floor, and try this place. They speak English and also have English menu. Everything was just perfect.

The male receptionist at the entrance was noticeably unfriendly toward foreign guests. When I asked for tea, he only pointed to the cups, implying I had to serve myself. Despite placing my order first, guests who arrived later were served the same set meal before me. The food was disappointing—excessively oily and giving off an unpleasant fishy odor.

first time trying fried fugu, and it was a 10/10 experience. staffs are friendly.

So delicious food. Not expensive. Great staffs

Delicious and not expensive. The clients are friendly to foreigners. Super love this.

Love the fugu set meal. Reasonable price as well. I give this restaurant 🐡🐡🐡🐡🐡 (5 fugu rating)

Very nice food with affordable price

This is the worst and most trashy Japanese store I've ever been to. The arrogant and rude cashier, who doesn't say a word from start to finish. After ordering, she goes to greet the Japanese, completely ignoring foreign tourists. We went first and she was the last to go. Tell her she would look at you with innocent eyes and still not apologize or say anything. The cheesecake can't form, nor can I give a wet wipe, nor do I voluntarily give water, crap! Please stay out of the light at the store where 40 minutes will be until all the other Japanese have finished eating.

Very good selections of coffee , cozy place offers set A & B , please go for set and don’t bother the staff with only one set for 2 people. Soft serve flavors are super tasty. Came back with my girlfriend twice !! The owner super pretty and nice lady , roasting good beans from around the world. Hope can meet her again 💚

Super good pudding! Coffee also great taste

The pistachio cheese cake is great. An ideal place to take a break after visiting the Karato market

Great little coffee shop . Very nice coffee choices & the best cheesecake I have ever had in my life. The staff were nice & friendly. One cool thing is they play lots of Beatles music! I love that!

It had no service at all. The coffee was very pricy (3160 yen for four coffee) and the way of filtering coffee wasn’t good: at the end of drinking the coffee, the fine grain coffee powder would be on the tongue. This is not pleasant at all.

It is not often that I come across a restaurant that has both excellent sweets and coffee, Best coffee, Best Cheesecake, parfait!!

I like this place, traditional and nice view to sea.

Good job

(Translated by Google) I had a wonderful lunch. 💖 I had seen this place in a magazine before, and a close friend invited me here. We had a relaxing meal in a room with a view of the ocean. The food was as beautiful as a painting. It was so delicious I wanted to shout "Bravo!" 😘 We chose a drink called a degustation to pair with our meal, and thoroughly enjoyed each and every dish. The staff were incredibly attentive and fluently explained the dishes. ✌️ I can't remember them all, lol. We had sparkling wine, Argentine Chardonnay white wine, and Pinot Noir red wine. It had been a while since I'd had steak with Chaliapin sauce, and it was so satisfying! 😚 I didn't feel bloated, and it soothed both my body and mind. I'd definitely return to Hiyori-an. 😊☺️ They also offer a convenient shuttle service from Shimonoseki Station. 🤗 Please make a reservation if you plan on visiting. The photos are arranged upside down, so it's Kei-san again today. 😉 (Original) 素晴らしいランチタイムを過ごさせていただきました。💖以前、雑誌で見た事があり、心友さんに誘われての訪問です。海の見えるお部屋でゆっくり～ゆっくり～食事をしました。お料理は、絵画のように美しいです。ブラボーと叫びたくなる位美味しいですよ～。😘デギュスタシオンと言う、食事に合わせての飲み物を選び、一皿、一皿を堪能しました。スタッフの方々がとっても気配り上手で、お料理の説明がスラスラ言えるんです。✌️覚えられない私。笑。スパークリングやアルゼンチンの白ワインシャルドネに赤ワインピノノワール。シャリアピンソースステーキなんて、久しぶりにいただいてハッピーでした～。😚　胃もたれもなく、心も体も癒されて、また行きたい日和庵です。😊☺️下関駅から送迎もありますので、便利ですヨ。🤗 是非、予約されて行かれて下さい。 写真の並べ方が逆でして、今日もお笑いのケイざんす。😉

(Translated by Google) Every dish was beautifully presented and tasted absolutely wonderful. From our seats we could enjoy views of the Kanmon Straits and Strait Tower, making for a truly memorable experience. (Original) どのお料理も一品一品が美しく盛り付けられており、味わいも大変素晴らしいものでございました。 また、お席からは関門海峡や海峡タワーなどの景観を望むことができ、心に残るひとときを過ごさせていただきました。

(Translated by Google) I made a reservation for lunch and visited. It was a restaurant where you could enjoy a special time with great food and service while watching the ships passing through the Kanmon Strait. I wouldn't go there often, but I think it would be a great place for anniversaries and celebrations. All of the dishes were elaborately prepared and included things I wouldn't normally eat. As many people have written, the road to the parking lot is quite narrow, but if you proceed carefully and slowly you'll be fine. (Original) ランチを予約して訪問しました。 関門海峡を行き来する船を見ながら、素敵なお料理とサービスで特別な時間が過ごせるお店でした。 頻繁にはいけませんが、記念日やお祝いにはぴったりなお店だと思います。 お料理はどれも手が込んでいて、普段食べることがない物ばかりでした。 みなさん書かれているように、駐車場までの道はかなり狭いですが、慎重にゆっくり進めば大丈夫です。

(Translated by Google) It was delicious! We came here on our wedding anniversary. The atmosphere was calm and the food was delicious. We could see the lit-up Ferris wheel at night. We had an 8-year-old child with us, but he was so focused on eating that he finished it in no time. It was a good memory. However, the narrow slopes on the way were more than we expected, so I think it would be easier to drive a small car. (Original) 美味しかったです！結婚記念日に来ました 落ち着いた空間と美味しいご飯、夜にはライトアップされた観覧車も見れました 8歳の子供も一緒でしたが、美味しすぎたようで集中して食べ、あっという間にペロリ いい思い出になりました でも道中の細い坂は想像以上だったので、軽自動車が運転しやすいと思います

(Translated by Google) July 2025 Celebrating its 20th anniversary, this popular French restaurant is located on a hill in Shimonoseki. Enjoy modern French cuisine incorporating Japanese influences and featuring an abundance of locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Lunch is reasonably priced and especially popular, so reservations are recommended. ────────────── ▶︎Lunch Blue... ¥3,520 ────────────── ・Hors d'oeuvres ・Soup, baguette ・Fish dish ・Meat dish ・Dessert ・Coffee or tea The presentation and tableware are beautiful, and you get two free refills of bread. The portions are generous and satisfying. The attentive service is comfortable and not too formal. Recommended for a little indulgence, anniversaries, and celebrations. (Original) 2025年7月 20周年を迎えられた、 下関の高台にある 人気フレンチレストラン フランス料理に和のテイストを取り入れ 地産地消の旬の食材をふんだんに使用した モダンフレンチが楽しめます 大正時代に建てられた趣のある古民家で、 関門海峡を見渡せる素敵なロケーション ランチはリーズナブルで 特に人気だから、 予約が確実です ────────────── ▶︎ランチブルー…3,520円 ────────────── ・オードブル ・スープ、バケット ・魚料理 ・肉料理 ・デザート ・コーヒー or 紅茶 盛り付けも器も綺麗だし、 パンのおかわりも ２回まで無料でてきて、 ボリューム的にも大満足 堅苦しすぎない、 丁寧な接客が心地良い ちょっと贅沢したい時や、 記念日、お祝いにもオススメです