Hasshoku Center aka Hachinohe Fish Market

Address: 22-2 Kamisai Aza Kawaragi Hachinohe City, Aomori

Hours: Market: 9:00AM-6:00PM; Aji Yokocho (restaurants): 9:00AM-7:00PM; Kuriya Stadium (restaurants): 9:00AM-9:00PM

Closed: Wednesdays and January 1st

Admission: free

Welcome to Japan. If one hasn’t grown up frequenting Asian food markets, be prepared for culture shock.

Misawa Base residents commonly referred to Hasshoku Center as Hachinohe Fish Market. However, it is much more than a fish market. This general food retail center hosts a range of Hachinohe and Aomori specialties under one roof.

In addition to fresh seafood, vendors sell vegetables, local liquors, sweets and dry foods, ice cream, ramen, rare delicacies, and souvenirs. There are also areas of restaurants called Kuriya Stadium and Aji Yokocho, which offer visitors dishes of fresh seafood, which seem to be a popular place for locals to eat because there are usually lines out the door around lunch and dinner time.

In Shichirin Village, visitors can char-grill seafood and meat that they buy in the market and enjoy eating them. Events, cooking classes and free market are regularly held in the center, too.

The second floor of both Hasshoku Center and Hasshoku Stadium encompasses a small area for children to play. This part of Hachinohe is easily accessible by car. Nearby stores, such as Sanwado and HoMac, provide supplies for your home. If you miss your garage sales and swamp meets from back home, Sundays during the spring, summer, and fall, a flea market offers reasonably-priced second hand goods.

So many vendors to choose from

Local fish

Crab for everyone

Fish, snails, and other sea food

Taxidermy shark not for sale =(

Hachinohe key chains

Cupie keitai charms

Mmm ... the smell of fresh carbs

Hello dessert

Bean-filled pancakes

Sembei cracker galore

Seasonal fruits

Fresh vegetables

Deep fried seafood

Deep fried varieties of croquette

Hasshoku Center children's area

Games for you to spend your yen

American are welcome to sell their goods at the flea market. Arrive early (before 07:30 AM) and be prepared to get swarmed by shoppers the MINUTE you put stuff on the ground. Bring a tarp and/or to place your belonging on. Although advertised as open through 02:00 PM, most vendors start packing up about 12 noon.

Hasshoku Center Directions

From Misawa's Falcon Road, turn left onto the Toll Road

Go through the first toll booth, pay 200 yen, and take your ticket

Exit at 7: Hachinohe-kita, pay 150 yen, follow the curve, and turn right at the light onto Route 45

Continue on Route 45 until you see the first Sunkus (about 10 minutes)

Turn right at the Sunkus traffic light

Turn right when the street comes to a T-intersection
Turn right to Hasshoku Center and left to the Flea Market

Hachinohe Children's Park

Monday, October 11

Hachinohe Children's Park is closed for the winter, from the beginning of November to the beginning of April. I thought I'd post this here just in case anyone was wondering about the park ride prices. We've been here twice but only to one section of the park. We still have to explore the outer regions of the park, but I guess it will have to wait until springtime.

Map of Children's Park

2010 Fees for park rides

Brochure with hours of operation

Detail, Japanese map

Other attractions at Children's Park

Hachinohe Sansha Tasai Festival

The Hachinohe Sansha Tasai Festival lasts for five days in the beginning of August; 27 large floats gather to parade in front of City Hall. There are four basic types of floats. 1) Rock Type (Iwa-dashi): carries rocks that are decorated with trees and is presented with a waterfall pouring down between them. 2) Wave Type (Nami-dashi): features a ship surrounded by sea waves. 3) House Type (Tatemono-dashi): mounted with a big gate or castle. 4) Parapet Type (Koran-dashi): surrounded by red parapets (wall-like barrier on a roof) with the rear portion raised higher and decorated with flowers. Opening and closing festivities on the first and last day start at 18:00 and processions during the three middle days start at 15:00.

On our way home from the Hachinohe Tanabata Festival, we stumbled upon a group preparing a Sansha Tasai float. These things are huge and stand at least two stories tall. Sometimes documenting the work in progress is more impressive than the finished product. Judging from the red, this one looks like it might be house type or parapet type float.

Temporary tents house construction

Oni (Demon)

Detail of claw

Last minute preparations

Taiko Drum

Saturday, July 31: Hachinohe Sansha Tasai Festival

It was another family outing and an afternoon bracing parade crowds, not with one, but two strollers! Saturday kicked off the start of the five day festival. It was raining in the morning and we hoped it would stay away in the afternoon. Thankfully it remained overcast, but the humidity continued making us sweaty.

These parade floats were amazing. I knew they were supposed to be large, but it was remarkable to see how they expanded. Much like an RV, the sides of the floats pulled away from the center and generators hoisted platforms higher. The first night of the festival is sort of a debut of the floats. Unlike other parades where floats travel down streets, on the first night, these mammoth beauties remained stationery and onlookers promenaded to get a glimpse of each float. Subsequent festival parade days include tiger dances, lion dances, Shinto shrine maidens, and samurai processions. Because the sidewalks and streets were packed, we were only able to walk two city blocks with the kids in tow. Kyle was so gracious enough to pause and watch both children while I darted through crowds to take photos.

Float in closed position

Another float in closed position

This wave-type float (in closed position) was my favorite

Backside of wave-type float (in expanded form)

Notice how the pink coral is now three stories high

Front side of wave-type float (in expanded form)

Detail of wave-type float

This float contained numerous sea creatures and merpeople

House-type float

Children playing taiko in unison

Notice even their sticks are at the same height

Not sure which of the four categories this one belongs

Detail and drums

Detail of back of float

This is the float I saw being constructed

Front of float with steam emitted

This is the float I saw being constructed

19:00 ... Knackered Children ... a sign it's time to go home

Japanese thought it was cute that my kids could sleep

through all the drumming and music

Life B.C. (before children): 7Pm was spent

getting ready to go out on the town