Sea to Table experiences from ocean fishing or fish markets
Experience the culinary traditions of Northern Japan through our variety of sea to table experiences organized in the coastal Shonai Region of Yamagata Prefecture and the coastline of Miyagi Prefecture.
These experiences are curated and often led by our co-founder Derek Yamashita who is an avid fisherman and advisor of Japanese culinary programs who organizes culinary programs in Hawaii, California, and Alaska multiple times a year.
Originally made for visiting overseas chefs, we welcome custom requests and details of the personal interests you have.
These programs start with your choice of either a visit to a fish auction early in the morning or ocean fishing catching and processing fish right on the boat.
Our programs then shift to a kitchen space where we have a local chef break down our fish together with a variety of Japanese knives into sashimi that we make into sushi or into a variety of other dishes.
Experience a Sea to Table Tour
What's Included
- Acquire your own fish either by purchasing them from a local fish market or catching them yourself. All rental gear will be provided.
- Learn how to masterfully fillet your fish using traditional Japanese culinary techniques and knives.
- Watch or work alongside a local Japanese chef to create a variety of delicious dishes.
- Enjoy a delicious meal featuring some of the freshest and most delicious fish possible.
- Fully guided by an experienced local guide, not just a translator.
Cost
The price of this experience varies depending on your group what type of fish you want to target and the type of fishing you want to try.
Generally, prices for a fish market visit and sushi session run for about 27,500 yen a person.
Prices for a fishing program vary depending on the type of fish we target, but typically start from 48,000 a person for boat fishing and culinary experience.
Note that the fishing option is a privately chartered boat that is fully private and includes the fishing captain and guide on the boat as well as rental equipment.
Use the booking form below so we can sort out the specific details for your group.
Experience Availability
All-year round. The availability of the type of fishing and fish varies immensely throughout the year. (Ocean fishing is possible in the winter)
Average Duration
3-4 hours for the market tour and 6-10 hours for the fishing tour.
Meeting Location
Please let us know where you plan to be. Yamagata or Miyagi Prefecture.
Booking Deadline and Important Notes
We ask that reservation inquiries be made at least two weeks in advance for fishing.
For market tours, you are welcome to send in a request even the day before. But note that we may be unable to accamodate last-minute requests.
Please message us as far in advance as you can so we can arrange things for you. Experience availability may vary.
Local Markets or Fishing Off the Coast
For the first part of this program, you will have the chance to choose between buying your fish at a local market or catching them yourself right from the ocean.
The first question we ask customers considering these two options is simple and important.
“Do you get seasick?”
Please be honest and careful when answering this question as being seasick on a boat can make fishing impossible. Generally if you have ridden a boat or ship you will know if you are someone who is prone to seasickness. Seasickness medicine can help, and we can turn the boat around as it is always chartered, but we recommend that you do not ride a boat if you know you get seasick easily.
Local Fish Markets (Option 1)
The markets we visit will either held in the early morning or evening and are special markets with fish freshly offloaded from the boats for wholesale. We will visit these markets with special permission from the chefs, who will be preparing our fish and gain exclusive access as visitors to observe the controlled chaos of these markets and learn about their unique logistics with your guide.
Here we can see traditional fish auctions and will learn how a master chef selects his ingredients from the thousands of fish available. We will purchase our fish here and take them back to the chef’s restaurant for preparation.
This option is available year-round and can take place even if the weather is rainy, or snowy.
However, please note that the selection of fish may be lower if the weather is very rough due to fewer fishermen able to bring in their catch.
The fish market tour and purchasing will last for about 1 hour.
Catching Fish by Boat or off the Coast (Option 2)
Our second option is to catch our own fish directly off the coast either from the beach or on a fishing boat together with local fishermen.
Fishing either takes place (very) early in the morning, or in the evening.
We can join a local fisherman either on a boat to fish off the coast or along the rocky coastline to catch a variety of high-grade fish. These fishermen will help us with the entire fishing process and will provide us with the necessary equipment.
We will then take our catch to a restaurant for preparation and cooking.
Note that fishing may not be possible if the weather is too rough.
We typically suggest that guests go boat fishing as the likelihood of catching fish is higher than shore fishing.
Coastal fishing is only available from July until late November due to the difficulty in catching fish during other times of the year.
All rental gear will be provided.
The fishing portion of this tour typically lasts for 3-5 hours.
Preparation and Dining
After we have our fish, we will then work with a local chef at a sushi or kaiseki restaurant, where we will learn how to prepare the fish from start to finish. This includes descaling and filleting the fish ready to be cut into fresh sashimi.
Guests can leave it up to the chef to prepare various dishes or can make requests for specific dishes.
These include making nigiri and rolled sushi, Kaisen-don (sushi bowls), grilled dishes, Yubiki (scalding fresh sashimi with boiling water, as well as a variety of other options should you desire.
This part of the tour lasts for about 2-3 hours.
Inspiration
The Hidden Japan also promotes Japanese culinary arts to chefs in America each year as part of our wider interest in promoting Northern Japan abroad. Our co-founder Derek Yamashita travels with our partner chefs each year and all of our sea to table program activities are adaptations of programs we have done either abroad or for visiting chefs to Japan.
We have even conducted our programs on live TV in 2026 on Hawaii News Now and worked with Michelin Chefs.
Inquires and Reservation Requests
You can send a booking inquiry for your experience below. After we receive your inquiry, we will confirm the booking with our partners and send you a booking confirmation email at least 3 days before your desired date.
Please note this form does not confirm the availability of an experience or reserves an experience straightaway.
Please note this form does not confirm the availability of an experience or reserves an experience straightaway.
Cancelation policy
Our general cancelation policy for our experiences is below.
The Fishing Experience requires a 20% non refundable deposit to book.
15 Days of More
20% of total price
14 Days of Less
50% of total price
7 Days of Less
100% of total price
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