Shimonoseki Karato Market

At this bustling waterfront market in the fugu capital of Japan, visitors can savor the notorious pufferfish at prices unmatched elsewhere in the country. Weekend mornings transform the market into a sushi festival where vendors serve fresh catches directly to eager crowds balancing plates along the harbor. Beyond the famed fugu sashimi arranged in translucent flower patterns, the market offers whale meat, sea urchin, and the freshest seafood from the Kanmon Straits where warm and cold currents converge.