Karato Market is a local wholesale market located in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and is famous nationwide as the "Fugu Market." Regular customers can purchase fresh fish, but the most popular event is the "Lively Bakangai," held every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and on public holidays. At this event, a row of stalls run by market professionals sell nigiri sushi, seafood bowls, fried foods, and other dishes made with freshly caught seafood. Fugu nigiri sushi is a specialty unique to Karato Market, and is a luxurious delicacy that you can't find anywhere else. Each store offers a menu with elaborate ideas, allowing you to feel the lively atmosphere of the market.

The appeal of Lively Bakangai is the buffet format, where you can choose as much as you like of what you like. After receiving a tray, you can freely choose nigiri sushi and fried foods sold at each store, create your own original seafood bowl, and enjoy comparing the variety of sushi. There is a dining area inside the market, but on a nice day, we recommend eating outside the market on the wooden deck with a panoramic view of the Kanmon Straits, or on the grassy rooftop plaza while feeling the sea breeze. Enjoying fresh seafood with a spectacular view right in front of you is a special experience.

There are plenty of tourist spots in the area, such as the aquarium Kaikyokan, Kamon Wharf with its rows of retro buildings, and Kaikyo Yume Tower, where you can enjoy a fantastic night view.

[Top 10 Recommended Menus]

1. Fugu Nigiri Sushi
Fugu, a specialty of Shimonoseki, served as is. You can't go wrong with its plump texture and refined flavor. Depending on the stall, you can also enjoy it seared or with the skin on.

2. Three-color Tuna Bowl
A hearty bowl that lets you enjoy negitoro, chutoro, and lean meat all at once. It may sell out in the afternoon, so we recommend arriving early.

3. Fatty tuna sushi
A reasonably priced tuna sushi with meltingly sweet fat. If you're lucky, you might get the finest cut.

4. Red shrimp sushi
The plump red shrimp are especially sweet when in season. A must-try for shrimp lovers.

5. Local fish sushi platter
A collection of several kinds of local fish caught that day. A luxurious platter perfect for when you can't decide what to choose.

6. Fugu soup (miso/clear soup)
A warm bowl of fugu flavor is indispensable in the cold season. Miso soup or clear soup with fugu meat and skin will warm you up.

7. Sea urchin bowl
A small bowl of rich sea urchin for your convenience. Availability changes depending on the event date, so check early if you're looking to try it.

8. Fugu bukkake somen
Cold somen noodles topped with plenty of fugu. This refreshing summer menu is perfect for hot days.

9. Deep-fried fugu
Crispy on the outside, plump and juicy on the inside. Try it fresh out of the deep fryer.

10. Original gunkan sushi
Each stall shows off their original gunkan sushi with ingredients such as negitoro and salmon. Enjoy a wide variety of combinations of ingredients.