“Toretore Market” in Nanki Shirahama is one of the largest seafood markets in Western Japan, offering fresh seafood gourmet, souvenirs, and BBQ.
This article introduces the charm of Toretore Market in detail and summarizes the information you need to know before visiting.
If you’re visiting with family, for a date, or for leisure, this article will be a great reference.
What you can learn about Toretore Market in this article
- You can enjoy fresh seafood gourmet.
- You can enjoy BBQ without bringing anything.
- You will know what kind of shops are there.
Attractions of “Toretore Market” in Nanki Shirahama
“Toretore Market” in Nanki Shirahama is one of the largest seafood markets in Western Japan.
Not only can you enjoy fresh seafood, but the market also has a variety of restaurants and souvenir shops, making it a popular spot that almost everyone who visits Shirahama stops by.
A Place with Fresh Seafood
Toretore Market receives fresh seafood from all over Japan, including Wakayama Prefecture, its local area.
There are many different kinds of seafood on display, including tuna, grouper, spiny lobster, abalone, and turban shells, so it’s fun just to look at them.
Main Seafood Available at Toretore Market
| Seafood | Features | Recommended Ways to Eat |
|---|---|---|
| Tuna | Perfect balance of lean and fatty meat. Best for sashimi or seafood bowls. | Sashimi, Seafood Bowl |
| Grouper | A rare luxury fish. Known for its refined flavor. | Hot Pot, Sashimi |
| Ise Lobster | Firm and springy texture. | Sashimi, Grilled with Shell |
| Abalone | Rich with the aroma of the sea, crunchy texture. | Sashimi, Grilled |
| Turbo | Distinctive bitterness and aroma of the sea. | Grilled in a Pot, Sashimi |
BBQ Corner for Immediate Enjoyment
The highlight of Toretore Market is being able to enjoy freshly caught seafood right on the spot.
You can buy seafood at the market and grill it yourself at the BBQ corner.
- Check-in at the entrance
Price: Adult 1,000 yen
Child 700 yen
Infant (3 years and older) 300 yen
*Includes drink bar - Purchase ingredients inside Toretore Market
- Enjoy!
- Usage time is 1 hour 30 minutes (plus 15 minutes for shopping)
- Reservation for ingredients available (meat and seafood menus)
- Last entry time: Weekdays 16:00, Weekends 16:30
Great Restaurants and Souvenir Shops
Toretore Market has several restaurants where you can enjoy seafood bowls, sushi, and set meals.
The dishes made with fresh seafood are all excellent, and you might find yourself eating more than planned.
Main Restaurant Menu
| Menu | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Seafood Bowl | 1,500 yen～ | A luxurious bowl with plenty of fresh seafood |
| Sushi | 200 yen per piece～ | Authentic sushi made by a skilled chef |
| Tuna Bowl | 2,000 yen～ | A must-try for tuna lovers, with a bowl full of tuna |
| Set Meal | 1,200 yen～ | A set meal with various fish dishes such as grilled fish or simmered fish |
| Beach Grilling Set | 3,000 yen～ | A beach grilling set where you can grill fresh seafood by yourself |
Additionally, the souvenir shops are well-stocked with local products like umeboshi (pickled plums), local sake, and mikan oranges from Wakayama.
Why not choose a souvenir to remember your trip?
Recommended Seafood Gourmet
If you visit Toretore Market, be sure to try the fresh seafood dishes.
Here are some recommended dishes made from freshly caught seafood.
Seafood Bowls with Fresh Seafood
At Toretore Market, seafood bowls filled with fresh seafood are very popular.
Particularly, seafood bowls topped with various colorful ingredients such as tuna, sea urchin, and salmon roe are gorgeous in appearance and very appetizing.
There are several stores inside the market, each offering their own specialty seafood bowls. Trying different ones is highly recommended.
The types and prices of seafood bowls are as follows:
| Seafood Bowl | Price |
|---|---|
| Tuna Bowl | From 1,200 yen |
| Katata Bowl | From 1,200 yen |
| Salmon Roe Bowl | From 2,800 yen |
| Mixed Seafood Bowl | From 1,800 yen |
The most recommended is the “Katata Bowl”. Katata is the name of the fishing port where Toretore Market is located, and you can enjoy fresh local seafood at a reasonable price.
Choosing Souvenirs
When you visit Toretore Market, there are so many souvenirs to choose from. Here are some of the most recommended items.
Dried Fish for Longer Shelf Life
Toretore Market offers various types of dried fish such as horse mackerel, saury, and barracuda.
Since they have a long shelf life, you can buy them even on the last day of your trip. If you choose vacuum-packed items, they last even longer.
Dried fish is easy to prepare, just grill it and it’s ready to eat. It makes a perfect meal companion or snack for drinking.
There are various kinds of dried fish available at Toretore Market, so be sure to find your favorite.
Wakayama Specialty: Umeboshi (Pickled Plums)
Wakayama Prefecture is the largest producer of plums in Japan.
At Toretore Market, you can find a wide variety of umeboshi.
From classic sweet umeboshi to sour ones, honey-pickled, or shiso-pickled, there is something for everyone.
Additionally, you can find snacks and condiments made from umeboshi.
There are so many types of umeboshi at Toretore Market, so feel free to try samples and find your favorite.
Local Sake and Umeshu (Plum Wine)
Wakayama Prefecture is also famous for its production of sake and umeshu (plum wine).
At Toretore Market, you can find locally produced sake and umeshu from local breweries.
Local sake includes various types, such as dry sake with rich rice flavors and fruity sweet sake.
Umeshu is well-balanced with the acidity and sweetness of plums and is recommended to be enjoyed on the rocks or with soda.
There are a wide variety of sake and umeshu at Toretore Market, so be sure to find your favorite and enjoy the taste of Wakayama.
Corner & Shop List Inside Toretore Market
Toretore Market Nanki Shirahama is divided into various corners, mainly the market corner, dining corner, and souvenir corner.
Market Corner
- Fresh Fish Corner
-
Offering fresh fish from local areas and all over Japan, including crabs, sashimi, and sushi.
- Live Fish Corner
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Offering live fish such as sea bream, yellowtail, local bonito, as well as live lobsters, prawns, turban shells, abalone, and scallops!
- Tuna Corner
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Displaying various types of tuna such as bluefin, Indian, bigeye, yellowfin, and albacore, which are filleted right in front of customers.
The tuna filleting show is also held, and the head of the tuna is sold at a special price to the first customer on the spot. - Hokkaido Corner
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Offering Hokkaido salmon, fish roe, kelp, frozen crabs, and raw delicacies. Also, Kyushu products such as mentaiko (seasoned cod roe) and fish paste products are available.
- Salted & Dried Corner
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Selling various types of dried and salted fish from local areas and across Japan, including opened fish, whole dried fish, marinated dried fish, dried squid, and dried goods.
- Furusato Village
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“Furusato Village” is where local producers bring their products directly to sell. Fresh local ingredients are sold at affordable prices.
Dining Corner
Toretore Market offers a variety of dining options where you can enjoy fresh seafood dishes, desserts, and local specialties.
- Toretore Yokocho
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Enjoy dishes made from fresh seafood such as seafood bowls, noodles, sashimi, side dishes, sushi, and grilled seafood.
- Cafe Toretore
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This cafe offers unique menu items such as “Panda Curry” and “Baked Hotcake Set”.
- Toretore Soft Ice Cream
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Providing soft ice cream and shakes made from fresh milk.
- Ki to Mizu to Tsuchi to
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A cafe offering a variety of dishes such as fluffy handmade pancakes and fried chicken plates from the specialized shop “Bungoya”.
- Pizzeria San Marco
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This restaurant offers authentic oven-baked pizza, including the “Premium Margherita” made with buffalo mozzarella and the popular children’s menu “Bambino”.
- Ajidokoro (Taste Spot)
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You can enjoy various specialties from Wakayama such as straw-grilled bonito, soy sauce-butter grilled scallops, and grilled Kumano beef skewers.
- Odoritako (Dancing Octopus)
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This shop offers unique dishes like “Dancing Takoyaki” with a whole baby octopus and “Swimming Takoyaki” served in a Japanese-style broth.
- Toretore Tempura
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Freshly made tempura dishes such as “Octopus Stick” with diced octopus and “Cheese Stick” with a whole stick of Rokko cheese are popular items.
- Warabiya
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A shop offering sweet treats like chewy warabi-mochi exclusive to Toretore Market and matcha-coated warabi-mochi.
Souvenir Corner
Besides seafood, Toretore Market offers a wide variety of Wakayama specialties, including umeboshi (pickled plums), local sake, sweets, and unique souvenirs.
- Toretore Ume Workshop
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A store specializing in Kishu’s umeboshi (pickled plums) and plum products. It offers a wide selection from brands like Iwamoto Foods, Kino Sato Foods, and Nakata Foods, with popular items including “Diamond Ume” and “Shirahama”.
- Toretore Goods Shop
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This shop offers a wide variety of souvenirs from Nanki Shirahama, including sweets, keychains, straps, plush toys, stationery, and more. Panda-themed goods and Toretore Market exclusive sweets are especially popular.
- Toretore Liquor Store
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Offering a wide range of alcoholic beverages including beer, happoshu (low-malt beer), sake, shochu, wine, and liqueurs. Specialties from Wakayama such as Kishu plum wine, local sake, and craft beer like “Beninanko Umeshu” and “Kumano Kasumi” are especially recommended.
- Toretore Confectionery Market
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This store specializes in local sweets from Shirahama, such as “Kagerou” and “Yuzu Monaka”. Particularly popular items include “Deluxe Cake” and “Kagerou”, which are beloved local sweets representing Wakayama.
- Toretore Specialty Plaza
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Offering various Wakayama specialties such as dried shiitake mushrooms from Kishu, natural grilled ayu from Kozagawa, uotsubo (eel), jabara (a citrus fruit), yuzu, Wakayama ramen, and other local delicacies. Popular products include “Jabara” and “Tomogashima Seaweed”.
- Toretore General Store
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This shop offers a nostalgic selection of goods and traditional Japanese sweets, making your souvenir shopping experience enjoyable.
- Kaido-ya
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Specializing in seafood processed products such as seaweed and salt-preserved dishes made with fresh seafood from Wakayama.
- Shunkaan Kadoya
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This shop offers a selection of traditional and modern Japanese sweets unique to Wakayama. Popular items include “Taiyo to Oranju” (orange-flavored milk buns), “Shirahama Komachi” with homemade red bean paste, and “Usukawa Manju” which is made and sold fresh at the store.
- Marushin Honke
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This shop offers traditional seasonings from Wakayama such as Yuasa soy sauce and Kinzanji miso. Especially popular is “Yuasa Soy Sauce”, a natural product made by a long-established store in Kishu and Yuasa, with attractive packaging featuring panda illustrations.
- Hosoo Seika
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A store offering fresh fruits and vegetables from Wakayama. You can take home seasonal tastes from the local area as souvenirs.
- Wakaya
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This shop offers seafood processed products such as Kishu-style simmered scallops. Perfect as a side dish for rice or a snack for drinks.
Nearby Facilities
Toretore Village & Panda Village
Toretore Village and Panda Village are accommodation facilities adjacent to Toretore Market.
These unique dome-shaped accommodations offer various themed rooms, providing a fresh experience each time you visit.
Panda Village features 25 adorable panda-shaped domes, making it especially recommended for families with children.
Toretore Onsen
This is an onsen facility adjacent to Toretore Market where you can enjoy the famous Shirahama Onsen.
Shirahama Onsen is one of Japan’s oldest hot spring areas, renowned for its rich history and healing waters.
- Open-air Bath: Enjoy a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean while soaking in the hot spring, which is particularly popular among visitors.
- Indoor Baths: Features various types such as oxygen baths, carbonated baths, electric baths, and jet baths.
- Stone Sauna: Relax in a stone sauna using rock salt for therapeutic effects.
Toretore Village and Panda Village also offer plans that include access to this hot spring.
Chukasoba Marutaya
Marutaya is a famous Chinese noodle shop known for serving “Wakayama Ramen” with the “Ide-kei” style, one of the most popular styles in the region.
The Wakayama Ramen here is based on a rich pork bone and chicken broth slowly simmered and blended with a special soy sauce tare. The noodles are homemade, thin, and straight, providing a perfect match with the flavorful soup.
The Shirahama branch of Marutaya offers a limited menu item called “Maguro-meshi,” which features fresh tuna chunks topped with a special egg over rice. It rivals the seafood bowls at Toretore Market in quality.
Access, Hours, and Parking
Address and Business Information
| Address | 2521 Katata, Shirahama-cho, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 0739-42-1010 |
| Business Hours | 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM (Last order for dining is 5:30 PM) |
| Closed | None (irregular holidays) |
Access
- By Car
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- About 20 minutes from Nanki Tanabe IC on the Hanwa Expressway via Route 42.
- Accessible from Kamitonda IC in about 11 minutes.
- By Public Transport
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- Train: About 5 minutes by taxi from JR Kisei Main Line “Shirahama Station”.
- Bus: Take the Meiko Bus (Shinyuzaki/Sandanbeki Line) from Shirahama Station and get off at the “Toretore Market” bus stop.
You can also use the Shirahama Town Circular Bus.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use credit cards at Toretore Market?
Yes, Toretore Market accepts various smartphone payment methods, including QR code payments.
Can I do BBQ at Toretore Market?
Yes, you can enjoy BBQ with fresh seafood, meat, and vegetables purchased at the market.
What are the business hours of Toretore Market?
The market is open from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM. Last orders at dining areas are around 5:30 PM.
Is parking free at Toretore Market?
Yes, there are 777 free parking spaces available. Additionally, 30 spots are available for large buses.
Summary
Toretore Market in Nanki Shirahama is one of the largest seafood markets in Western Japan, where you can enjoy fresh seafood gourmet, BBQ, and souvenir shopping all in one place.
Using this guide, make the most of your visit to Toretore Market by indulging in fresh seafood and creating unforgettable memories.
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