Experience the ultimate bounty of northern Japan at Hasshoku Center (八食センター), Hachinohe’s vibrant indoor marketplace, where local agriculture and the freshest Pacific catch take centre stage. The bustling hub is world-famous for Shichirin-mura, a unique dining area where you can grill the fresh ingredients purchased from the market yourself over traditional charcoal braziers. Beyond the DIY barbecue, Hasshoku Center is known as Hachinohe’s kitchen, offering everything from artisan sake and regional fruits to the famous Nanbu Senbei (wheat crackers). Whether you are hunting for the perfect Aomori souvenir or looking to feast like a local, Hasshoku Center is an unmissable destination for anyone visiting northern Japan.
Tip: We recommend visiting Hashhoku Center on weekdays to avoid the massive crowds. But if you want to get an extra discount on the already cheap local produce and specialties, visit the center on weekends and public holidays.
The Non-Seafood Stalls at Hasshoku Center
Although we are vegetarians, we still managed to enjoy food at Hasshoku Center. Among countless seafood stalls, vegan/vegetarian-friendly stalls selling fresh fruits, pickles, rice balls, bread, and croquettes can also be found.
While I forgot to take a photo of our lunch, consisting of potato croquettes, rice balls, and pickles, I found a couple of photos of the fruits, bread, and souvenir shops in Hasshoku Center. The stall on the left in the first photo of the Instagram post was where we got our delicious pickles.
We also got some locally produced tea leaves and apple-related products from the souvenir store in the second photo. The Hirosaki apple store in the 4th photo also had Shine Muscat at a lower price compared to supermarkets.
Tempura Akimitsu Hasshoku Center (天麩羅 秋光 八食センター)
If you are dropping by around lunchtime, there is a tempura restaurant where you can enjoy mouthwatering, freshly tempura vegetables and mushroom tempura. The vegetable donburi bowl in the 3rd photo of the Instagram post is topped with crispy-battered vegetables that pair perfectly with the rice beneath.
For morning and afternoon tea, there are a couple of dessert shops and cafes that can keep your energy level up between the main meals (^_-)-☆.
Shichirin-mura (七厘村)
Hidden inside Hachinohe’s massive Hasshoku Center, Shichirin-mura is a “grill-it-yourself” wonderland. Instead of a standard restaurant meal, you get to be the chef by renting a traditional charcoal brazier and sourcing the freshest seasonal produce directly from the market stalls to roast to perfection. At the restaurant, you are provided with everything you need to enjoy the fresh ingredients you just purchased from the center. You can also order drinks and rice from their menu.
Although seafood and meat are not options for vegetarians, you can purchase fresh vegetables and mushrooms at Hasshoku Center to grill.
Tips:
☛ In the off-peak season, you can call +81-178-29-4451 to reserve your seats. Your accommodation staff should be able to make a booking on your behalf if you don’t speak Japanese.
☛ Or, head straight to the restaurant and grab a number plate before shopping for the ingredients you want to grill. Otherwise, you might find yourself waiting in the queue for 2 to 3 hours.
- You can use the barbecue facility from 9 am to 5 pm daily except Wednesdays.
- The cost for a 2-hour grilling session at Shichirin-mura is
- 500 yen for adults
- 200 yen for elementary school students
- Changing the grilling plate will incur extra costs.
Important: As a self-service facility, please clean up after you finish your meal.
Hasshoku Center’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Hasshoku Center is open from 9 am to 6 pm daily except Wednesdays generally. The restaurants may have extended business hours till 7 pm or 9 pm.
- You can also refer to the center’s calendar HERE. The pink block indicates the trading time for markets. Blocks in other colors are for restaurants.
- To get to Hasshoku Center from Hachinohe Station (八戸駅), take the 100 Yen Loop Bus (100円バス) from the station’s east exit bus stop no. 4 and get off at Hasshoku Center (八食センター).
- HERE is the timetable for the service. Please use the Japanese characters to read it.
- From downtown Hachinohe, you can also take the 200 Yen Loop Bus (200円以下バス) from the City Center Terminal (Chūshin-gai Terminal, 中心街ターミナル).
- HERE is the timetable for the service. Please use the Japanese characters to read it.
- The bus fare is calculated based on the distance traveled. Please take a ticket when you board the bus and pay the price shown on the price table, matching your number.
- Refer to our Guide to How to Take a Bus in Japan if you are unsure how to pay your bus fare in Japan.
Discovering Other Attractions in Hachinohe
The city of Hachinohe is definitely one of the more unique cities in Japan. The biggest morning market in Japan is found here. The city also has a beautiful coastline that you can easily spend half a day trekking.
To find out more about what to do and where to go in Hachinohe, please refer to our Hachinohe article (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
