Located at the southernmost tip of the Miura Peninsula, Misaki Port is a popular day trip destination. Since tuna trading began here in the Taisho era, it has flourished as one of Japan's leading "tuna towns."

Near the fishing port, there are many shops and restaurants that sell tuna, and you can encounter dishes that you would not normally be able to eat in this town. In this article, we will introduce the local gourmet food of Misaki Port, Misaki tuna, its characteristics, deliciousness, and the secret behind its popularity.

What is Misaki Maguro? Its characteristics and when it's in season

Misaki tuna refers to tuna caught at Misaki Port in Kanagawa Prefecture. Misaki Port has long been known as a place for deep-sea fishing, and the fishermen visit fishing grounds in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans over a period of several months.

The fish caught there is brought back in the ship's freezer, so Misaki is home to high-quality tuna from all over the world.

Among the various types of tuna landed here, including bluefin tuna and southern bluefin tuna, which are considered high-quality, and the easy-to-eat bigeye tuna, Misaki Port seems to handle a particularly large amount of bigeye tuna.

Bigeye tuna is light in flavor and rich in fat, and is said to be delicious not only as sashimi or sushi, but also when sauteed or stewed.

The tuna caught at Misaki Port has different seasons depending on the type, but thanks to advanced freezing technology, you can enjoy fresh, delicious tuna all year round.

History and origins of Misaki tuna

Misaki Town, whose topography was originally suited to being a fishing port, saw the opening of the Misaki Fish Market in 1922, when tuna trading began.

At that time, raw tuna was traded, but in the 1950s, with the appearance of "refrigerated ships," frozen tuna became widely distributed. Later, with the spread of refrigerated ships, deep-sea fishing began to take place based in Misaki Port, and people began to travel to the oceans of the world in search of seasonal tuna.

Currently, the market is able to accommodate a new form of distribution where frozen tuna is transported and shipped as is, and in 2018 it became Japan's first wholesale market specializing in frozen tuna, handling as many as 900 tuna on busy days, which are shipped out daily, mainly to the Tokyo metropolitan area.

The secret behind the deliciousness and popularity of Misaki tuna

If you come to Misaki Port, you'll want to try some delicious tuna dishes.

Misaki tuna can be easily enjoyed at restaurants near the port. In addition to the standard sashimi and sushi, you can also find a wide variety of tuna dishes that are not often seen in other areas. Misaki is also famous for being able to eat delicacies made with tuna such as the tail, innards, and eggs.

The most popular dish is a bowl of tuna topped with a variety of tuna, including lean, marinated, bintoro, and negitoro. Each fillet is large and very satisfying to eat. The generous presentation and melt-in-your-mouth flavor make this a must-try for tuna lovers.

There are also restaurants where you can try slightly unusual and original creative dishes such as grilled tuna ribs, butter-fried tuna heart, and small dishes made with the skin and guts (stomach).

Another reason why Misaki tuna is so popular is the existence of the Misaki Tuna Ticket.

The Misaki Maguro Ticket is a ticket sold by Keikyu Corporation. It is a set of train and bus tickets within a certain area, the "Maguro Manpuku Ticket" that allows you to choose a meal from 33 restaurants, and the "Miura/Misaki Omohide Ticket" that can be used at 21 facilities such as leisure and souvenir shops.

This is a great value ticket that will allow you to fully enjoy not only Misaki tuna but also the Miura Peninsula, so be sure to take advantage of it.

If you come to Misaki, you should stop by "Jogashima"

From here, we will introduce tourist spots around Misaki. If you come to Misaki Port, we recommend you stop by Jogashima, located at the tip of the Miura Peninsula.

Jogashima, said to be the largest natural island in Kanagawa Prefecture, is a tourist spot with plenty to see, including the unique topography created by the majestic nature, as well as beautiful coastal scenery. It is a small island with a circumference of about 4km, so you can walk around the whole island in about 2 hours.

Across the Jogashima Bridge, on the east side, you will find Prefectural Jogashima Park. It is on high ground surrounded by the sea, and with nothing blocking the view, it is also a great spot to watch the morning sun and the first sunrise of the year. You can also relax and have a picnic in the open space while looking out at the coast.

If you head towards the rocks, you will see the Umanose Cave, a beautiful natural formation. This is a sea cave, formed by erosion caused by waves, rain and wind.

In this way, Jogashima has many unique landforms and landscapes created by the strong winds and rough waves. Also, from late January to mid-February, about 300,000 double-flowered daffodils bloom in full glory, and the sweet fragrance that fills the gardens has a mysterious and calming effect on the mind.

In addition, you can encounter the Japanese cormorant, a designated natural monument, and enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view from the observation deck near the lighthouse, making this a spot full of attractions.

Access to Misaki Port

From here, we will introduce how to get to Misaki Port. If you are coming from the city center, we recommend using the Keihin Kyuko Railway.

It takes about 65 minutes from Shinagawa Station to Misakiguchi Station via Yokohama Station. From there, take the Keihin Kyuko Bus bound for Misaki Port, and you'll arrive at the bus stop in about 20 minutes. If it's crowded, you can get off at the previous stop, Miura Kaigan Station, and take the same bus bound for Misaki Port.

If you are heading there by car, it will take about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Tokyo via Namiki IC, Kinugasa IC, and the Miura Longitudinal Road (toll) to Misakiguchi. From Misakiguchi Station, you can take Prefectural Route 26 and get there in about 15 minutes. You can get a little trip feeling while riding the train or car, so please choose your favorite route.

Location of Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture

summary

This time we introduced Misaki Maguro, a local delicacy of Misaki Port in Kanagawa Prefecture. Misaki Maguro, caught from oceans all over the world, can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes.

Be sure to enjoy some excellent seafood at Misaki Port, where high-quality tuna is available, and the restaurants in the surrounding area.

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