Ibaraki Prefecture encompasses a vast region covering diverse landscapes, coastal and mountainous terrain and offering great access to Tokyo. The prefecture—bordering Fukushima, Tochigi, Saitama and Chiba—has an image as one of eastern Japan’s major agricultural producers, but it's Fisheries industry is just as impressive.
Ibaraki shares a 190-km coastline with the Pacific Ocean, overlooking waters known for their rich fishing grounds. This area where the Oyashio and Kuroshio currents merge sees warmer-water fish from the south and cold-water species from the north gravitate here, leading to a huge variety of seafood landed here each season.
Half-way along Ibaraki’s shores, you’ll find the coastal city of Hitachinaka. If the name is familiar, it may be because it is home to Hitachi Seaside National Park, known for its surreal landscape of red Kochia (summer cypress) plants visible every October. With several fishing ports and fish market and great access from neighboring Mito (the capital city of Ibaraki), let’s take a look at the local Fisheries industry and, in particular, shine the spotlight on Ajirushi—a local seafood processing company that has been operating since 1887.
Seafood in Hitachinaka
We visited a local producer Ajirushi, known for their processed marine products (like octopus, squid and shrimp) in the Hitachinaka region, to learn more about their products and how they have evolved over time. Let’s take a closer look.
Ajirushi: Octopus Production
Ajirushi’s history dates back to 1887 when they originally started selling marine products via their ‘Ajirushi Maru’ boat, before expanding into marine processing and establishing their facilities in 1957. They are perhaps most well-known for their Japanese octopus processing and, since 1963, opened up additional import routes via West Africa to expand the processing industry alongside their Japan supply of octopus. Over the years, the demand for octopus—which is low calorie/high in protein—has increased overseas, one of many factors that has helped Ajirushi recognise the retail demand for seasoned and prepared products, which they also process and sell.
This includes a few popular products like seasoned Chinese squid with mountain vegetables, vinegared octopus or more Western-appealing products like basil-marinated octopus or Shrimp Salad with Mayonnaise. Their squid with mountain vegetables is one of their biggest exports, and can be found served at Japanese restaurants around the world, including the US, Australia and Europe. For those visiting Hitachinaka, Ajirushi’s products can be found in local supermarkets, but also directly purchasable at their main factory.
So what has led to Ajirushi’s success? Undoubtedly their processing technology and quality control have played a major role, alongside a successful track record of promotion and strong sales. Their factory lines have evolved to reliably and quickly process octopus (and other marine products) through the steaming phase while minimizing impurities and contamination to help guarantee plump, flavorful octopus every single time. Ajirushi is HACCP-certified (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) showing their commitment to food safety and screening of their own products to high standards.
How should you enjoy Ajirushi octopus?
Many of Ajirushi’s processed octopus, squid and shrimp is destined for business use and supermarkets or restaurants around Japan, but you can also buy some of the processed retail products, both at supermarkets and their Hitachinaka factory.
Many of Ajirushi’s processed octopus, squid and shrimp is destined for business use and supermarkets or restaurants around Japan, but you can also buy some of the processed retail products, both at supermarkets and their Hitachinaka factory.
For more ways to use octopus, you can also find a range of serving suggestions and recipes (Japanese) on Ajirushi’s official website.
Sightseeing in Hitachinaka
Besides this area’s reputation for fresh seafood, there are several attractions worth visiting on any trip to Hitachinaka, so consider dropping by one of the following:
Hitachi Seaside Park
Hitachi Seaside Park overlooks the Pacific Ocean and is famous for its exquisite flower gardens year-round. The expertly crafted landscape blooms every season with a rainbow of colors and is one of the top tourist attractions in Hitachinaka, if not all of Ibaraki Prefecture.
Autumn sees the famous kochia plants at Miharashi Hill turn a vibrant red, but you can also catch a dazzling sea of nemophila blue each spring. But across the 215 hectares to explore, there is more than just flowers with a vast environment to discover including gardens and amusement parks spanning sand dunes, forests, grassland and springs.
Sakatsura Isozaki Shrine
This hilltop Shinto shrine, originally founded in 856, is traditionally known to offer good fortune to those praying for recovery from illness or related health conditions. The shrine grounds lie beyond a mystical tunnel of bay trees and camellias, which also hides a side path revealing a magical view of the ocean silhouetted by a torii gate.
At the shrine entrance, don’t forget to touch the statue of the turtle which is said to offer luck and wealth, thanks to stories of past lottery winners finding success after visiting the shrine here.
Sakatsura Isozaki is a sister shrine to Oarai Isosaki Shrine, which is located a little further south and known for its mystical Kamiiso-no-Torii gate seen off the shore as if rising from the waves.
Nakaminato Fish Market
With Hitachinaka’s reputation for fresh seafood, Nakaminato Fish Market represents a great opportunity to see up close the local fishing industry in action.
You’ll not just get to see the day’s fresh catches made available at affordable prices, but there also several restaurants where you can stop to rest and try Ibaraki’s local seafood at its freshest and finest.
Getting to Hitachinaka
All of the above sightseeing spots are handily accessible via the Minato Line, operated by Hitachinaka Seaside Railway. It connects the following:
- Ajigaura Station (eastern terminus): shuttle bus to Hitachi Seaside Park, 20 min walk to Sakatsura Isozaki Shrine
- Nakaminato Station: 15 min walk to Nakaminato FIsh Market
- Katsuta Station (western terminus): connects to the JR Joban Line and is one stop from Mito.
A full journey along the Minato Line takes about 30 minutes.
Buses also connect JR Joban Line stations of Tokai and Katsuta directly to Hitachinaka Seaside Park providing additional public transportation options.
Katsuta Station can be reached in about 1 hour 30min via the Hitachi and Tokiwa limited express trains, or 2 hours via local trains on JR Joban Line.
It’s worth visiting at several times of the year — Hitachi Seaside Park alone has something different to view in every season.
In summary
Ibaraki Prefecture is one of Japan’s top producers of seafood and Ajirushi’s steamed octopus is just one example of east Japan and the Tokiwa region’s rich seafood legacy.Visit our Seafood Journey feature page to dive into northeastern Japan's culinary delicacies and discover more passionate seafood and marine product processors.
