Saba no Eki mackerel restaurant in Hachinohe

Hachinohe & mackerel

Hachinohe is the second largest city in Aomori prefecture and, at the same time, a small port town on the northernmost tip of the Japan coast, known mainly for fishing and its fish market. The seafood here is caught fresh daily. Hachinohe is also the starting point of the Michinoku Coastal Trail, which we walked in parts here.

Apart from shrimp, crab, salmon, octopus, and squid, Hachinohe is known for what has been branded "Hachinohe maeoki saba," a mackerel with a fat content that can reach up to 30%.

Saba no eki - the mackerel station

Hiroshi Sawakami, the proprietor of Saba no Eki, was one of the founding members of the mackerel brand promotion council. He opened his restaurant, specializing in mackerel dishes, in 2009. Because mackerel was considered too plain compared to tuna or salmon by some purists, business was slow at first. Gradually, attention grew for mackerel's taste, and over time the restaurant became well known, drawing Japanese visitors who travel to the area specifically to try his dishes. Today, more restaurants in the area offer and advertise mackerel as Hachinohe's signature dish.

Saba No Eki is located in the center of Hachinohe's entertainment district, right across the street from the Dormy Inn hotel. The name means "mackerel (saba) station (eki)."

The food

The restaurant offers around 30 dishes prepared with mackerel. Two of the osusumes (recommendations) are the grilled mackerel skewer and raw mackerel that is quick-frozen at -50°C right after being caught. The place is small and there is no English menu, but photos next to each item make it easy to see what you are ordering. The staff are friendly and some speak a little English, so don't hesitate to ask for help. There are 5 types of sake to choose from, each meant to complement a different style of mackerel dish.

We went there twice during our trip through Tohoku, and our favourites were:

• Sashimi mackerel prepared three different ways
• Grilled mackerel on a bamboo skewer with a light sauce
• Mackerel simmered in miso