Isohama town and fishing port area
The area is a seaside lowland between plateaus and is believed to have been below sea level during the Jomon period. Today, it is a town area where many people live and the town hall, community center, cultural facilities, shopping street, fishery port, and fishery processing plants are located, making it a center of economy and exchange.(Learn more)
In Isohama town and the fishing port area, the Isohama ancient burial mounds have attracted attention in recent years. With the exception of the independent hill areas where the ancient burial mounds are located, the coastal and riverside lowlands in this area are believed to have been below sea level during the Jomon period when the sea was rising. Many people live in the area now, and it has evolved into the center of Oarai Town's economy and exchanges, with the Oarai Town Hall, community center, cultural facilities, shopping district, fishing port, and fish processing industry. Oarai Station can be accessed in about 15 minutes from Mito by taking the Kashima Rinkai Railway across the countryside.
The Oarai fishing port area is bustling with activity throughout the year with people seeking fresh fish. The construction of this area as a fishing port area of Oarai Port began in 1961, and reclamation and construction were completed in 1979. Fishery has provided livelihoods in Oarai since the Edo period. The mouth of Hinuma River was used as a port of call for marine transport, but the water was not deep enough at the mouth of the river. So, a plan was made to build Isohama Port in the area around the current Oarai Port from the end of the Meiji period to the beginning of the Taisho period. However, when Isohama Port was near completion, the construction had to be halted due to drift sand, and the port was buried under sand.
Since the mooring sites for fishery boats were lost, a port was constructed on the Hinuma River as a temporary measure. Fishermen with small traditional boats formed a local organization and worked together to cope with the situation. They pulled their boats up to the sandy shore, moored them there, and carried their boats manually out to sea. They protected their livelihoods by supporting each other. However, around 1955, small boats gradually grew bigger, making them harder to lift and lower them to and from the sandy shore, so they petitioned for the construction of a fishery port. As a result of the major construction work, the area was largely transformed into the fishery port area of Oarai Port, an industrial port used as a logistics hub. A long-held dream has finally been fulfilled.
The shopping district has flourished as the center of Oarai since the Edo period. It stretches from north to south where the shoreline once was. There are many long-established stores including sake breweries, pickled vegetable stores, and dried fish stores, and you can feel the remnants of the beach, which is thought to have existed until the middle of the Showa period based on sea bathing records. As described in Inoue Yasushi's novel "Oarai no Tsuki," many people are fascinated by the receptive human network of the people of Oarai. In recent years, some people have visited Oarai Town to see the setting of the "Girls und Panzer" anime. For some, this connection has grown so strong that they have been returning to Oarai for many years as if it were their second home, and some have even relocated to the area.
A business inn conveniently located a 5-minute walk from Oarai Station Many guests stay for long periods of time, and free Wi-Fi is available in the rooms, making it ideal for business use.
It takes pride in its cuisine centering seasonal local fish, making the most of the abundance of seafood. Located in Magarimatsu Shopping Street, this is a long-established kappo ryokan that has been running for six generations since the Meiji period.
A historical Japanese inn founded in the Meiji period, located in the center of Oarai’s shopping district. The interior of the inn features a modern Japanese-style decor characterized by refined taste that is not only pure Japanese style with the atmosphere of a long-established ryokan.
This inn is a 3-minute walk from Oarai Station, with the Hinuma River flowing right in front of it.
You can enjoy seasonal dishes and creative French cuisine.
This inn is popular among anglers as it is close to the Hinuma River.
A guest house run by a former fisherman and boasts seafood cuisine with an emphasis on fresh local fish. Carefully selected ingredients caught in Oarai are prepared while they are still fresh. Enjoy a relaxing time in rooms with nostalgic tatami mats.
A guest house located on a hill overlooking the sea and fishing port of Oarai.
You can relax in the nostalgic atmosphere of the guest house.
We are proud of the seaside cuisine using fresh seafood from Oarai!
A guest house that also runs a soba restaurant in Oarai’s shopping district. Recommended for leisure, business and family trips! For dinner, you can order homemade soba, udon, ramen, and donburi (rice bowls), as well as meals typically included in the accommodation plan.
Located near Oarai Fishing Port and Mentai Park, it is a homey guesthouse run by a family. You can enjoy seafood cuisine prepared by a former fish shop owner using fresh ingredients from Oarai.
A former bathhouse guest house with a Showa-retro atmosphere. The large public bath, which was established in the Taisho period (1912-1926), has a charming atmosphere. It also serves as the Oarai branch of the Japan Shogi Federation, and camps for Shogi and Go are welcome!
A guest house located in front of the fish market at Oarai Port. It has a homely atmosphere where you can stay casually. It is popular among anglers because of its proximity to Oarai Port, where they can enjoy fishing to the fullest.
A Japanese restaurant serving excellent local fish and sardine dishes from Oarai. The restaurant’s interior mirrors that of a traditional Japanese restaurant with a serene atmosphere. Private rooms and tatami seating tables are available for a relaxed dining experience.
A Kappo restaurant located in a long-established Japanese inn. You can enjoy hearty local cuisine prepared by the young master, who trained at a Japanese-style restaurant in Tokyo. Reservation required.
A Kyoto-style kaiseki restaurant where the young master serves authentic kaiseki cuisine at reasonable prices. A la carte dishes, fresh fish sashimi, and hamburger steak are also available for family enjoyment.
Located next to Oarai Fishing Port, the wives of fishermen serve fresh fish dishes. Only in a port town can you taste the freshness of whitebait rice bowl.
A Japanese restaurant directly managed by a seafood processing company that distributes ingredients to famous hotels and supermarkets. The chef’s skill shines through the seafood rice bowls made mainly from local products. Handmade side dishes such as Saikyo fish pickles and simmered sea bream head are also available.
An itamae-kappo restaurant where you can casually enjoy fresh seafood, local vegetables, and other high quality food from Hitachinokuni. The restaurant’s carefully selected dishes are exquisite, with fresh “fish” purchased by the owner himself. Using seasonal ingredients, you can enjoy dishes suitable for a variety of occasions.
A restaurant near the Fishing Port offering excellent crab dishes. Set meals, rice bowls, and daily specials are provided. It boasts reasonable prices, quality of ingredients and volume! The snow crab croquette has won the top prize in Japan.
A restaurant where you can enjoy meat and seasonal seafood dishes. In addition to our famous motsuni stew and various set meals, the fresh seafood caught from our own boat promises to be a delectable treat.
A creative cuisine restaurant that offers everything from authentic French to simple Japanese dishes, with a focus on seasonal vegetables and fish. This restaurant places particular emphasis on fresh vegetables and seafood, sure to impress even the most discerning female customers.
A Japanese restaurant serving sushi, tempura, kamameshi, and anglerfish hotpot. You can taste delicious local Oarai seafood.
There are plenty of things you can only taste here! Direct from the market! Market price! A truly heavenly conveyor belt sushi restaurant. In winter, you can also enjoy the famous anglerfish hotpot. There is also a seafood Japanese restaurant.
Directly managed by Uochu, a long-established live fish restaurant. A long-established seafood restaurant where you can enjoy sushi and seafood dishes seasoned with special sauce. Enjoy the fresh seafood caught in Oarai and Nakaminato.
A famous restaurant of fresh eel dishes. We cook live eels to order, allowing customers to enjoy their taste and texture to the fullest. The taste, color, gloss, and aroma are outstanding.
A local soba restaurant using Ibaraki brand “Hitachi-Aki soba” as an ingredient. The buckwheat is slowly ground on a stone mill and carefully handcrafted using a blend of three buckwheat flours with 10 percent serving as the base. Enjoy our signature soba noodles.
A traditional soba restaurant that has continued for four generations. The homemade soba, udon and ramen that the owner makes every day are delicious! We recommend Curry Nanban Soba and Nihon Gomoku Soba.
A yakiniku restaurant popular among locals. Various menus such as tongue salt, ribs, and stone-roasted bibimbap are offered. We recommend the rib yakiniku set meal! It will undoubtedly be delicious.
The closest fishing tackle store from Oarai Port.
The rod rental service is highly popular, allowing you to enjoy fishing without needing to bring anything.
A theme park specializing in mentaiko (seasoned cod roe) operated by Kanefuku, a long-established mentaiko maker. The mentaiko factory that offers free tours, a direct store selling freshly made mentaiko, a food court, and a kids’ land provide fun for everyone from adults to children.
This store is popular for handmade dried fish from the adjacent factory. The beautifully packaged dried fish makes for a delightful souvenir.
A long-established seafood store with a hundred-year history. This store offers a wide selection of dried fish, whitebait, seasoned abalone, boiled clams, boiled salmon, and more! The prices are reasonable, too.
Right in front of Oarai Fishing Port, this fish shop is marked by a huge yellow sign. In front of the shop, you will find an array of dried fish and fresh fish, and they also offer grilled clams, scallops, shrimp, and more.
A branch of a long-established dried fish store “Iiokaya Suisan.” Our fresh fish, dried fish will make excellent souvenirs. The anglerfish soup and roasted octopus, perfect for eating on the go, are highly popular.
A long-established sake brewery founded in 1865. As “the sake given to Oarai,” the brewery dares not to design sake quality, but pursue sake brewing with individuality in the climate of Oarai.
A liquor store and bar with jazz music in the unique building featuring a protruding yacht. The interior has an antique atmosphere inspired by the interior of a ship. Draft beer and wine served by the owner can be enjoyed at reasonable prices.
A direct shop for agricultural products selling freshly harvested vegetables produced by local farmers. You can enjoy cheap and delicious Oarai vegetables. Other items include rice cakes and rice balls handmade by Oarai mothers, and local specialties are available.
Speaking of Oarai Bento box, this is the place. We produce everything from boxed lunches to ekiben (lunch box sold at train stations). The popular “Mihama Octopus Rice Lunchbox” is sold at the kiosk in the Oarai Station Building of the Kashima Rinkai Railway Oarai Kashima Line and at the Aqua World Food Court. Other Bento boxes are sold at Oarai Maiwai Market.
A delicatessen with an 80-year history of direct sales from a crab processing factory. You can buy side dishes, bento boxes, hors d’oeuvres, as well as snow crabs and red king crabs. The snow crab-filled croquette won the National Croquette Festival!
Japan’s first cafe specializing in plums, run by Yoshidaya, a long-established manufacturer and seller of pickles such as umeboshi.
You can enjoy rice and sweets made with a wide variety of plums.
Japan’s first plum experience park, run by Yoshidaya, a long-established manufacturer and seller of pickles such as pickled plums.
You can enjoy the experience of making plum syrup and plum wine.
A long-established seaweed shop founded by the first generation from Sanriku around 1945. They handle high-quality seaweed such as wakame seaweed and kelp. Direct online sales also available.
In winter, this restaurant offers an exquisite anglerfish hotpot, which is the owner’s specialty, and from spring to autumn, it offers various set meals using seasonal ingredients. Reservation required.
You can easily have a vacation home in Oarai! Villa subscription service. Monthly expenses are minimal due to a pay-as-you-go system where you only pay for the time you use your vacation home. Experience lodging without the hassle of subscription registration!
Conveniently located near recommended sightseeing spots and popular spots featured in the anime Girls und Panzer. It is also suitable for single travelers. Bicycle rental plans are also available.
This museum exhibits artifacts related to the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa Emperors and the Imperial Families, as well as calligraphy and Japanese paintings from late Bakumatsu and Meiji period patriots.
A day spa facility where you can enjoy a sodium chloride hot spring, a gym, and an indoor heated pool. There is also a restaurant, “Yukkuratei KAJIMA” available for dining. You can spend a whole day relaxing in the facility.
A fishing port where fresh seafood from Oarai, a region blessed with abundant seafood, is landed.
Next to the fishing port, there are restaurants and souvenir shops featuring fresh seafood line the streets.
A restaurant attached to the Oarai Seafood Market. You can enjoy fresh seafood unique to Oarai, such as seafood rice bowls, set meals, and anglerfish hotpot in winter.
Neo-Chinese dining on the first floor of the retreat house “Nami to Tsuki.”
Chinese cuisine with a modern twist using ingredients from Ibaraki Prefecture isexquisite.
A shopping district symbolized by a bent pine tree standing in the ryokan Sakanaya Inkyo.
The area was once a seaside shopping district, and it has flourished as the central area since the end of the Edo period.
A tourist information base located next to Oarai Station. To assist visitors in discovering the attractions of Oarai Town, we provide tourist information, bicycle and car rental services, and sales of souvenirs carefully selected by our tourism concierge.
Soul food for Oarai residents. Wheat-based dumplings with plenty of sweet honey
Ancient oceans, forests, and rivers.
Places of faith and relaxation
Fishing, commerce, and living.
Center of Oarai Town
The largest beach with shallow water and
villa area in Ibaraki Prefecture
Hinuma Lake, the only brackish lake
in the Kanto region,
and a vast reclaimed land
