Whether you’ve been up all night or you’re just getting up, Asaichi is one of the best early morning activities to do here in Hakodate. Asaichi is the morning market here in Hakodate. Fishermen and farmers will bring in their produce for the day. It’s right on the bay so you can stroll along the ocean as you enjoy all that the market has to offer. Here you can find the freshest produce for any of your cooking needs. You can also stop by many of the food-stalls and restaurants to enjoy some ready-made meals or cook up your own in-house. Fish and other seafood come already prepared to cook or you can pick out a live one from a few of the many tank displays. Squid, crab, fish, clams, oyster - you name it, they’ll probably have it. Farmers bring in their fresh fruits and vegetables to help complete the meal. My personal favorite is the Persimmons, I like to get one to munch on while walking through the market.
My first experience at the market was with a few friends from one of our favorite hangout spots, Gossip, a Japanese style Pub. On this occasion we had just finished up for the night and were looking for an early morning adventure. We were invited to go to Asaichi with one of the bartenders who works at Gossip. After catching a taxi to the market we stopped in at a small restaurant. Each table had a miniature grill where you could cook the food. We ordered clams, prawns, shrimp, squid, oysters, and of course fish. Our waiters also brought out a tray of sushi and sashimi - raw fish slices. Everything was really good and I can definitely say there is a difference between fresh-caught-ocean-fish and the stuff we can get back home. We all had fun chatting and trying out he different seafood.
On another visit we were walking by a restaurant that had just caught an adult octopus that morning. This was a treat because it’s a little rare to get a full-grown adult octopus. It was in large display tank on the outside next to the windows of the restaurant. I believe that was my first time being that close to a live octopus. A sign next to the tank stated that if you could guess the weight right, the restaurant would cut and prep the octopus for you as a prize. What I have had of octopus was quite tasty, but not quite tasty enough for me to guess, especially with the pounds to kilograms conversion thrown in. I’ll have to check back the next time I go to see if anyone won the prize.
If food isn’t your fancy at the moment, they also host a select number of souvenir shops. Looking for something more? Just outside of the main market area you can find clothing and household items shops. Whatever your needs, the morning market of Asaichi has it all.