Sponsored by Saga Prefectural Tourism Federation
Try some locally caught oysters, crab and more at Takezaki-kaisan – a great little oyster hut by the sea!
The popularity of Kakigoya – Oyster Huts
Oyster huts are especially popular in Kyushu during the winter months. This is when locally fished oysters are in season. At these restaurants, you sit at a table with a charcoal grill built in and cook your own food, similar to a yakiniku restaurant. On a cold winter day, it’s great for warming up!
Takezaki-kaisan in Tara is located by the Ariake sea and has a wide variety of locally fished seafood. The owner catches them himself and they are kept in seawater, so when you arrive you can choose from a selection of fresh fish. The restaurant name means “from the Takezaki sea”. Enjoy trying delicious seafood while admiring the view of the sea it comes from!
Plenty of seafood to choose from
When you arrive, you can see a wide selection of shellfish kept in fresh water. You can order here, looking around and choosing the kinds you would like to try. These are all fresh from the ocean!
You can see familiar kinds of fish like oysters and crabs, as well as some other kinds you may never have seen before – like the colourful hiougi-gai. Why not try something new?
Prices are all clearly marked and you can point out what you would like. The staff will prepare it then bring it to your table for you to cook!
Try Takezaki Oysters
One of the most popular choices here is oysters. You can buy a box of these for 1000 yen, either locally fished or from Nagasaki. The oysters from the Ariake Sea are considered especially delicious because of the water they are fished from. This is said to be what gives them a richer flavour. When you cook these oysters, their shell doesn’t shrink as much as other varieties.
Try the local speciality – Takezaki Crab
At this restaurant you can choose from a selection of food. Takezaki Kani – or Takezaki crab – is a popular choice. Tara is famous for this kind of crab. It is a kind of blue crab which is fished here all year round.
There is a selection of prices here, with the cheapest around 1,400 yen. You can also choose a male or female crab. The male crab is said to taste good in summer, while the female is supposed to taste better in winter. You can choose either all year round, so you could even try one of each!
This kind of crab attracts visitors to Saga from all over Japan. Crab is popular around the country, but this particular kind can only be fished in this area.
Crab is wrapped in tin foil to be cooked. The staff will use a timer to tell when to flip it over, and when it is done they show you how to break the shell and eat the meat inside. It is a little tricky to do if you have never tried it before, but luckily the friendly staff are happy to help! You can also choose to boil the crab – this is said to lock in the flavours better. The meat from this crab has a wonderfully soft texture, with a slightly sweet taste. If you have never eaten crab before, this is a great place to try it for the first time.
Try the colourful hiougi-gai!
A unique kind of shellfish which isn’t well known is “hiougi-gai”. These look like scallops and have colourful shells, including purple and yellow. This is cooked in its shell, then butter and a kind of sauce are added before you finish cooking it. The taste is similar to scallops, and worth trying especially since one is only 200 yen. This kind of shellfish is also not usually found in other areas, so this is a great chance to try something unusual.
Try something new!
Some of the other types of seafood available include scallops, Japanese tiger prawn and turban shell fish.
Their menu also includes some kinds of meat, like chicken wings, plenty of side dishes and ice cream for dessert.
Getting to Takezaki kaisan
This oyster hut is located in Tara town, about a 25 minute walk from Tara Station. There are maps to local restaurants, including this one, at the station. Since Tara is famous for crab, you can see posters of crab everywhere! The route there is easy as you just need to follow the main road running along the seaside. It’s a lovely walk with some fantastic views!
Whether you love oysters, crab, or just want to try something new, visit this oyster hut for a unique experience. Discover why oyster huts are so popular!
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