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Kakujo Gyorui (角上魚類), a fresh-fish store chain with shops across the Kanto and Shinetsu regions, is holding an Ishikawa Fair (石川フェア) for the first time. It runs for just two days, Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 2026, at its Hino store (日野店) in Hino, Tokyo.
The fair is organized together with Ishikawa Prefecture. The idea is simple: buy and eat seafood landed in Ishikawa, and help the local fishing industry that is still recovering from the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. Below you will find what fish may be on the counter, which ready-to-eat items to look for, and a few tips that make a fish shop like this easier to use if you are not used to buying whole fish in Japan.
Ishikawa Fair at a glance
| Event | Ishikawa Fair (第1回 石川フェア), the first edition |
|---|---|
| Dates | Sat, October 31 and Sun, November 1, 2026 |
| Hours | 9:00–19:00 on both fair days (on weekdays other than holidays the store opens at 10:00) |
| Venue | Kakujo Gyorui Hino store (角上魚類 日野店) |
| Address | 東京都日野市川辺堀之内271-1 (271-1 Kawabe-Horinouchi, Hino, Tokyo) |
| Organizer | Kakujo Gyorui Holdings Co., Ltd., in partnership with Ishikawa Prefecture |
| Prices | Not announced. Check at the store. |
For the latest store information, see the official Hino store page.
Why Ishikawa, and why now
On January 1, 2024, the Noto Peninsula earthquake (令和6年能登半島地震) hit Ishikawa Prefecture with a maximum seismic intensity of 7, the top of Japan’s scale. Buildings collapsed, roads were cut, and water and power went out across the Noto area. Fishing ports and seafood facilities were badly damaged too.
Infrastructure and ports are being rebuilt with support from the national and local governments, but the fishing industry still faces more than repairs: lost sales channels need to come back, demand needs to grow again, and there are not enough successors to take over. Kakujo’s answer as a fish shop is to keep putting Ishikawa seafood in front of shoppers, so fishermen have a place to sell and customers have a reason to buy.
If you like supporting a region through what you spend, you may also be interested in JAL’s Kyushu recovery discount on flight and hotel packages, which works on the same idea with travel instead of groceries.
Why the seas off Ishikawa have so many kinds of fish
Off the coast of Ishikawa, the cold Liman Current meets the warm Tsushima Current. Where they collide, eddies form and hold both warm-water and cold-water species in the same area, which is why the fishing grounds here are so rich.
On top of that, nutrient-rich water from the Hakusan and Tateyama mountain ranges flows down rivers into the sea. Snowmelt and rain feed plankton, small fish eat the plankton, and bigger fish grow fat on the small fish. That food chain is a big part of why seafood from this coast tastes the way it does.
Fish to look for at the counter
Kakujo shared the list below as examples of fish landed in Ishikawa. It is not a promise: what actually arrives on the day depends on the catch, so treat it as a guide to what you might find.
| English | Japanese name |
|---|---|
| Wild Noto winter yellowtail | 天然能登寒ブリ |
| Black scraper (a filefish) | ウマヅラハギ |
| Blackthroat seaperch | ノドグロ |
| Japanese Spanish mackerel | サワラ |
| Flathead flounder | 赤ガレイ |
| Sweet shrimp | 甘エビ |
| Barracuda | カマス |
| Deep-sea smelt | ニギス（メギス） |
| Pacific cod | 真ダラ |
| Tilefish | アマダイ |
| Japanese flying squid | スルメイカ |
| Whelk | 白バイ貝 |
Knowing the Japanese name helps: price cards and labels at Japanese fish counters are usually written only in Japanese, so you can match them to the table above.
The press release also pictures koubako crab (香箱ガニ), the female snow crab, but it is not on the example list above. Do not count on finding it.
Sushi, sashimi and deli items
Not cooking tonight? The fair is not only about whole fish. Every section of the store, from the fresh fish counter to sushi, sashimi, deli (惣菜) and dried fish (干物), will carry products made with Ishikawa seafood. Kakujo gave these as examples:
| Item | Japanese name |
|---|---|
| Hokuriku seafood sushi assortment (sample) | 寿司 北陸 海鮮尽くし（参考例） |
| Hokuriku seafood sashimi assortment (sample) | 刺身 北陸 海鮮尽くし（参考例） |
| Sweet shrimp sashimi, whole presentation | 甘エビ 刺身姿盛り |
| Fried sweet shrimp | 甘エビ 唐揚げ |
| White fish tempura, such as red sea bream or Japanese sea bass | 白身魚（真鯛、スズキなど）天ぷら |
| Fried flathead flounder | 赤ガレイ 唐揚げ |
Tips for shopping at Kakujo
- Look for the yellow caps. Every Kakujo store has staff called Shinsetsu-gakari (親切係), a kind of fish concierge. They can tell you what a fish is like, how to eat it, and how to prepare it. Kakujo has also published a story about its Shinsetsu-gakari team (in Japanese).
- Filleting is free. At the fresh fish counter, staff will cut your fish for you at no charge, so buying a whole yellowtail or nodoguro is less intimidating than it sounds.
- Sushi comes in all sizes. Packs range from single servings to large platters for a group.
- Expect gaps. Some fish may not arrive because of the catch, and popular items can sell out. Kakujo says it will stock plenty, but there is no guarantee for any single item.
Paying by card at supermarkets is common in Japan. If you are still choosing your first card here, our guide to credit cards in Japan for foreigners walks through the options.
Will the fair come to other stores?
Yes, according to Kakujo. The Hino fair is the first, and the company plans to hold Ishikawa Fairs at its other stores one after another. Which stores and which dates have not been announced yet. Kakujo usually brings in fish from Teradomari Port in Niigata, Toyosu Market and ports around Japan, and its store list is on the official Google Maps store map if you want to check your nearest branch.
Another way to back a region you care about is through hometown tax donations. See what changed in Furusato Nozei this October before you donate.
FAQ
- Q. When and where is the Ishikawa Fair?
- October 31 (Sat) and November 1 (Sun), 2026, at the Kakujo Gyorui Hino store, 271-1 Kawabe-Horinouchi, Hino, Tokyo. The store is open 9:00–19:00 on both days.
- Q. Will every fish on the list be available?
- Not necessarily. The list is a set of examples. What arrives depends on the catch, and items can sell out.
- Q. How much do the items cost?
- Prices have not been announced. Check the labels at the store.
- Q. Can staff fillet the fish for me?
- Yes. Filleting at the fresh fish counter is free, and staff in yellow caps, called Shinsetsu-gakari, can suggest how to cook what you buy.
- Q. Will the fair be held at other Kakujo stores?
- Kakujo plans to hold it at other stores in turn. Stores and dates have not been announced, so check the official website.
Official links
- Kakujo Gyorui Hino store (Japanese)
- Kakujo Gyorui official website (Japanese)
- Press release on the Ishikawa Fair (Japanese)
- Kakujo Gyorui on Instagram
- Kakujo Gyorui on YouTube
Information as of October 27, 2026, based on Kakujo Gyorui’s announcement. Stock, items and hours may change, so check with the store before you go.
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