Free tuna tasting and hands-on tuna events on Sunday
Shimizu Port in Shizuoka City lands more frozen tuna than any other port in Japan, and once a year it throws a thank-you party for the fish that made it famous. The Shimizu Port Tuna Festival 2026 (清水港マグロまつり2026) runs over two days: a pre-festival on Saturday, November 7, and the main festival on Sunday, November 8. Entry is free.
If you only have one day, go on Sunday. That is when the free tuna tasting, the frozen tuna cutting and sale, and the −60°C freezer tour all take place. Here is what to expect, where everything is, and how to get there without a car.
Festival at a glance
| Event | Shimizu Port Tuna Festival 2026 (清水港マグロまつり2026) |
|---|---|
| Pre-festival | Saturday, November 7, 10:00–16:00 Shimizu Station East Exit Park (清水駅東口公園) |
| Main festival | Sunday, November 8, 9:00–16:00 Shimizu Station East Exit Park, Kashi no Ichi (河岸の市) and other venues |
| Address | Kashi no Ichi (Shimizu Fish Market): 149 Shimazaki-cho, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City Shimizu Station East Exit Park is right by the east exit of JR Shimizu Station |
| Admission | Free (food, shopping and some hands-on programs are paid) |
| Organizer | Shimizu Port Tuna Festival Executive Committee (清水港マグロまつり実行委員会) |
| Access | Right outside the east exit of JR Shimizu Station; 10-minute walk from Shin-Shimizu Station (Shizuoka Railway) |
| Parking | No dedicated parking near the venues. Please use public transport |
| Official site | maguro-haku.com |
What is on: the full program
Almost everything happens on Sunday, spread across three areas: Shimizu Station East Exit Park, the Shimizu Fish Market (清水魚市場) where Kashi no Ichi stands, and the port’s cold-storage complex. Only the tuna food stalls are open on both days.
| Program | Day | Where | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tuna tasting | Sun | Shimizu Station East Exit Park | Limited quantity. The festival’s biggest draw, with long lines every year |
| Frozen tuna cutting and sale | Sun | Shimizu Fish Market | Rock-hard frozen tuna sawn apart with a special saw right in front of you. Buy the cuts on the spot at a good price |
| −60°C tuna freezer experience | Sun | Shimizu Port cold-storage complex | Step inside an ultra-cold tuna storage freezer that is normally off-limits. A wet towel freezes in an instant |
| Tuna tasting contest and tuna quiz | Sun | Shimizu Station East Exit Park (special stage) | Taste three kinds of tuna on stage and guess which is which, plus a tuna trivia quiz |
| Smoked tuna workshop | Sun | Oasis Plaza (the square under the pedestrian deck) | About 30 minutes and easy for beginners. Take your freshly smoked tuna home |
| Tuna weight challenge | Sun | Shimizu Fish Market | Grab a tekagi, the hand hook used at real tuna landings, and pull a whole frozen tuna to feel its weight |
| Tuna food stalls | Sat and Sun | Shimizu Station East Exit Park | Local restaurants serving tuna rice bowls, tuna cutlets, tuna burgers, simmered tuna and more |
| Tuna soup tasting | Sun | Shimizu Station East Exit Park | Sold in limited quantities. Compare tuna soups made with different seasonings and cuts |
| Tuna market stalls | Sun | Shimizu Fish Market | Tuna blocks and sashimi straight from Shimizu Port, side dishes and processed goods at festival-only prices |
For families, the freezer tour and the tuna weight challenge are the ones kids talk about afterwards. For food lovers, the free tasting and the cutting-and-sale at the fish market are the core of the day.
Saturday or Sunday?
The organizer notes that the pre-festival and the main festival offer different content. Saturday is held only at Shimizu Station East Exit Park, from 10:00 to 16:00, and the tuna food stalls are the program confirmed for that day. Sunday starts an hour earlier, at 9:00, and adds the fish market and the cold-storage complex.
Getting there (no parking)
- JR Shimizu Station: Shimizu Station East Exit Park is right outside the east exit.
- Shizuoka Railway: get off at Shin-Shimizu Station and walk about 10 minutes.
Tips for a smooth visit
- Go early for the free tasting. It is limited in quantity and draws long lines every year.
- Plan your route between venues. The station park, the fish market and the cold-storage complex are separate areas, so decide which programs matter most to you first.
- Budget for food and shopping. Entry is free, but food, merchandise and some hands-on programs cost money. Program details and any changes are posted on the official festival site. For everyday spending in Japan, our guide to credit cards for foreigners in Japan covers which card to get first.
- Buying tuna to take home? The fish market sells blocks and sashimi on Sunday, so think about how you will carry it home.
Looking for more weekend outings? We have also covered the Shibaura Canal Festival with its free canal cruises, the Musashino Art University Festival and where to watch the Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks.
Make a day of it: tuna cans and nearby spots
Shimizu’s tuna story goes beyond sashimi. Shizuoka Prefecture, mainly the Shimizu and Yaizu area, accounts for roughly 97% of the canned tuna sold in Japan. In 1929, the Shizuoka Prefectural Fisheries Experimental Station and Yaizu Fisheries School worked out the first method in Japan for making tuna canned in oil. In 1930, Shimizu Shokuhin (清水食品株式会社) began exporting Japan’s first canned tuna to the United States in earnest, and Shimizu Port grew into a hub for the canned tuna trade.
| Spot | Address | Hours and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kashi no Ichi (河岸の市) Shimizu Fish Market | 149 Shimazaki-cho, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City | Ichiba-kan: 9:30–17:30. Closed Wednesdays and some other days (excluding some restaurants and the ferry). Maguro-kan hours vary by shop. Tel 054-355-3575 |
| Shimizu Kanzume Ichiba (清水かんづめ市場) inside S-Pulse Dream Plaza | 13-15 Irifune-cho, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City | Shop 10:00–20:00, restaurants 11:00–21:00 (some shops differ). Irregular holidays. Over 200 kinds of canned food. Tel 054-376-6181 (Suruga Minori Ichiba) |
| Verkehr Museum Canned Food Memorial Hall (フェルケール博物館 缶詰記念館) | 2-8-11 Minato-cho, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City | 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30). Closed Mondays (open on public holidays, closed the next weekday). Adults 400 yen, junior and senior high students 300 yen, elementary students 200 yen. Tel 054-352-8060 |
Kashi no Ichi is the port’s kitchen: Japan’s first facility where intermediate wholesalers sell directly to the public. It has two buildings, Ichiba-kan with seafood shops and restaurants, and Maguro-kan, a row of tuna rice bowl and seafood restaurants. The Canned Food Memorial Hall is the original 1929 head office of Shimizu Shokuhin and displays records of the local canning industry. Elementary and junior high students get in free on Saturdays, so the pre-festival day is a good time to bring kids. For more ideas around the city, see the official Shizuoka City tourism site.
FAQ
- Is the Shimizu Port Tuna Festival free?
- Entry is free. Food, merchandise and some hands-on programs are paid.
- When and where is the free tuna tasting?
- On Sunday, November 8, at Shimizu Station East Exit Park. It is limited in quantity and draws long lines every year.
- Is there parking at the festival?
- No. There is no dedicated parking near the venues. Use public transport: the park is right outside the east exit of JR Shimizu Station, or walk about 10 minutes from Shin-Shimizu Station on the Shizuoka Railway.
- How is the Saturday pre-festival different from Sunday?
- The pre-festival on November 7 runs 10:00–16:00 at Shimizu Station East Exit Park only, and its content differs from the main festival. The tuna food stalls are open on both days, while the free tasting, the frozen tuna cutting and sale, and the freezer experience are on November 8.
Source: Shizuoka City press release (PR TIMES). Details may change, so check the official festival site before you go.