When I visited Matsushima Kaigan, I happened to pass by this shop and thought, “Oh, isn’t this the place where you can grill your own sasa kamaboko?” So, I walked right in. Matsushima Kamaboko Honpo Sohonten (松島蒲鉾本舗 総本店)—a shop standing in a spot overlooking Matsushima Kaigan.
Inside, they sell various products, including sasa kamaboko. The grilling experience corner is located on the right.
Even though it’s called a grilling experience, all you need to do is receive a skewer of un-grilled sasa kamaboko and place it on the grill—no reservation required. Orders are placed at the counter in the center of the store. In addition to sasa kamaboko, they also offer freshly fried “Muu (むぅ)”.
The sasa kamaboko grilling experience costs 300 yen. You can also get a set with a 350ml canned beer for 600 yen, which is a bit of a discount.
Once you’ve paid and received your sasa kamaboko, head to the grill and place it on the net. When many people are grilling at once, it’s easy to lose track of which one is yours. It takes quite a while to cook. Despite being called a “grilling experience,” customers are not need to touch their food. The staff will let you know when it’s ready to be flipped or taken off.
The eat-in space is quite spacious, so you can sit down and enjoy your food. Here’s my sasa kamaboko! It turned out nicely golden brown, though I personally would’ve liked to grill it a little more. But if you overdo it, it apparently gets bitter. The grilled parts puff up a little, which looks cute, but they’re piping hot and don’t cool down easily. Also, sasa kamaboko is surprisingly large—very satisfying to eat.
Not only is it big, but it’s packed with the rich umami of fresh fish paste—absolutely delicious. It’s definitely different from the store-bought ones, likely because it’s so freshly made. This place is truly worthy of its reputation as a long-established sasa kamaboko shop. You can also enjoy the grilling experience at their Matsushima Monzen branch and Tagajo Factory, so be sure to try it as a fun memory of your trip!
About
Name Matsushima Kamaboko Honpo Sohonten (松島蒲鉾本舗 総本店)
Open Daytime
Reservation Unavailable
Credit card Unavailable (For shopping is available)
URL Website
Google Map
