Misaki's charm is not just tuna. A two-day trip to Misaki, Kanagawa, where a retro townscape is mixed with modernity

Ai Nishimura

Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.

9:30 Stroll around the retro town of Misaki Port

When you get off at the Misaki Port bus stop after taking a local bus from Misakiguchi Station, you will see ships, the sea, and a wide, refreshing view of the port.

Misaki, Miura City, is a town that prospered through fishing. Even today, many tuna restaurants are bustling around the port, and large houses and storehouses stand side by side, evoking the prosperity of the time. The shopping streets spread out like a spider's web, with their traditional width and curves, may seem like a maze to first-time visitors.

Nowadays, there are many stylish shops and inns that have been renovated by immigrants and young people from old houses, storehouses, and former stores.

"Hon to Tamuro" is a book and cafe opened by Shingo Mine. The 5,000 books on display here are from Mine's collection and can be read freely, with a drink in hand, as you sit and read a book. Workshops and other events are also held here, and the cafe attracts people in a variety of ways.

Yamada Liquor Store continues to operate as a liquor store to this day, but the former residence on the second floor has been renovated into Sakayado Yamadaya, a lodging facility that can accommodate just one guest.
This is an inn where you can spend a relaxing time surrounded by a purely Japanese setting. The dark alcove pillars, the alcove with hanging scrolls, and the kumiko-worked shoji screens still remain, giving the impression of a traditional Japanese house. However, the bathroom has been thoroughly renovated, so you can rest assured.

"Kodogu ROJI" is an antique shop that handles various tools that were used from the Meiji to Showa periods. The owner, Yasuhara-san, is also available to give advice on moving to Misaki and introducing properties, and is like a bridge connecting Misaki with people. He told us one fun story after another about Misaki, and the time flew by.

Books and Tun

Yamada Liquor Store (Yamadaya Liquor Store)

Antiques ROJI

11:00 Tuna lunch at Kinoyo

Many people probably think, "When I go to Misaki, I want to eat tuna first and foremost!" Many people visit Misaki for the tuna lunch, and on weekends, there are always long lines at tuna restaurants.

For lunch, I chose Kinoyo, a restaurant with a 150-year history and currently run by the fifth generation. I chose Kinoyo's "Torotoro Donburi" (melt-in-your-mouth rice bowl), which can be eaten with the "Keikyu Misaki Maguro Ticket," a great deal for those who want to enjoy a day trip to Misaki from the Tokyo metropolitan area or Yokohama.

Kinoyo selects the best tuna of the day from among four tuna shops. Since Misaki has many tuna restaurants, this anecdote made me realize the high level of both the chefs and the diners.

The "Torotoro Donburi" was originally a meal eaten as a staff meal. The bowl was developed with the utmost care to be absolutely delicious, and is now a luxurious bowl of four kinds of tuna. This is a luxurious serving that allows you to eat yukhoe-style tuna, negitoro, albacore tuna, and marinated tuna all at once. The colors are also very pretty, so you can expect it to look great in photos.

We ordered "fried tuna" as an additional dish. The tuna was deep-fried until crispy and juicy. It was a big, chunky piece of fried tuna, and very filling. It's a popular dish that is ordered at many tables.

Ki era

12:00 Take-out at Misaki Donuts

Misaki Donuts opened eight years ago and has become one of Misaki's famous shops. It is a donut specialty store that was renovated from a watch shop and can be easily spotted by its yellow canopy in the shopping arcade.

They also have stores in Kanagawa Prefecture, so you might come across them somewhere other than Misaki. On this day, I got some takeout and ate it while looking at the ocean at Jogashima, which I visited later. The donuts, made early in the morning, have a fluffy dough and are delicious as if they were freshly made.

The donuts are plump and tall, and at first glance they look like they are voluminous, but in fact, they are filled with cream, berries, jam, etc., and the flavors change as you take a bite, making them elaborate donuts with a twist. The outside is also decorated with chocolate and sugar glaze, and they are popular for their cute appearance.

The first floor is the kitchen and sales area, but there is often a line, so the cafe mainly uses the space on the second floor. If you look closely, you will see that the layout of the second floor is an old house, with an interesting openwork transom and tokonoma alcove. The cat characters decorating the shop are also cute, making for a relaxing cafe time.

Misaki Donuts

12:30 Rent a bicycle at Urari Marche and enjoy the view of Mt. Fuji while cycling around Jogashima

After buying some donuts, we immediately headed to Jogashima by ferry from Misaki Port.
Jogashima is located at the southernmost tip of the Miura Peninsula, across the sea from Misaki. It is connected to the island by bridge, so you can get there by car, bicycle, or on foot. It is a small island that is just a stone's throw away from Misaki Port, and only a five-minute ferry ride away.

You can rent an electric bicycle at the port's direct-from-producer market "Urari Marche" and take it on the ferry. Loading your bicycle onto the ferry is free. You can enjoy cycling around Jogashima.

On Jogashima, we toured the lighthouse and seaside park and enjoyed the pleasant sea breeze.
The short boat ride and island hopping was a great way to refresh myself, and I enjoyed the tranquil scenery of Misaki and Jogashima while pedaling my bike. I took a break for some takeout donuts along the way, and cycled around the islands while enjoying the majestic Mount Fuji towering across the sea.

Even if you don't have a destination on the island, it's fun just to stroll around the island. No matter where you look, you can enjoy the beautiful ocean view, and the clean air, which is different from the city, really helped me relax.

Urari Marche (bicycle rental and Jogashima ferry ticket purchase location)

16:30 Check in to "bed&breakfast ichi"

On this day, we will be staying at a B&B located just a few minutes' walk from Misaki Port. The accommodation is a renovated traditional Japanese house built over 80 years ago and run by a couple who moved to Misaki.

Although it is a guesthouse, it is not a dormitory style, but all rooms are private and privacy is guaranteed. Basically, it is a bed & breakfast (B&B) with one meal per night, but if you make a reservation, dinner is also available, and the inn also hosts nature experience tours, so it is a reliable inn where you can ask for advice on how to enjoy Misaki.

The tasteful interior was renovated by the guests themselves, and the room was designed with comfort in mind. While retaining the window frames and beams of the old house, the plaster walls were repainted and the bathroom was remodeled, giving the room a warm and comfortable feel. They also helped us store our luggage before and after check-in, which allowed us to enjoy Misaki efficiently.

For breakfast, we had food prepared by a husband and wife team who are great cooks, and bread from Mitsumugi, a popular bakery in Miura. I had heard rumors that the inn was well-known for the high quality of its food, but it was even more delicious than I expected.

bed&breakfast ichi

18:00 Enjoy delicious shumai at the port town's local Chinese restaurant, "Chinese Cuisine Botan."

For dinner, we chose a famous Chinese restaurant with a strong local flavor in Misaki, a city famous for its tuna.
A retro shop in Misaki's shopping district. When the friendly people of Misaki asked me, "Where are you going for dinner?" and I answered, "Botan," everyone said, "You picked a good restaurant."

It has been loved by locals for 80 years and is currently a family-run Chinese restaurant run by the third and fourth generations.
The menu includes everyone's favorites such as "Sweet and Sour Pork" and "Chili Shrimp". Among them, the most popular dish is the "Shumai". It is very popular, with many people buying takeout by the dozens. The shumai is large and filled with plenty of spring onions, and the meat is piping hot and juicy.

On this day, the restaurant was full to capacity and all the customers knew each other, so we had a delicious time among the close-knit community of Misaki. After enjoying friendly conversation in the port town, we returned to our lodgings, strolling around the port town and feeling the night breeze.

Chinese Cuisine Botan