Affordable Japanese "Pufferfish" Set Meal: Sushi, Fried Dishes, and Sashimi All in One

Text/Photos by/Wisely

This was one of the final stops on Wisely’s trip to Yamaguchi Prefecture. He had thought it would just be a simple lunch at the “Chōfu Kankō Kaikan,” but little did he know they’d get to witness a live pufferfish dissection right before enjoying the pufferfish set meal. The translator with the group couldn’t bear to watch, and ended up barely touching her pufferfish, but the rest of us enjoyed it immensely!

Chōfu Kankō Kaikan is located in Chōfu, a historic castle town in Shimonoseki City. It’s a popular spot for both group tour visitors and independent travelers to stop for a break and a meal. There are many unique attractions nearby, though unfortunately, time didn’t allow for visiting them all this trip.

Since we were in Shimonoseki, it goes without saying that pufferfish-related snacks and souvenirs were a must-buy and must-eat. There were plenty of omiyage options here, all reasonably priced—making it a great place for last-minute shopping.

The fish bone crackers, pufferfish cakes, and summer citrus juice were all delicious. If you have more time, you can also try their pufferfish sashimi served with tableware. You can even take the plates home as souvenirs, and the price is still quite affordable!

In one corner of the venue, there’s a scheduled pufferfish dissection show. As far as I recall, you need to make a reservation and pay to watch it, and the fish dissected on the spot isn’t for eating—you’d have to order it separately if you want to consume it.(Click here to watch the on-site video)

In Japan, killing pufferfish requires a special license. The process starts with skinning the fish, then carefully removing the toxic internal organs. The cuts must be precise and quick to maintain freshness.

Lunch was served on the second floor in the cafeteria, with prices around 4,000 yen. Compared to other pufferfish set meals with similar content, this one is considered quite affordable.

The set meal looked quite generous, mainly featuring pufferfish sashimi and a paper hot pot, along with fried items, sushi, and noodles. The pufferfish sashimi had a nice chewy texture but not much flavor, so some people added condiments to enhance the taste. The hot pot focused more on savoring the broth, with plenty of greens and pufferfish slices absorbing the flavors.

Other dishes like pufferfish sushi, fried baby pufferfish, side dishes, and soba noodles all contained fish ingredients, so there was no worry about getting full. There were also steamed eggs, miso soup, and more—by the end, we were completely stuffed!

● ET News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive after drinking.

As for drinks, besides the locally produced summer citrus juice, their fin sake is also famous. It involves placing the fins of a small pufferfish in shochu, igniting it, and letting it simmer briefly, so when you drink it, you get the aroma of the fish infused with the alcohol—it’s quite a distinctive local delicacy.

Chōfu Kankō Kaikan
Address: 1-15, 2-chōme, Samonochō, Chōfu, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Phone: 083-246-1120
Website:http://www.visit-jy.com/zh-tw/spots/15268
Transportation:
(1) 7 min by bus from JR Chōfu Station → 1 min walk from “Chōfu Jōkamachi” bus stop
(2) 23 min by bus from JR Shimonoseki Station → 1 min walk from “Jōkamachi Chōfu” bus stop
(3) 20 min by car from Shimonoseki IC on the Chūgoku Expressway

Wisely
A Pisces man who records food, travel, and life,
Who enjoys documenting the little moments in ordinary days.
Always yearning for the rich and colorful stories of others,
He earnestly shares his own life experiences on his blog,
So that the footprints he has walked and explored are not just kept in his mind.
For more updates from Wisely, go to=>Fan Page&Blog