Hualien Japanese cuisine uses local ingredients — you can even enjoy lobster in the steamed seafood hotpot!

Text and photos by /Nihao

[Hualien City Japanese Cuisine Recommendations / Ichimiya Kairan Japanese Restaurant]

In the past, when I came to Hualien, the food I ate was mostly just snacks—fried scallion pancakes, wontons, and the like. But this time in Hualien, I took a different route. This place, Ichimiya, located in downtown Hualien, used to be in Taipei’s Tōnghuà Street—not far from my home. After it moved to Hualien, I hadn’t had the chance to visit until now. With the opportunity arising, I invited a local friend from Hualien to join me at Up.

▲Ichimiya was originally located in downtown Taipei and had been around for over twenty years. It moved to its current location on Bo’ai Street in Hualien City over two years ago. The exterior and entrance have a strong Japanese vibe.

▲The seating inside is divided between counter seats and square tables suitable for gatherings with friends. The warm lighting and retro decor create a cozy atmosphere.

▲Although I came with friends this time, I personally prefer sitting at the counter over the square tables—it lets me enjoy the food while watching the chef cook.

▲Today, the two of us ordered the duo set meal, priced at 1680 NTD + 10%. It included everything from an appetizer salad, sashimi, nigiri sushi, grilled items, steamed seafood, soup, to fruit dessert.

▲Besides the set meals, Ichimiya also offers an à la carte menu. You can order whatever you like, and if the set meal leaves you wanting more, you can always add a few extra dishes to really treat yourself.

▲By the way, I think Ichimiya’s tableware is quite beautiful. After ordering, the staff serves homemade pickled radish with a subtle yuzu aroma—perfect for a refreshing start on a hot summer day.

▲The first dish to arrive was the vegetable tofu salad with sesame dressing. In addition to the usual salad greens and fruits, it also featured local Hualien seaweed—quite unique. The tofu had an incredibly smooth texture that paired perfectly with the sesame dressing.

▲After starting the meal, I suddenly felt like something was missing—turns out it was a glass of Japanese sake. Ginrai Seishu comes from Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, brewed with local rice. Its slightly acidic taste pairs wonderfully with the meal. Plus, you can even take the blue cup home after drinking.

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

▲The second dish was the sashimi platter, featuring salmon, tuna, red snapper, and scallops. The sashimi at Ichimiya had perfect temperature control—not too cold or icy with a grainy texture. The salmon was rich in fat, full of aroma, while the tuna was tender. The red snapper had a nice bounce and firm, sweet flavor.

▲The scallops were of sashimi-grade, lightly seared on the surface only, fully preserving their natural tenderness and sweetness. It was so good I didn’t want it to end.

▲The wasabi used here is from Alishan, freshly ground, with a slight spiciness followed by a sweet aftertaste.

▲No Japanese meal is complete without sashimi—and of course, nigiri sushi. First up was the flounder, lightly seared to bring out all its fat, making it insanely aromatic.

▲Compared to the melt-in-your-mouth flounder, the squid had a bouncier texture. The yuzu on top highlighted the sweetness—a perfect finishing touch.

▲What sets Ichimiya’s sushi apart from others is their sushi rice, which also includes red rice, incorporating the dietary characteristics of Hualien’s indigenous people.

▲The silverfish gunkan maki had a refreshing flavor, paired with crispy nori and bursting roe for a rich, layered taste that was simply wonderful.

▲Next was an à la carte dish we ordered: American Prime boneless short rib tartare. The marbling was even and rich, and the steak was cut thick enough to have a satisfying bite. Wrapped with some purple onion and paired with a tangy-sweet sauce, it was not only full of beefy aroma and sweetness but also completely free of any raw meat gaminess.

▲For the grilled items, one was the Matsusaka pork—also known as pork collar. Though the surface was grilled to a golden brown, giving off an inviting aroma, the inside remained juicy and tender, not tough or dry. The more you chewed, the more the aroma came through. It was delicious even without dipping sauce.

▲Another grilled item was the chicken, using boneless thigh meat. The skin was crisped to perfection on the outside, while the meat inside was soft and tender. Eating it with some onion was simply a match made in heaven.

▲The grilled ginkgo nuts had a soft texture with a hint of sweetness. Though they played a supporting role among the grilled items, they were still a highlight.

▲The star of the night was this steamed seafood platter: lobster, sea cucumber, mussels, squid, and seasonal vegetables. The moment it arrived, it was quite the showstopper. Even though we’d already eaten quite a bit, it still made our mouths water.

▲Cover the lid, turn on the gas to heat, and in about 10–15 minutes, once steam starts rising, it’s ready to eat.

▲When the lid was lifted, the aroma of seafood wafted out. We naturally started with the lobster—the roe was incredibly rich, and the meat was very plump. One big bite was pure satisfaction.

▲The dipping sauce had a slightly acidic taste that not only brought out the sweetness of the seafood but also helped cut through the richness.

▲The other seafood was also excellent—the squid wasn’t too chewy, and the mussels had zero fishy smell. Seafood lovers definitely shouldn’t miss this.

▲This next dish was also an à la carte order: mentaiko-grilled bamboo shoots. Using fresh, crisp, and sweet green bamboo shoots, the texture was very tender, complementing the slightly salty mentaiko sauce. The more you ate, the more addictive it became.

▲Different from the miso soup commonly found in Japanese restaurants, Ichimiya’s soup was a clear broth, with roasted fish bones adding fragrance, while mushrooms gave it a sweet umami taste.

▲By this point, I was so full I couldn’t eat another bite—but there was still dessert and fruit. The cheese was special, not made from regular milk but from soybeans, with a light bean aroma.

Ichimiya Kairan Japanese Restaurant

Phone: (03) 8321199
Address: No. 170, Bo’ai Street, Hualien City
Business Hours: 11:30–14:00, 17:30–22:00 (Closed Tuesdays)

About Nihao
With a passion for food and travel, Nihao has been running a blog for the past three years to document his journeys. His travels have taken him all over Taiwan, uncovering the beauty of the island, as well as seizing opportunities to explore abroad. His goal is to travel the world and share its beauty with his readers through his camera.
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