Hiroshima Prefecture is Japan’s top oyster-producing region. The region boasts a large number of shops serving oysters with a freshness only possible in oyster-producing regions. Of these, the one that stands out is an oyster stall of Shimada Suisan, which is operated by a fishery company involved in oyster farming. The local oyster stalls run on a self-service basis and customers themselves grill unshelled oysters over a charcoal fire. At Shimada Suisan you can eat as many fresh, just-harvested unshelled oysters as you want. Since you can savor oysters until you’re full for less than what you’d pay at a standard oyster restaurant, the shop attracts not only locals but also large numbers of sightseers from around Japan and beyond. During the oyster harvesting season from mid-October through May, you can also join a tour to watch the dynamic work of oysters being pulled up from the oyster rafts (tour boats leave port at 7AM Monday to Saturday and reservations must be made by 3PM on the day before). After joining a tour, you can stay on the boat to head toward the UNESCO World Heritage Site, “Itsukushima Shrine”, and offer prayers just before the mysterious shrine gate reflected on the surface of the sea. (This information is as of November 2017)
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