Grill your catch at Senkyou at Mount Tsukuba!

Fresh! Exquisite! Grill a fish on charcoal that was just swimming moments ago!

The best way to eat a rainbow trout that has been grilled with just salt over a charcoal flame with the skin aromatic and crispy is to just take a big bite off of it with just a dash of lemon. This filling fish is a rainbow trout so fresh it was swimming in a river just a moment ago.

At “Senkyou” in Mount Tsukuba, known for its ease to climb, they dammed up a stream to make a natural live well for fish. When the restaurant gets an order they go and catch one right out of that clean mountain stream, then grill it or make it into sashimi, whichever your heart desires. This is why you can eat a rainbow trout like nowhere else.

You can even catch your own fish here at this restaurant. The stream doubles as a fishing park. Yes, you can eat what you catch here. It is definitely worth a try to catch your own to really experience nature first hand!!

Entertainment before the meal! Catch your own fish!!

When you arrive at the shop you rent a fishing pole at 200 JPY a piece which includes bait. Go down the hill about 100m and you come to the fishing park/ live well.

The mountain surrounded by the shade from cedar trees is cool even in the summer. The stream is made from Tsukuba rocks which are popularly used in Japanese gardens, with several levels, each with a plentiful stock of trout swirling around. So many targets right in front of your eyes!! Your heart will definitely start to race as you narrow down your focus to that big one!

Caution! You can easily catch too many!

Soaking your line for only a couple of seconds and you catch a big one!! These trout maybe are so hungry they don’t are suspicious of the fishing line and they bite right away. Its easy for you to catch that big one even if you have little confidence, or experience. Its great for women and children as well.

Catch and release is not allowed here. You buy the fish at 1700 JPY per 1kg (about 3 or 4 fish). Just don’t over do it by getting caught up in the action! Its probably best to set a limit of 1 fish per person.

Only 10min drive from Mt.Tsukuba shrine and only closed for winter

Once you put your catch in the net and take it to the restaurant you can have theme grill it or make it into sashimi. I suggest the grill. It takes a bit longer because they slow grill it over charcoal, but the “umami” is super concentrated into amazing trouty goodness!! Its pleasing to have them bring you a finely grilled trout that was swimming just moments ago.

Senkyou is located midway up Mt. Tsukuba, only 10 minutes up from the Mt.Tsukuba shrine with its giant Torii. It’s a small family business so there is no website. Here(s how to get there. Once at the Torii, do not pass through the gate, instead go up the path on the right of the Torii and there is an entrance to Tsukuba skyline road. Go down towards Ishioka there at that entrance. You will come to a large sign for “Ibaraki Flower Park”, follow the arrow to that for about 2 or 3 minutes, and you’ll arrive.

Senkyou 0299-42-3070 Ibaragi Prefecture, Ishioka-city, Obata 2019 10:30am to 4pm (fishing closes at 3pm) *Closed for winter. Open all summer long. Only open weekends other seasons. *please call ahead to confirm they are open before heading there.