Ago Chikuwa: Where to Eat, Prices & Hours (Tottori)

In Tottori, flying fish is called ago, and the chikuwa fish cake made from its surimi is a long-standing local specialty. It is known for its deep color from being grilled crisp on the surface and for its firm, satisfying bite, letting you savor the light, refined umami unique to flying fish in full. Along with the neighboring Tajima region of Hyogo, it is a fish-paste product representative of Sanin, popular as a souvenir and found throughout the prefecture.

Highlights

Firmer than ordinary fish chikuwa, it releases the umami of ago the more you chew. The roasted fragrance and gentle sweetness linger, and while it is fine sliced as a snack, a light grilling brings out even more flavor. Its simple construction, which makes the most of the lean, light character of ago, is exactly what highlights the quality of the material.

Enjoying the Seasons

Flying fish come into season from early summer through summer, and ago chikuwa made in this period is especially rich in flavor. It plays many roles regardless of season, as a light dish on the summer table or warmed as an ingredient in udon and hotpot in winter. It also pairs well with local sake, making it a perfect companion for an evening drink.

Access and Basic Information

It is widely sold at fish-paste specialty shops and souvenir stores in Tottori City and at roadside stations across the prefecture. It can also be found in the souvenir corners around JR Tottori Station, making it an easy staple to pick up at the end of a trip. Many products keep well, so they are suitable for taking home.

Practical Travel Notes

It is available year round, but early summer through summer, when in-season flying fish circulate, is an especially flavorful time. Since there are chilled fresh types and relatively longer-keeping products, checking storage at the shop before taking it home is reassuring. Being easy to nibble by simply slicing, it suits a light snack on the road or a souvenir. A shop in Tottori City is easy to combine with sightseeing at the Tottori Sand Dunes or Hakuto Beach, and buying it together with local sake is also recommended.

A Quick Tip

If you want to enjoy it more fully, lightly grilling it over a flame before eating is recommended. The fragrance deepens and the umami of the ago is brought out even more.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season: according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Our Local Cuisine," the flying fish used to make it is in season from spring to summer, and it has long been enjoyed as a flavour that announces the arrival of early summer.
• Public facility where you can buy it: Jibasan Plaza Wattaina (3-323 Karo-cho Nishi, Tottori City / 0857-50-1771). It is open 9:00-17:00 and closes only on New Year's Day. It stocks fish paste products from around the prefecture, including ago-chikuwa whose only ingredients are "fish meat (flying fish) and salt."
• Access: about 30 minutes from JR Tottori Station on the Hinomaru Bus Karo line, getting off at "Kanikko-kan-mae." It is about 5 minutes by car from Tottori Airport and about 10 minutes by car from the Tottori Interchange.
• How to eat it: the traditional way is to tear it apart by hand or bite straight into it to enjoy the aroma, and it is also served with wasabi soy sauce or ginger soy sauce as an accompaniment to sake.

* Opening hours and prices at individual shops vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Our Local Cuisine: Ago-chikuwa, Tottori Prefecture"; official website of Jibasan Plaza Wattaina (Shoku no Miyako Tottori Co., Ltd.))

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourist information for Tottori Prefecture together with information published by the individual shops. Prices, menus and seasons are subject to change, so please check the official information of each shop for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: Reasonably priced, from a few hundred yen a stick
• Where to eat it: Fish paste shops, souvenir shops and supermarkets around Tottori City
• Recommended time of day: Day or evening. Good with sake or as a snack
• Avoiding the crowds: An easy-to-buy classic souvenir. Go early to the popular shops
• Enjoy it together with: Ordering vacuum-packed sticks by post, the Tottori Sand Dunes, Karo Port and tofu-chikuwa