Why Misaki Is Tokyo's Best-Kept Tuna Secret
Ever wondered why certain coastal towns in Japan smell like the sea in the best possible way? Misaki is exactly that kind of place. The port here handles a huge volume of maguro imports, particularly bigeye tuna and bluefin tuna, making it one of the most important tuna landing spots in the entire Kanagawa Prefecture. Local fishermen and traders have been working this harbour for generations.
The town has leaned into its reputation hard. You’ll find maguro don (tuna rice bowls) at almost every restaurant along the main street near the port, and some shops even sell maguro-flavoured ice cream. Sounds weird, but it’s true. Locals are genuinely proud of it, and honestly, after one bowl of fresh akami (lean tuna) over perfectly seasoned rice, you’ll understand why.
What I especially like is that the whole place feels genuinely lived-in. There are no massive tour buses, no English-language signs everywhere, and the kanji on restaurant menus is very much the real deal. Speaking of which, the word for tuna in Japanese is 鮪, read as maguro. If you’re a Japanese learner trying to build your food vocabulary, a trip to Misaki is basically a free immersion lesson.
Getting to Misaki: The Train Trip Is Part of the Experience
Getting there is surprisingly straightforward, and the journey itself is worth talking about. From Shinagawa Station in Tokyo, you hop on the Keikyu Line and ride it all the way to Misakiguchi Station. The whole trip takes around 90 minutes and costs about 820 yen one way. Keikyu even sells a discounted Misaki Maguro Kippu (a maguro ticket package) that bundles your train fare, a tuna meal voucher, and a bus pass into one deal for around 3,000 yen. That’s genuinely good value.
The train passes through Yokohama, then winds down through increasingly suburban and then rural scenery before you start spotting the ocean. On a clear day, you can see the Boso Peninsula across Tokyo Bay. Personally, I’d grab a window seat on the right side of the train heading south. The views get noticeably better once you’re past Yokosuka.
From the Station to the Port
Misakiguchi Station itself is a small, almost sleepy kind of station. From there, local buses connect to the port area in about 10 minutes. The bus stop signs are in Japanese, so this is a good moment to practise reading hiragana destinations. The word for harbour or port is 港, pronounced minato, and you’ll see it on signs around town. Quick detour: there’s also a Jogashima Island just a short bus ride and bridge-crossing away from Misaki port, which offers dramatic coastal cliffs and walking paths. It’s well worth tacking on if you have extra time.
What to Do in Misaki Beyond Eating Tuna (Though Mostly You’ll Be Eating Tuna)
Hand on heart, the eating is the main event. The street near Urari, the local market building right at the waterfront, is packed with small restaurants and stalls. Urari opened in 2015 and has become a bit of a hub for visitors looking to grab fresh seafood without driving deep into the backstreets. You can pick up whole cuts of tuna, dried fish snacks, and local Miura vegetables all in one spot.
On a related note, Miura is also famous for its daikon radishes and watermelons, which sounds random until you try the local food and realise the whole peninsula is basically an agricultural and seafood paradise. Don’t leave without picking up some dried sakura ebi (tiny pink shrimp) if you spot them. They’re a regional Kanagawa specialty and make a great omiyage (souvenir) to bring back to friends.
Beyond eating, the actual port area is great for a slow wander. Fishing boats come and go, nets are laid out to dry, and the whole atmosphere is quietly industrious. It’s the kind of scene you’d see in a travel vlog shot in that golden late-afternoon light, and there’s a reason Japan travel content creators keep coming back here. See what I mean?
Misaki as a Japanese Learning Experience
For language learners, Misaki is low-key brilliant as a study destination. The menus are Japanese-only in most places, the conversations you’ll have at market stalls are real and unscripted, and the signage uses a mix of kanji and hiragana that rewards anyone who’s been putting in the study hours. Before I forget, the phrase 「これはいくらですか？」(Kore wa ikura desu ka, meaning "How much is this?") will get you very far at the market stalls. Coincidentally, ikura also means salmon roe in Japanese food vocabulary. Language jokes don’t get more on-brand than that.
My tip is to download the Keikyu Line app before you go. It has English support and will save you a lot of time figuring out connections, especially if you’re planning to combine the Misaki trip with a stop in Yokohama on the way back.
Is Misaki Worth a Day Trip from Tokyo?
Absolutely yes. The Misaki maguro day trip from Tokyo is the kind of off-the-beaten-path experience that reminds you why Japan travel is so good when you step away from the obvious hotspots. It’s a 90-minute train ride, a harbour town full of character, the freshest tuna you’ll eat outside of a Tsukiji-adjacent restaurant in Tokyo, and a genuine slice of working coastal Japan. To be fair, it’s not going to replace Kyoto or Hakone on a first trip. But for anyone who’s already done the classics and wants something that feels real and local, Misaki is hard to beat.
This is my absolute hidden gem for a Tokyo day trip. Sounds good, right?
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Misaki from Tokyo?
Misaki port is about 70 kilometres south of central Tokyo. The train journey from Shinagawa takes around 90 minutes via the Keikyu Line to Misakiguchi Station.
What is Misaki famous for?
Misaki is best known as a major tuna (maguro) landing port in Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s popular for fresh tuna rice bowls and its relaxed fishing harbour atmosphere, very different from the typical Tokyo tourist circuit.
Is there a discount ticket for the Misaki day trip?
Yes. Keikyu Railway offers the Misaki Maguro Kippu, a bundled ticket that includes round-trip train fare from select stations, a meal voucher for a tuna dish, and a local bus pass. It typically costs around 3,000 yen and is great value for a full day trip.
