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    Long-established puffer fish restaurant "Fugushin" reopens for business, taken over by late owner's grandson

    Long-established puffer fish restaurant "Fugushin" reopens for business, taken over by late owner's grandson

    FOOD TSUGARU
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    The long-established puffer fish restaurant "Sakana Dojo Fugushin" (Motodaikumachi, Hirosaki City, TEL 0172-32-8206 ) reopened for business on January 10th.

    The restaurant was founded in 1963 by the previous owner Minoru Yonetani. It serves fugu sashimi and fugu chirinabe made with fugu from Aomori Prefecture. The restaurant was closed after Yonetani passed away in May 2024, but his grandson Riku Maeda took over as the second-generation owner.

    When Maeda was in high school, he learned how to prepare and cook pufferfish under the guidance of Yoneya, hoping that it would be one of his future options. Maeda recalls, "When I asked my grandfather if I could learn how to cook pufferfish, he replied nonchalantly, 'Sure,' but he looked happy."

    After graduating from high school, he left Hirosaki to go to university, but when Yonetani's health deteriorated, he began thinking about taking over the restaurant. When Yonetani suddenly passed away, Maeda, who was in his third year at university, took a leave of absence rather than waiting to graduate, to prepare for the reopening of the restaurant. In October of last year, he passed the Aomori Prefecture fugu processor certification exam and obtained his license. As the successor to Yonetani, who was at the kitchen until just before his death, Maeda said, "I didn't want to keep regular customers waiting for more than a year. To do that, the pressure to pass the annual exam was quite great."

    To coincide with the reopening, the restaurant has been renovated to create a space that will appeal to new customers as well as regulars. There are four counter seats and eight table seats on the first floor, and the tables have been remodeled to make them more comfortable for elderly customers with weak legs. The second floor is a tatami room with small and large private rooms that can accommodate banquets of up to 20 people, and will be available for use from January 31st.

    The menu includes the "Fugu All-you-can-eat Course" with fugu sashimi (regular) "Fuku Course" (4,950 yen), fugu sashimi (regular) and fried "Karaage Course" (6,820 yen), fugu sashimi (premium) and fried "Shirako Course" (9,020 yen), and tiger pufferfish sashimi, fried and milt "Tora pufferfish Course" (18,700 yen). Each course comes with an appetizer, a salad, chirinabe and zosui. Takeout options include "Fugu Sashimi" (2,200 yen for one person, 6,160 yen for three people), "Fried Fugu" (from 2,300 yen) and "Fugu Chirinabe Set" (2,860 yen).

    "Fugu cuisine is considered to be a high hurdle, but we offer it at a price that makes it as easy as possible for people to enjoy. We want people to try it once," says Maeda. "When you think of fugu, you usually think of 'fugu sashimi' or 'fugu chirinabe', but there are many ways to eat the milt, such as salt-grilled, deep-fried, and as tempura. We want people to try it in a variety of ways."

    Business hours are from 17:30 to 21:30. Reservations are required. Take-out is available outside business hours during the day. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.

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