They Sell an Unbelievable Amount Every Day: Inside Japan’s No.1 Market!

They Sell an Unbelievable Amount Every Day: Inside Japan’s No.1 Market!

Before dawn — the city still sleeps. Hotomeki Market “Ichitaro,” in Iizuka, Fukuoka. Five craftsmen take their knives in hand. Fish leap, and blades move like lightning. Each hand shapes the heartbeat of today’s market. Charcoal ignites, and flames begin to dance. Salt scatters through the air. The morning at Ichitaro comes alive. Japan’s No.1 in yakitori sales. Over 12,000 skewers sold in a single day. A food paradise where every ingredient gathers. A full-access look behind Western Japan’s largest market Stay with us until the very end! Hotomeki Ichitaro Market in Iizuka, Fukuoka Prefecture AM 4:00 A weekend morning begins. Flounder Sea bream Greater amberjack Fish prep— Five craftsmen with knives in hand. All are masters—watch their technique. First, the scales come off,
then the head and belly are prepped. The third craftsman fillets it into three pieces, the fourth finely trims the fillets, and finally the skin is pulled—done. A five-person relay handles a huge volume of fish. The speed is astonishing. Look closely at how the blade enters, you’ll see there’s no tentative
“testing” of the edge at all. Once the blade touches, the flesh separates instantly. Even flounder—tricky for amateurs—
is broken down in a flash. Look at these clean cut surfaces. Truly god-tier skill. It’s only about fifteen minutes since they started, yet prep is flying at an unbelievable pace. Skinning is handled by the supervisor, Mr. Ishibashi. He clears piece after piece in seconds. A squad of fish-cutting pros— they’re the backbone of Ichitaro. Prep complete— Razor-sharp cuts. Such beautifully smooth surfaces. Eel Ikejime with ice The eel is chilled to stop movement
and make it easier to handle. Another beautifully finished piece. Inside Hotomeki Ichitaro Market. Preparations are underway for opening. There’s also a stall at the entrance, one of the store’s main attractions. Grilled sea bream on the beach style. Generously sprinkling salt with flair. Grilled mackerel. Pork feet. A rising aroma fills the air. The grilled fish are cooking perfectly. Plump, perfectly roasted mackerel. Adding pacific saury to the grill. He adjusts each skewer carefully
while watching the doneness. It’s almost like watching a piece of art. Japanese tiger prawn. Sweetfish. More skewers are added to the grill. The prawns are turning a beautiful red. AM 5:00 The beach-grilled seafood is nearly done. The grill is packed with roe-bearing sweetfish. We tried one fresh off the grill. Perfectly grilled—absolutely delicious. AM 5:45 — “Bikkuri Market” in Nogata, Fukuoka. Ichitaro has a branch here as well. A mountain of ingredients piled high. They say more than 12,000 skewers sell in a single day. Squid Chicken cartilage (yagen nankotsu) Shrimp The section manager is Mr. Muto. A passionate man, strict with himself. Pay close attention to Muto’s work. Ichitaro at Bikkuri Market
originally started as a fish shop. At first, they sold grilled squid at the storefront, but customers began asking them to grill other foods too. Now they offer dozens of varieties. Their signature is a sweet sauce blended from eel glaze. Its flavor, price, and scale quickly made it a hit. They’ve become Japan’s top seller of yakitori. Ichitaro at Bikkuri Market
also has deli and fresh fish sections. Originally, those were the main focus—
yakitori was just a small part. Each section has its own fish experts. Filleting a sea bream— We witnessed masterful craftsmanship here as well. The store employs many technical trainees. They are from Indonesia. About fifty of them work here. The speed of their work! They aim to learn both language and skills in Japan, so their attitude toward work is earnest and focused. They are an invaluable part of Ichitaro. She too is a trainee from Indonesia. She’s in charge of the fryer. Fried chicken (karaage). Excellent work. Fried chicken as big as a fist—looks delicious. The prep work continues steadily. Freshly grilled skewers start lining up. Bigfin squid and green onion skewers. Mr. Muto keeps grilling in silence. He masterfully handles three grills at once. Sausages. Ham steaks. Shrimp. Shishamo smelt. Chicken tail (bonjiri). Crispy chicken skin. They all look incredibly tasty. AM 6:30 — At Hotomeki Ichitaro— Sashimi and sushi prep is underway. Striped jack sashimi. Grilled mackerel sushi. Ichitaro also has a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant. The sushi conveyor’s defining feature is
its enormous length. It’s the longest in Japan—an incredible 250 meters! The restaurant exudes a luxurious Japanese atmosphere. Spacious tables. You can relax and enjoy your sushi in comfort. At 7:00 AM, the head chef begins the prep. The freshly caught fish from earlier are being prepared. Even the broth is prepared in a bold, dramatic way. A delivery truck has arrived. Ingredients are delivered several times a day. Fresh fish delivery has arrived as well. Plump, full-bodied mackerel. The horse mackerel are big, too. Horse mackerel. Greater amberjack. Tilefish. Prep continues at the deli corner as well. Everything here is incredibly generous in portion. Packaged sushi keeps filling the shelves. This sashimi platter—just 2,980 yen! Mr. Ishibashi is grilling eel. A mouthwatering aroma fills the air. Here’s a machine that roasts chestnuts. They’re done! They keep coming out one after another. Hot and delicious-looking. Tried one—so hot!! Sweet and fluffy! A perfect taste of autumn. AM 8:00 — Opening time is approaching. Fish continue to be cut all day long. The craftsman in the center of the opening scene— take another look at his technique. He’s unbelievably fast…! No matter how many times you watch, it’s mesmerizing. Here, they’re arranging fresh fish for sale. This, too, feels like watching art in motion. They’re finishing up. They pour a mountain of mackerel onto a huge table. It looks as if the fish were
unloaded straight from a fishing boat. Incredible—each mackerel is only 150 yen! The display is complete—vibrant and full of life. It almost looks like it’s about to come alive. A result of both hard work and artistic sense. Making rolled sushi— Ichitaro’s sushi rolls are famous for their great taste. Rows upon rows of sushi are displayed. Skewers are also being grilled right at the storefront. Giant squid tentacles. They grill sausages, too. Once dipped in sauce, an irresistible aroma fills the air. Had to try one again. Absolutely delicious! And this skewer—just 200 yen! What a deal. Meanwhile, over at Bikkuri Market— Mr. Muto was quietly grilling yakitori. Skewers line up one after another. Muto’s work is heating up even more. Just a little longer until opening. His focus is intense. Fried food prep is also going smoothly. The place is getting lively. Onion slices. Quick and skillful hands. You could watch her work all day. AM 9:00 — Hotomeki Ichitaro Market has opened. Customers start pouring in. This machine makes takoyaki. The machine begins to shake. This is surprisingly fun to watch. They drizzle sesame oil on top. Couldn’t resist—had another bite. The surface is crisp, and the aroma is wonderful. The store is getting busier. Fish orders start coming in. Customers can have their fish filleted right on the spot. Watch the fish being filleted—no cuts, no edits. Two mackerel filleted into three pieces each—
in under 40 seconds. He’s lightning-fast, too! What incredible men. Simply masterful. At the storefront,
Mr. Ishibashi is grilling parent chicken over charcoal. Wow, the smoke is intense! Totally the wrong shooting angle! Let’s shoot from this side instead. The smoke is unbelievable. More and more customers are arriving. Inside Ichitaro, there’s also a butcher shop. High-quality domestic meat lines the counter. Watch the butcher’s precise knife work. A5-ranked domestic beef. A beautiful display of craftsmanship. Teppan-grilled meat. They grill the meat boldly and with flair. They pour in the yakiniku sauce. An irresistible aroma fills the air. It looks absolutely delicious. Next up—yakisoba. Can’t resist this one either. This one, too—just 300 yen a pack! It’s perfect. Bikkuri Market has opened—everything for yakitori is ready to go. Customers are already lining up. The fryer doesn’t stop for a second. Fried mackerel. This looks delicious too. Next to the fryer, karaage rice bowls are being made. These are also generously portioned. They pour the sauce over generously. Mr. Muto keeps grilling without pause. Muto keeps on grilling nonstop, while customers keep buying one after another. He wants to keep the displays lively so customers can enjoy shopping. That’s where Muto’s passion comes from. AM 10:30 — Even more customers arrive. A long line forms at the registers. The line extends past the entrance, and even reaches the outdoor game area. There’s also an eel specialty shop,
“Unagi Ichitaro,” on the premises. Eel. We caught the very first order of the day on camera. With expert skill, they grill the eel to perfection. They pour on their signature sauce generously. They repeat the glazing process patiently,
layer after layer. Perfectly grilled. Fluffy eel served over piping-hot rice. Absolutely perfect. AM 11:00 — The Kaiten Sushi Ichitaro has opened too. The entrance is packed with people. A crowd of eager customers waits. Right after opening, every seat is filled. The head chef’s knife work is lightning fast. Every movement is quick yet precise. An order for a kaisendon (seafood bowl) comes in. He moves efficiently, plating it beautifully. It’s ready in no time. An outstanding display of skill. Be sure to visit and experience it for yourself!

At Hotomeki Market Ichitaro in Iizuka, Fukuoka, the day starts long before sunrise.
Five master craftsmen wield their knives with astonishing speed, processing hundreds of fish before most people wake up.
Charcoal fires roar, salt dances through the air, and over 12,000 skewers of yakitori are sold in a single day.

From fresh sashimi to grilled seafood, from sushi to fried dishes—this market is a full-scale food paradise.
Join us as we go behind the scenes of Western Japan’s largest and most energetic market,
where skill, teamwork, and pure passion keep everything moving at incredible speed.

🎥 Filmed in Iizuka & Nogata, Fukuoka
🍢 Featuring: Ichitaro Group / Hotomeki Market / Bikkuri Market
🇯🇵 Japan’s No.1 Market Experience

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福岡県飯塚市「ほとめき市場 一太郎」では、朝4時から職人たちの一日が始まります。
5人の職人が包丁を握り、驚異的な速さで魚をさばいていく。
炭火が燃え上がり、塩が舞い、1日になんと 12,000本の焼き鳥 が売れるという圧倒的スケール。

刺身、浜焼き、寿司、惣菜──
ありとあらゆる食材が揃う「食のテーマパーク」。
今回は、西日本最大級の市場「一太郎グループ」の裏側に完全密着！
技・速さ・情熱、そのすべてが詰まった一日をお届けします。

🎥 撮影地：福岡県 飯塚市・直方市
🍢 協力：ほとめき市場 一太郎／びっくり市
📍 西日本最大級の市場ドキュメンタリー

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