Shiogama Fish Market

So I want to visit the Shiogama Fish Market and have a build your own kaisendon lunch but I read from the market's site portions are split with 3-4 people. Is there nothing smaller for a solo person or I just have to skip it and find a regular restaurant on the market grounds?

Well the webpage says that they RECOMMEND sharing it with 3-4 people. I have not been but I guess it means you cannot but just one very small piece of sashimi but the smallest portion is a few slices. So if you want a lot of variety you better share. But I’d guess if you are fine with less variety you can use it alone.

My family of four went to Shiogama fish market in 2018 on a day trip from Tokyo to Matsushima. Yes it was a long day, but we had one "free" day left on our Japan rail pass. It was worth it for us.

You go to the various vendors' stalls and purchase styrofoam trays of various seafood. Our packs (all purchased at separate booths) included two whole uni "shells," 6 slices of sake, 6 slices of chutoro, 6 slices of akami, a plastic container of ikura, a couple of sheets of ika, and three raw ebi, and a small container of wakame. Then, afterwards, you purchase a "set" which has a bowl of hot rice and a bowl of miso shiru on a tray with shoyu and wasabi. There's an uncrowded informal seating area (the whole market was uncrowded at about 10:30 AM). There is even a small outdoor booth where a man will grill seafood that you purchased for you. We ate well, but if you're alone, you probably won't be able to eat a variety unless you are totally famished! I also don't recall seeing a restaurant anywhere near the market. If you're going to Matsushima, it is worth it to go, but I don't think I would go way out of my way to go there.

Ok so sounds like I should skip it. I figured I could stop there on my way to Matsushima but I want to pick out lots of things which being 1 person I wouldn’t be able to do. I’ll probably get a seafood bowl in Matsushima instead.

We found that the Sendai JR Station had much more variety of foods than Matsushima. We saw surprisingly few restaurants in Matsushima. I think that the best Matsushima meals are found in the ryokans there. Not certain, but I think. But looking at Tabelog, there is this potential good looking place.

https://tabelog.com/miyagi/A0404/A040404/4002020/

We went to Shiogama Fish Market in August 2023. My wife's nephew is a mid/highish end sushi chef in Tokyo and he's always raved on about Shiogama. Perhaps there was something wrong about the day we went but we found Shiogama completely underwhelming, disappointing bordering on deserted - would never go back. We arrived at about 9:30am/midweek and the place was basically deserted with very few stalls actually open. Kaisendon - nada. We left after 25mins - waste of time. Perhaps you need to go at 5:00am??? Don't confuse Shiogama with the large commercial fish market down there road on the waterfront - we did!