Fish & Oyster Bar - Seibu Shibuya

Toyama Bay holds a special reputation among Japanese seafood enthusiasts. One of Japan’s largest bays, it is also responsible for producing large quantities of the nation’s seafood, with over 200 varieties supplied from the bay’s fisheries. Particularly notable about Toyama Bay is also how sharply the shoreline drops off at the coast; the bay has a maximum depth of 1,250 meters. At depths of 300 meters and below, the 2,120 square-kilometer Toyama Bay is home to massive quantities of what is scientifically known as Japan Sea Proper Water: water that hovers between 1 to 2 degrees Celsius, and is extremely high in inorganic nutrients. Japan Sea Proper Water is what makes Toyama Bay-farmed and fished seafood so characteristically delicious. The signature oysters at Fish & Oyster Bar are farmed at depths exceeding 384 meters in Toyama Bay, ensuring that they reap an entire lifetime’s benefit of immersion in Japan Sea Proper Water. Since the restaurant also enjoys an extensive network of relationships with suppliers all across Japan, ensuring that it has access to the freshest possible seafood regardless of season, it also purifies these oysters through a patented cleansing process with Toyama Bay’s deep sea water, a “five-star” process that is so thorough that the restaurant claims to have the safest oysters in all of Japan. Located on the 8th floor of the Seibu Shibuya building, Fish & Oyster Bar’s central location makes it a popular hangout spot for both tourists and locals alike. A short walk from sights like the famous Scramble Crossing and the statue of Hachiko, it’s the perfect place to bring a group of friends after a round of sightseeing — not to mention, the novelty of being able to eat fresh oysters in the middle of Shibuya’s urban sprawl definitely holds its own appeal. Round out the day with the restaurant’s own house brand wine as well, produced by Chilean winemaker Miguel Torres Chile. Dubbed CACCCI, the wines were specifically developed to go well with oysters and seafood, in particular the Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay varieties. A pairing not to be missed.