This morning market, held only on Sundays and holidays at the Yuriage fishing port where akagai clams and shirasu (whitebait) are landed, is a popular tourist destination in Natori City. Although the market vendors suffered extensive damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake, they returned to Yuriage in 2013, and today the market has about 40 shops that include the sale of fresh seafood, fresh-picked vegetables, and fresh-cooked meals. The market’s famous auction starts at 10 a.m., open to all comers to experience the lively atmosphere of the auction. Visitors can also buy seafood at the morning market and have it grilled fresh at the adjacent robatayaki grill area to eat on the spot.
A major force behind the area’s rebuilding has been the Canada–Tohoku Reconstruction Project. Led by the national government of Canada, together with the provincial government of British Columbia and the non-profit Canada Wood Group, support was provided to construct buildings made with Canadian timber to help rebuild disaster-affected areas. The adjacent Maple Hall was also built as part of the morning market. The hall is staffed even on weekdays and sells goods that support local reconstruction along with specialty products from Yuriage. Visitors can also enjoy a meal, watch a video that conveys memories of the disaster, or make an appointment to hear a storytelling lecture or talk by a disaster preparedness lecturer.