There is no doubt that high-quality ingredients are one of the key elements that make a star chef’s dish stand out. In Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture, there is a fishmonger who serves as the expert eye behind this. His philosophy is to select the very best fish and live up to the chefs’ trust, while also keeping the livelihoods of local fishermen in mind. The man who bridges the sea and the kitchen is Mitsuteru Honda.

料理人を通して、天草の魚の価値を再認識

Mr. Honda has always loved fish and used to work at a local fish market. He was influenced by a chef from the Kansai region he met there, which made him realize the importance of experiencing the “outside” world. “Because Amakusa is an island, I rarely had the chance to leave it,” Mr. Honda said. “But as I began seeing fish from other regions and dining at famous restaurants, I felt my world expanding.” He felt a sense of pride upon learning that the fish from Amakusa, where he was born and raised, were being recognized by chefs.

At the same time, however, he also realized the reality that it is difficult to sell fish at high prices when selling locally. The number of fishermen in Japan is on the decline, particularly among younger generations, and the harsh business environment is cited as a major factor. “I thought that if I could find customers willing to pay a fair price, I would be able to buy fish from the fishermen at a higher price as well. I believed that doing so would help support the livelihoods of local fishermen,” he said.

Becoming independent to support the livelihoods of fishermen

He later left the fish market to open his own shop, “Honda-ya.” When he opened the shop, he reportedly received passionate encouragement from chefs he had known since his days working at the fish market, who told him, “It doesn’t matter how much it costs—just get us the best fish!” He then held numerous discussions with local fishermen and established a partnership to ensure the final quality by improving the quality of primary processing—such as temperature control immediately after the catch.

Look at all the fish at the market and bid on only the best ones

The Amakusa Islands, located in southwestern Kumamoto Prefecture, consist of 120 islands of various sizes. At the fish market in Hondō, Amakusa City—located at the heart of the archipelago—3 to 5 metric tons of fish are delivered daily from three fishing grounds: the Ariake Sea, the Shiranui Sea, and the East China Sea. On busy days, the market receives as many as 300 different species. At 7:00 a.m., the live fish auction begins, and the spirited voices of the auctioneers and middlemen ring out in unison. Mr. Honda, with a calm demeanor, confidently bids on and wins the fish he has his eye on, one after another, without hesitation.

Rather than targeting specific fish, Mr. Honda’s approach is to examine all the fish available at the market that day and purchase every one he deems to be of high quality. Conversely, it is also part of Mr. Honda’s philosophy that even if a chef has placed an order for a specific species, he will not bid on it if the quality does not meet his standards, and will simply tell the chef, “We don’t have it.” This is because, ultimately, it does not serve the chefs’ best interests to lower quality standards just to source a particular species. Mr. Honda’s honest approach and keen eye for quality have earned him a strong reputation, and he enjoys the deep trust of “star chefs” who have earned stars in the Michelin Guide, including “Shimazu,” a hard-to-book sushi restaurant in Tokyo; “Sushi Sanshin,” one of Kansai’s premier establishments; and “pesceco,” a restaurant in Nagasaki.

To the chef, in the best possible condition

Furthermore, Mr. Honda is particular about how the fish are handled at the restaurant. Immediately after being caught, fish are in a state of excitement; lactic acid and blood flow into their muscles, which degrades their flavor, and their flesh becomes firm and tight due to stress. For this reason, live fish purchased are first transported to the restaurant’s holding tanks and allowed to rest until their stress subsides. He then calculates the time it will take for the fish to reach the chefs and personally performs the nerve-cutting and bleeding procedures himself. “My job is to deliver the very best fish to the chefs. It’s not just a matter of winning the bid and sending them off—I have a responsibility to hand over fish that have been prepared to be in their optimal condition,” says Mr. Honda.

On this day, Mr. Honda prepared three types of sashimi for us to taste: grouper, Ishigaki sea bream, and yellowtail. Aged for about a week, the fat had melded so deeply into the flesh that it practically repelled the soy sauce, and we were amazed by the flavor—a true concentration of umami. It’s no wonder that fishermen and chefs from all over the country visit his shop to learn from Mr. Honda’s knowledge and techniques, such as how to condition live fish and how to properly prepare them.

Supporting fishermen also helps protect the ocean.

“In the past, it was all about selling as much as possible, but things are different now. Due to various factors, the marine food web has collapsed; the seaweed and plankton that serve as food sources have declined, and fish populations are shrinking,” says Mr. Honda. As a result, fish prices have been rising year after year, and he fears that if this trend continues, fish will become a food item accessible only to a select few who can afford it.

Mr. Honda believes that if we can create a society where high-quality fish are traded at fair prices, fishermen will be able to earn a fair income. He believes this will not only prevent overfishing but also ensure that the fishing industry is passed down to the next generation, ultimately helping to preserve our rich oceans. The opening of “Honda-ya” was the first step toward realizing that vision.

In 2026, “Honda-ya” will mark its 10th anniversary. Mr. Honda’s eyes sparkle as he says, “I can feel the circle of people I’ve connected with—all because of this work—expanding year by year.”

His discerning eye at the market, his dialogue with fishermen, and his sense of responsibility toward chefs.

Each of these small steps has become a path leading him, little by little, toward the future he has envisioned: “a society where fish is traded at a fair price.” Looking ahead, Mr. Honda expresses his desire to continue meeting artisans from various fields and learning from them. Ten years after opening, the journey of “Honda-ya”—which was meant to be just a “first step”—is now transforming into a tangible sense of accomplishment. Today, as always, Mr. Honda stands between the sea and the kitchen, constantly thinking about what he can do to prepare for the next decade.

The post A fish connoisseur who has earned the unwavering trust of star chefs. Mitsuteru Honda of “Honda-ya” / Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.