Introducing your new dinner party smorgasbord addition: nanbu senbei, a type of Japanese wheat cracker that’s a staple in the Hachinohe diet. You’ll want to head to The Oyamada Senbei to stock up. Run by third-generation nanbu-senbei makers intent on preserving their craft, the century-old shop has been making the delicate crackers using the same method since 1936. Try them topped with peanuts or wild sesame seeds, or order made-to-order tenpo senbei. Unlike the traditional nanbu senbei, this variation has a doughy consistency similar to bread. They’re so fragile that they can’t be transported and are therefore only available fresh off the cast-iron grill.

Serving palm-sized scallops, jumbo red-headed prawns, meaty crab and rows of identically formed sushi, Hasshoku Center is a taste-testing theme park for seafood fans. Browse the stalls piled high with just-caught produce, make your pick, then cook it on the charcoal barbecue in the centre of the market. Feeling daring? Try hoya, a sea pineapple that carries a slightly bitter taste and is shucked like an oyster. It’s a popular street food snack that’s usually accompanied by sake.

Fans of local farmers’ markets will be swooning over the maze of stalls that are found here. Located at the Tatehana Wharf in Hachinohe, it’s one of the largest markets in Japan with traders flogging everything from xiao long bao (soup dumplings) to lollipop-stick grilled fish, locally harvested apples, hand-crafted sake and sell-out worm-shaped gummies. Seriously, arrive early to try these teeny-tiny treats – stalls run out fast. Arrive hungry and remember to bring a (read: several) empty tote bags to fill with your finds.