Mentai Park Oarai
★ 3.8 ｜ 10,248 reviews
Mentaiko theme park · factory tours · specialty snacks
📍 8255-3 Isohamachō, Oarai, Higashiibaraki District, Ibaraki 311-1301, Japan
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Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
About
Attraction showcasing mentaiko, or pollock roe, with factory tours, a shop & gallery, plus dining.
The full picture
This is a specialized food theme park and factory dedicated to mentaiko, or spicy pollock roe, where visitors can watch the production process and sample themed snacks.
It suits seafood lovers, families with children, and curious foodies looking for unique regional flavors.
Expect heavy crowds on holidays and weekends; visit during the week for a quieter experience.
💡 Consider buying a cooler bag at the shop if you intend to purchase fresh roe products for a long journey home.
Visitors love
- unique mentaiko ice cream
- educational factory views
- plenty of parking
- fresh steamed buns
- fun themed activities
Some note
- smaller than expected
- crowded on holidays
- very short tour duration
- roe can be quite spicy
Good to know
- is it good for kids?
- Yes, there are kid-friendly activities like mentaiko origami, games, and large displays to look at.
- is it OK on a rainy day?
- Yes, the factory tour, shop, and dining area are all indoors.
- how long to stay?
- A typical visit lasts between 10 minutes for a quick walkthrough to an hour if you stop to eat.
- is a reservation needed?
- Not mentioned in reviews.
Visitor reviews
★★★★★
If you’re a mentaiko fan like I am, this place is absolute paradise. Mentai Park Oarai has all kinds of creative products—mentaiko ice cream, steamed buns, and other unique treats you wouldn’t expect to have mentaiko in, but they somehow make it work!
They also sell cooler bags for around 700 yen (if I remember right), which is super handy if you’re not heading home right away. No need to worry about keeping things fresh. Plus, there’s plenty of parking, making it an easy and convenient stop.
★★★★★
I visited the park and factory, and it was smaller than I expected. You can probably go through the whole place in about 10 minutes. The displays and photos are large and easy to see, but overall it is a quick visit.
The best part is the food and souvenirs. There are many mentaiko items, including sauces, dishes, and snacks. I also found some unique souvenirs that are worth picking up.
In the kitchen area, I tried mango ice cream and a pork bun. They also had rice dishes with mentaiko. Everything tasted fresh and good. The mentaiko was a little spicy for me, but I am sensitive to spice, so m
★★★
I visited by bike. It was a holiday, so there were a lot of people, especially families. You can tour the mentaiko (spicy cod roe) factory, and there’s also a food court where you can grab a bite to eat.
★★★
Literally a factory and wholesale of fish eggs contained in a bladder-like substance. Japanese usually mix it with mayo. But nothing interesting for foreigners if you ask me. The staff was nice and inviting.
★★★★
They have various mentaiko-related activities, which I found pretty novel and surprisingly enjoyable 😂 For example: mentaiko sampling, mentaiko origami, mentaiko-themed cafeteria, mentaiko chips/rusk catching, getting to view their factory, and of course the mentaiko shop!
Special shout out to the mentaiko ice cream, which was superrr milky! And the mentaiko bits added bursts of spiciness to the experience, and it didn’t taste odd at all haha
