Subscribe
At Sasebo's Juan, you can eat squid sashimi that looks you in the eye disappovingly while still writhing around on your plate. It doesn't get any fresher than that. Juan offers affordable seafood dishes to expensive delacacies, all caught locally that day. There's only one problem: If they don't catch a squid that day, you can't order a squid. So calling ahead is imperative. If they don't have what you are looking for, pick a substitute from their fish tanks.

At Sasebo's Juan, you can eat squid sashimi that looks you in the eye disappovingly while still writhing around on your plate. It doesn't get any fresher than that. Juan offers affordable seafood dishes to expensive delacacies, all caught locally that day. There's only one problem: If they don't catch a squid that day, you can't order a squid. So calling ahead is imperative. If they don't have what you are looking for, pick a substitute from their fish tanks. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

At Sasebo's Juan, you can eat squid sashimi that looks you in the eye disappovingly while still writhing around on your plate. It doesn't get any fresher than that. Juan offers affordable seafood dishes to expensive delacacies, all caught locally that day. There's only one problem: If they don't catch a squid that day, you can't order a squid. So calling ahead is imperative. If they don't have what you are looking for, pick a substitute from their fish tanks.

At Sasebo's Juan, you can eat squid sashimi that looks you in the eye disappovingly while still writhing around on your plate. It doesn't get any fresher than that. Juan offers affordable seafood dishes to expensive delacacies, all caught locally that day. There's only one problem: If they don't catch a squid that day, you can't order a squid. So calling ahead is imperative. If they don't have what you are looking for, pick a substitute from their fish tanks. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

The fish tanks at Sasebo's Juan feature all sorts of fish and shellfish, from sea urchins to eels.

The fish tanks at Sasebo's Juan feature all sorts of fish and shellfish, from sea urchins to eels. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

The fish tanks at Juan feature all sorts of fish and shellfish. Here we see an eel, trying to avoid being picked for the next meal.

The fish tanks at Juan feature all sorts of fish and shellfish. Here we see an eel, trying to avoid being picked for the next meal. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

Juan seafood restaurant in Sasebo, Japan, also has fresh tempura. Here we see a fish and vegetable medley.

Juan seafood restaurant in Sasebo, Japan, also has fresh tempura. Here we see a fish and vegetable medley. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

 Customers at Sasebo's Juan can enjoy fresh shellfish, grilled and placed on a bed of salt with a fresh ginger root garnish.

Customers at Sasebo's Juan can enjoy fresh shellfish, grilled and placed on a bed of salt with a fresh ginger root garnish. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

After eating your aji sashimi, the chefs at Juan in Sasebo, Japan, will make tempura out of the rest so you can eat the fish's head, spine and tail.

After eating your aji sashimi, the chefs at Juan in Sasebo, Japan, will make tempura out of the rest so you can eat the fish's head, spine and tail. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

At Juan restaurant in Sasebo, Japan, cuisine is art. Here we see a plate of salmon sashimi and a hand-picked Japanese mackerel, straight from the ocean to the tank, and then to the dinner table. The mackerel -- called aji -- was removed from the tank and cut to perfection. Sometimes, the tail still moves a bit after it is served.

At Juan restaurant in Sasebo, Japan, cuisine is art. Here we see a plate of salmon sashimi and a hand-picked Japanese mackerel, straight from the ocean to the tank, and then to the dinner table. The mackerel -- called aji -- was removed from the tank and cut to perfection. Sometimes, the tail still moves a bit after it is served. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

Juan is located right by the water, a stone's throw from Sasebo Naval Base. Customers can order fish so fresh, it's still wriggling on their plates. All of their fish is caught daily in local waters. They offer lunch specials, and evening offerings range from the affordable to the more expensive delacacies.

Juan is located right by the water, a stone's throw from Sasebo Naval Base. Customers can order fish so fresh, it's still wriggling on their plates. All of their fish is caught daily in local waters. They offer lunch specials, and evening offerings range from the affordable to the more expensive delacacies. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

Fish doesn’t get fresher than when it’s still moving.

Sasebo’s Juan fresh fish restaurant, just a stone’s throw from Sasebo Naval Base, is where fine dining collides with the fish market.

All of the fish served at Juan is caught locally that day. It’s not unusual to be served by chefs wearing waders or picking your meal from a tank before it is cut up and served to you with traditional Japanese style.

Diners can fight an ika (squid) for pieces of its sashimi while it still writhes on your plate, or watch the wriggling tail of an aji (Japanese mackerel) as you swoop in for a bite.

They serve everything from the affordable, only a couple hundred yen, to the more expensive delicacy, such as a rare fish, a wriggling squid or fresh lobster for several thousand.

There is only one catch: Because Juan’s fish comes at the mercy of the sea, it is never the same size nor do they always have the same thing. Meals start at a certain price. They can run over the menu price if the fish is bigger, for example, so bring plenty of yen-jamins.

Also, if they catch aji that day, aji is on the menu. If they are unable to catch squid, then you have to order something else; so it is important to call ahead.

Juan offers a fresh sushi lunch special for under 1,000 yen. For dinner, one can order fresh from the tank or from an expansive menu that includes sashimi, sushi, stew, grilled fish and shellfish, soups, rice dishes, salads and tempura dishes.

The squid is to die for, starting at 1,300 yen — if you can get over eating it while it stares at you, trying to fight you off with its tentacles and sad eyes. It is a bit chewy but melts in your mouth.

Fresh lobster starts at 2,800 yen.

The aji is equally delicious, clean, falling somewhere between a white and a darker fish, not oily and a bargain at 800 yen. The best part is picking one from the tank and watching the chef pluck it from the water and run behind the counter to start preparing it for you while it flaps in his arms.

The sashimi, salads, grilled shellfish, sea urchin and fish/vegetable tempura medley all come highly recommended. Order several dishes at once on a large artistic platter or one at a time on smaller plates.

Sashimi starts at 600 yen for octopus. They have chef’s specials for 1,350 yen to 1,800 yen. Salads start at 500 yen. Grilled fish and shellfish range from 480 to 800 yen.

Fried chicken and oysters are 600 yen. Miso soup costs 400-500 yen. Juan even has duck stew for 3,300 yen and whale sashimi for 1,100 yen for those who like to walk on the wild side.

They also have a wide range of cocktails and teas.

For an added bonus, after you eat the fresh-from-the-tank aji or ika, ask the chef to fry it up for tempura and leave nothing for the birds. Eat the head, tail, bones and tentacles, cooked to a crunchy and delicious batter-dipped perfection.

Dinner reservations are suggested for all diners. They are required for those who want Japanese nabe, vegetables and seafood for two cooked in a hot pot. Juan’s menu is in Japanese, so if you can’t read Japanese script or order in Japanese, you might have to invite a Japanese friend along or have the base travel office call ahead to make a reservation and order for you.

If high-fiving a squid while eating it piece by piece is wrong, thanks to Juan, I don’t ever want to be right.

JUANLocation: 1-1 Manzu-cho, Sasebo, Japan

Phone: Reservations must be made in Japanese. Call 0956-23-3686

Cost: Fresh ika (squid) starts at 1,300 yen (just over $10).

Directions: Take a right out of Sasebo Naval Base’s main gate. Go through four sets of lights. Take a right at the fifth light. When you get to the next light, Juan is across the street on the left side.

author picture
Matthew M. Burke has been reporting from Grafenwoehr, Germany, for Stars and Stripes since 2024. The Massachusetts native and UMass Amherst alumnus previously covered Okinawa, Sasebo Naval Base and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, for the news organization. His work has also appeared in the Boston Globe, Cape Cod Times and other publications.

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now