Nihonkai Shoya (Toyama Ekimae)

Nihonkai Shoya's Toyama Ekimae outpost is part of a Sea of Japan-themed izakaya chain, positioned two minutes from Toyama Station and built around showcasing Toyama Bay's catch within a standard izakaya small-plates format. The menu leans on the bay's signature ingredients — shiroebi kakiage (a shrimp fritter using Toyama Bay's small white shrimp), hotaru ika shoyu-zuke (firefly squid marinated in soy sauce), and grilled buri collar (a fatty, flavorful yellowtail cut) — alongside more generic izakaya fare like fried and grilled small plates suited to sharing over drinks. As a chain outpost rather than an independent restaurant, the cooking prioritizes consistency and accessible pricing over the tasting-menu structure or reservation-only exclusivity found at Toyama's more specialized seafood restaurants, making it a reliable option for a casual group dinner rather than a special-occasion destination. The dining room has the typical layout and noise level of a Japanese izakaya: booth and table seating across two floors, lively background chatter especially on weekend evenings, and a drinks-forward format where beer, highballs, and sake accompany a rotating stream of shared plates rather than a formal multi-course meal. Reservations are recommended for weekend evenings, when the two-minute walk from the station draws a mix of commuters unwinding after work and travelers looking for an easy dinner near their accommodation. Given the shared-plate format, groups of two or more get the most value, since it allows sampling several of the seafood specialties alongside standard izakaya sides in one sitting.