Located 4 hours from Tokyo and 2 hours from Nagoya, in between Hiroshima and Tokyo, Ise Grand Shrine is one of the most important destinations in all of Japan.
While you might not associate Japanese street food with Japan’s holiest shrine, Ise Grand Shrine, Oharaimachi Dori is a great street food spot. Ise Grand Shrine is the most holy shrines in all of Japan. This shrine houses Amaterasu, the sun goddess and the goddess that the Japanese imperial family is said to be descendent from. Like Kyoto and Kamakura, Ise Grand Shrine is a must visit for anyone interested in Japanese history and culture.
Being one of Japan’s holiest shrines, Ise Grand Shine in Mie prefecture has been a popular tourist destination since the 1600s and possibly earlier. Since Ise Grand Shrine has been a large driver of tourism in the region, Oharaimachi Dori was built to fulfill to traveler’s needs.
Oharaimachi Dori leads right into the entrance to Ise Grand Shrine. To cater to travelers, this street has been lined with tourist shops and restaurants for centuries. There are plenty of restaurants and street food shops lining the road to feed weary travelers, some of the shops being over a hundred years old! This lively street is a great place to try new and old Japanese street food!
Just off of Oharaimachi Dori there is a reaction of an Edo period town called Okage Yokocho that also has an excellent selection of Japanese street food. While shops have come and gone over the years, you are guaranteed to find good Japanese street food here.
On Your Way to Ise Grand Shrine, Eat Japanese Street Food in Oharaimachi Dori
While street food venders come and go, Oharaimachi is a place you are guaranteed to find street food. Here is some of the street food you might find in Oharaimachi. Mie is famous for Matsusaka beef, oysters, and citrus. Many of these are popular street for in Oharaimachi on the way to Ise Grand Shrine!
Matsusaka Beef
Matsusaka beef is a famous type of wagyu from Matsusaka, Mie. This beef is one of the three famous Japanese beefs along with Kobe beef. Along Oharaimachi Dori, you can try this famous beef in many different forms, such as famous beef croquets, meat buns, meat on a stick, nigiri sushi, and even ice cream.
Haraimachi Dori has a famous butcher shop called Butanuki. The name means “No Pork” and one of their most famous items is their beef croquets. The line can get extremely long, so if you want to try this local treat, pick it up from one of the copy-cat shops near by. It might not be the famous shop, but you can still experience Matsusaka beef croquets.
Oysters
Mie is famous for pearl diving and the associated oysters! While we might not commonly think of oysters as street food, you can try local fried oysters on Oharaimachi Dori.
Akafuku Mochi
Akafuku is a tea shop established in 1707. Located on the route to Ise Grand Shrine, Akafuku mochi has long since been associated with Ise Grand Shrine. Mimicking the Isuzu river that flows through the valley, the sweet red bean paste (water) lays on mochi (pebbles). The water near Ise Grand Shrine is incredibly clear and clean, which is a key component for Japanese traditional sweets. The shop’s longevity have made it an iconic souvenir for Ise Grand Shrine visitors.
Pudding
A big street food trend for tourist spots is pudding. Japanese pudding is similar to flan. It’s an egg custard base with a caramel topping. These puddings usually come in multiple flavors, such as matcha, strawberry, sakura, and classic pudding. As street food, it’s often served in a jar to make it easy to eat at once or take home.
Haraimachi Dori has several pudding shops, but Ise Pudding Toast serves a treat called pudding toast. This pudding toast is unique to Haraimachi Dori. Their pudding toast is similar to American French Toast, but with an extremely custardy center. There’s usually a small wait but the experience is well worth it.
Fruit Juice
Another popular sweet treat on Haraimachi Dori is orange and grapefruit juice. While it sounds simple, this is not just any fruit juice. This fruit juice is made inside of the fruit itself, served inside the peal with a straw sticking out the top. This drink is particularly popular with younger visitors.
Eat Until You Drop on Your Visit to Ise Grand Shrine
When you visit Ise Grand Shrine, make sure to prepare your wallet and your stomach for all of the delicious street food along Haraimichi Dori! Street food is a great way to try all of the local specialties without breaking the bank, though all that food can quickly add up.
If eating on the street is not your cup of tea, you can take your food down to the riverside and take a break while watching the clear water flow.
If you like Japanese food be sure to check out our cafe and restaurant articles for Tokyo, Kamakura, Nasushiobara, Onomichi, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Hagi, Nagoya, Kyoto’s Kiyomizu and Shijo Kawaramachi!
Let us know your favorite places to eat!
