May. 20, 2019| Centrip Editorial Board

Ise Shima Must Eats: Centrip Japan's Complete Guide to Ise Shima

You have to try the seafood in Ise Shima. Japanese confections and Udon are also traditionally popular foods. Marine and livestock products, produce, traditional Japanese confections, etc, In Japan Ise Shima is an eminent culinary tourist spot that you can enjoy to your heart's content.

Akafuku

Azuki (sweet red beans) are boiled, ground, and strained to make Koshian and then wrapped in mochi. An Ise specialty that is known all across Japan. As a souvenir is it a big seller but it can't be stored for long. Established in 1707, in Ise Toba Akafuku should be eaten along with hot tea and can be enjoyed in drinking and eating establishments. Many people enjoy Akafuku in spring as a topping for shaved ice, and in winter it is eaten in Zensai (a sweet red bean soup).

Matsuzaka Beef

Meat good enough to be a work of art, Matsuzaka beef enjoys incredible brand power and is an extremely famous type of beef in Japan. Raised using traditional techniques in addition to stored under strict conditions, as result, it has become Japan's number one beef in both name and reality. A sweet and rich scent, healthy, with high-quality fat, and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, are the characteristics of Matsuzaka beef.

Craft Beer

The award-winning beer of Ise Kadoya Microbrewery, in Ise, is the recipient of prizes both domestic and international and enjoys a well-deserved reputation. Their Malt contains no added pesticides or artificial fertilizers and is crafted with great care. Unfiltered to maintain the beer's original flavor, and unpasteurized original tasting draft beer. Unfiltered to maintain the beer's original flavor, and unpasteurized to create a real draft beer.

Ise Tea

Ise is Japan's 3rd largest tea producer. The leaves of Ise tea are thick and heavy. From the moment you pour the tea into your cup, experience the soothing aroma, and enjoy a balance of sweetness and bitterness. Just as the shapes of mountain and seas can differ, so can the tastes of Ise teas. You'll love tasting and comparing the different flavors.。

Tekone Sushi

This is not your ordinary sushi, rice is put into a barrel and then raw fish is put on top until you can no longer see the rice. Sushi rice is mixed with vinegar, then bonito, tuna, and other red meat fish are added on top. Then soy sauce is added to the raw fish. It was once a dish that fishermen would eat in celebration of a big catch.

Maruten's Isoage

Isoage is a combination of fish shavings, seafood, and vegetables mixed together and deep-fried. It has become a popular food to get at Maruten and eat while walking through Oharaicho. There you can purchase them made fresh and will see many people walking while eating them. They are also popular as a packaged souvenir. Isoage doesn't often appear on restaurant menus but is a side dish that is often eaten by Japanese people.

Ise Ebi (Spiny Lobster)

Ise Ebi (Spiny Lobster) is the most famous kind of lobster in Japan and is known as the King of Lobsters. Ise Ebi is between 20cm to 30cm long, and are covered in a hard shell which is firm to the touch. The meat inside is transparent, and when eaten as sashimi it has a sweet taste. Boiled, or fried the meat gains a nice chewy consistency. The nutrients of the sea contribute to the deliciousness of Ise Ebi.

Anori Blowfish

Anori Blowfish, are tiger blowfish caught in the bay of Ise, sometimes weighing over 700kg, and cannot be caught between October and February. They are born in the spring and in the fall they start to appear during early high tide. They are well-known for being quite firm. Blowfish aficionados prize this species for its sweetness and chewiness. You'll only find it in this area—at local inns and restaurants. You'll only ever find it sold in small batches.

Oysters

Toba is Japan's number one producer of oysters. The calm waves and abundant food makes the area quite suitable for aquaculture. In just one year, soft plump oysters will be ready for sale. Because of the carefully maintained environment, there are many places in the surrounding area that serve raw oysters. These oysters are also delicious when grilled or deep-fried. They are extremely juicy with a rich flavor.

Ise Udon Noodles

These udon noodles aren't your ordinary udon. The noodles are particularly soft and almost melt in your mouth. The soup they are served in is made with tamari soy sauce, making them almost black. They are topped with bonito fish flakes as well. It's said that the reason the noodles are so soft is to accommodate travelers with stomachs weak from long travel, before the age of trains and cars.

Toraya Uiro

Uiro is a type of Japanese confection made by steaming rice flour mixed with sugar and hot water. It is eaten all over Japan but the uiro made in Ise is special because it is made with brown sugar. No preservatives are used in the cooking process so the uiro needs to be eaten right away. In recent years, a number of season variations have been developed, adding up to around 35 types in all. The light flavor and texture of uiro have made it one of the most popular Japanese sweets there is.

Dried Fish

Himono is the Japanese term for dried fish. Dried fish has a rich, aged taste. The drying process locks in the flavor. Because of the low moisture of the resulting product, the dried fish has a long shelf-life. Dried fish is seasonal and the types of fish available for sale changes over the course of the year. The deep flavor is unique to each kind of dried fish and it is a staple of the Japanese breakfast.