[2 hours from Nagoya] From mandarin orange picking to local food and contemporary art. Recommended for autumn and winter! A day trip plan to fully enjoy Minami-Ise Town

Now is the season! A direct sales store where you can buy Ise lobster at a great price
"Yamatou"

Ise lobsters (Japanese spiny lobsters) are a specialty of the sea in the Iseshima region!

But Ise lobster is so expensive, isn't it? However, there is a direct sales store where you can buy such Ise lobster at a great price. That is "Yamatou" in Tasoura, Minami-Ise town. They sell fresh Ise lobster caught in the ocean in front of them, and dried fish made with fresh fish caught in the surrounding area.

You can pick and choose Ise lobster from a large tank with a water volume of 60 tons.

Ise lobster is in season from October to the end of March. The price of the lobsters fluctuates depending on the season. Prices tend to rise during the year-end and New Year holidays, so the best time to visit is around October to November.

There are also very affordable frozen Ise lobsters (¥6,458/each). The reason why these Ise lobsters are “wakeari (slightly flawed)” is because they are mostly used for auspicious occasions such as lucky charms and gifts, so the shape is the most important.

These Japanese spiny lobster have slightly broken horns, whiskers, broken legs, and so on. But when it comes to eating at home, it's perfectly fine. Of course, the deliciousness is the same as regular Ise lobsters! At this price, you can enjoy spiny lobster at home.

Boneless Kushi Himono

Another specialty of Yamatou is Boneless Kushi (skewers)  Himono (driedfish) !

"Boneless Kushi Himono" is made by removing the bones from fish caught in Ise-Shima, pickling them in natural salt, and sticking bamboo skewers into each piece. It can be stored at room temperature, so it's perfect for souvenirs.

In addition to the year-round line-up of 8 types of mackerel, kamasu, dolphinfish, sagoshi, yellowtail, round herring, bonito, and horse mackerel, the type of fish changes depending on the season.

There is a gift set like this!

This is the only place in Minami-Ise town that sells boneless skewered fish, so it's sure to make a great gift. Be sure to pick up a souvenir of Minami-Ise town's sea specialties at Yamatou.

[Yamatou]
Address: 3907-1 Tasoura, Minamiise-cho, Watarai-gun, Mie Prefecture
Business hours: 9:00-17:00
Phone number: 0599-69-3489

http://www.yamatou.net/

*Please call in advance to confirm the availability of the staff in case they are not available.

It was already dusk when we went outside. We fully enjoyed Minami-Ise, including seasonal mandarin oranges, local gourmet food, an observatory with a superb view, contemporary art, and specialty products.

There are rich nature and tastes that can only be tasted there. And above all, the people of the town welcome us so much with smiles. Everyone in Minami-Ise town is very powerful and full of warmth. Every time we visit, we feel the depth of the charm of Minami-Ise town.

We are plannning to bring you Minami-Ise town in spring next time. Stay tuned!

▼ Click here for a plan for two days and one night
https://life-designs.jp/webmagazine/minamiise/

Photography by Kanae Hori (*excluding some photos)