Japanese Restaurant Hamayu (Shima Kanko Hotel)

The title of “Miketsukuni” was used to refer historically to the three provinces of Japan so revered for the freshness of their produce and seafood that they were designated the primary suppliers of the Imperial palace.

In the modern day, only six cities have been afforded the privilege of inheriting this title, one of which is Ise City. Japanese Restaurant Hamayu, located in luxury Kashikojima resort Shima Kanko Hotel The Bay Suites, proves precisely why Ise has earned that right.

The operation, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is heralded among the top 5000 restaurants in the nation by leading review sites. Hamayu is headed by Chef Hiroshi Tsukahara, who first joined Miyako Hotels in their Hakata branch more than 35 years ago. Since then, he has become one of Mie’s foremost specialists in the Ise-Shima regional cuisine, making use of the bounty of Ise-Shima ingredients and time-honored techniques to craft elaborate course menus that have since become the restaurant’s hallmark.

The content of these menus vary significantly throughout the year, each highlighting the appropriate flavors, dishes and ingredients of the season. The a la carte menu and regional Mie sake selection further enrich diners’ experiences.