Kesennuma Oshima's "Island Food"

Kesennuma Oshima is gaining attention due to the completion of the Kesennuma Oshima Bridge and the decision to feature it as the setting for a morning drama series in 2021. It takes about 15 minutes by car from the center of Kesennuma to the Oshima Welcome Terminal and the tourist attraction Nodoka. If you take a drive to Oshima, which is surrounded by the sea, you will find places where you can experience the charm of the island rich in nature.

This time, we will introduce you to a restaurant that serves "island food" unique to Oshima, made with delicious local ingredients!

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1. Hamaya: The lavish "Tsurukame-don" (crane and turtle bowl) is typical of Oshima and is served in a variety of dishes!
2. Excellent locally produced food: "Ao to Midori no Cha-ya Haru"
3. "Menshuan Komatsu" - A ramen shop with great service
4. "Uoken" - A fish shop where communication with the staff is fun

The "Tsurukame-don" (crane and turtle bowl) is a sumptuous dish with many different kinds of ingredients, and is typical of Oshima! "Hamaya"

Kesennuma Oshima Bridge is known as the "Tsurukame Bridge." It was given this name because it connects the land of "Tsurugaura" on the Kesennuma city side with "Kameyama," the symbol of Oshima. The auspicious names of cranes and turtles are perfect for a fishing town that is known for its good luck. The "Tsurukame Bowl," which was created when the bridge opened, is a seafood bowl topped with a generous amount of various seasonal ingredients from Oshima. The gorgeous, extravagant appearance will make you want to take photos, and it's sure to become a memorable memory of your trip.
The seafood on the bowl changes depending on the season, but on this day, in addition to tuna and swordfish, there was also shrimp, salmon roe, and Hamaya's homemade salted sea urchin. What was particularly unusual was the inclusion of sea cucumber! This varied assortment allows you to enjoy a variety of flavors and textures. When sea urchin is in season, the menu also features a "raw sea urchin bowl," also topped with plenty of sea urchin. The season is short, but sea urchin lovers will be lucky if they come across it!

Hamaya is also famous for its homemade shiokara (salted fish) made with yuzu, a local specialty of Oshima. It is a dish you'll want to enjoy with some local sake.
Shiokara and salted sea urchin are also available for purchase as souvenirs. Please come and enjoy the flavors of this shop that is loved by locals and tourists alike.

Store name

Hamaya

Tel

0226-28-2484

Opening hours

11:00~21:00 (The store may close earlier. Please check beforehand.)

Closed days

Tuesdays

Address

147-1 Nagasaki, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture

Excellent locally produced food: "Ao to Midori no Chaya Haru"

The sea stretches out before you at the tourist attraction "Nodoka" in Uranohama, Oshima. Located inside is "Ao to Midori no Chaya Haru", a restaurant where you can enjoy lunch or cafe time, offering food such as risotto and pasta, as well as handmade sweets and drinks.
When I visited for the interview, I was served the ``Oyster Cream Pasta,'' ``Yuzu Lassi,'' and ``Tiramisu''!

The oysters are from Oshima, grown in an area just on the edge of the brackish water zone where fresh water arrives from the mountains. Compared to oysters grown in calm inland bays, the oyster meat is firm and does not shrink easily when heated. When I tried it, the pasta had a rich oyster flavor and went perfectly with the cream. The menu features seasonal seafood such as scallops, octopus, sea bream, and flounder, so it is highly recommended for those who want to enjoy fish dishes other than sushi and sashimi.

The dessert, tiramisu, was accompanied by yuzu and blueberry confiture. Yuzu and blueberries are Oshima's specialties, and I wanted to try both! So I got both on the plate. What a delight! The balance of the sweetness of the tiramisu and the sweetness, sourness, and aroma of each fruit was just right, and I enjoyed it until the last bite.

The yuzu lassi that I ordered together with the drink was a delightful treat, with its refreshing yuzu scent and crunchy texture. It's a satisfying drink even if you order it by itself during cafe time.
This restaurant uses plenty of local ingredients in all of its menu items, including seafood, herbs, vegetables, and fruits that are all locally produced on Oshima or grown by the owner himself. This is a locally produced food restaurant that is full of the "Oshima spirit" of a long-time owner who has been half farming and half fishing.

Store name

Blue and green tea and haru

Tel

Kai Nomo Main phone number 090-6626-0853

Opening hours

10:00 ~ 17:00

Closed days

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Address

"Nomoriumi" in Uranohama, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture　

"Menshuan Komatsu" - A ramen shop with great services

The specialty of "Menshuan Komatsu" is "Wakame Ramen," which uses noodles kneaded with plenty of wakame seaweed from Oshima. The green noodles have a slight wakame scent and are topped with plenty of wakame seaweed. Those who are used to eating dried wakame will be quite surprised by the crunchy texture of the local wakame.

And, on weekdays, when you order ramen, it automatically comes with a half-portion of rice and a small side dish. On the day I went, the small bowls contained "boiled tuna eggs" and "kinpira burdock," which made me want to eat more rice. They serve side dishes that the locals of Oshima would likely eat, such as boiled wakame stalks and boiled kelp, so it seems to be popular with tourists too.
Depending on the day, the menu may include rice sets with scallops, sea urchin rice, and matsutake mushrooms (which are actually harvested in Kesennuma!), or even "seafood ramen with lobster." One of the joys of traveling is interacting with the friendly staff. This is a restaurant where locals and tourists from outside can smile together, and even first-time visitors will feel at ease and want to return.

Store name

Noodles and Sake Komatsu

Tel

0226-28-2528

Opening hours

11: 00-15: 00, 18: 00-21: 00

Closed days

Wednesday

Address

"Nomoriumi" in Uranohama, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture　

"Uoken" - a fish shop where communication with the staff is fun

"Uoken" is a fish shop that sells fresh fish and serves seafood bowls. In addition to fish purchased at the fish market, they also buy fish directly from fishermen's boats as "shore purchases." Unlike supermarkets, only "island fish shops" have rare fish species lined up in whole pieces. Another luxurious pleasure is being able to buy the fish that was just caught that day as a souvenir or eat it on the spot. Be sure to ask the shop staff about the name of the fish and how to eat it.

The seafood bowls offered by the restaurant come with a small side dish and soup if ordered as a set. As you would expect from a fishmonger, they are fresh and reasonably priced. The Nakaochimekabu Bowl, which can be eaten for just 500 yen, is a great value menu item. Takeout is also available, so you can eat it at home or on the terrace with a great view.

Additionally, the homemade "Shiouni" (sea urchin) and "boiled oysters," which are boiled oysters purchased directly from a farmer on Oshima, make great souvenirs.

Store name

Fish Research Center

Tel

Kai Nomo Main phone number 090-6626-0853

Opening hours

10:00-16:00 (Seafood bowls will end when the rice runs out)

Closed days

Tuesdays (temporary closures may apply)

Address

"Nomoriumi" in Uranohama, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture　

What did you think? After you've finished your meal, you can enjoy some island activities such as driving along the coast, fishing, or just relaxing on the beach. Be sure to make a trip to Oshima during your trip or outing.

▼Click here for Kesennuma Oshima's "Island Cafe"!