The retro-style "Marukan Building Grand Dining Hall" is a representative gourmet spot in Hanamaki! It also features works by Kenji Miyazawa and Shohei Ohtani! [Iwate Prefecture]

Marukan Building Cafeteria in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, is a large cafeteria that has everything you could want and retains a retro Showa-era atmosphere.

Furthermore, Hanamaki City is the birthplace of the poet and children's author Kenji Miyazawa , and today, along with the neighboring city of Kitakami, it is a major transportation hub in Iwate Prefecture

This time, I'll introduce Hanamaki City and the Marukan Building's large cafeteria

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What kind of place is Hanamaki City?

Hanamaki City is located almost in the center of Iwate Prefecture and has a population of approximately 87,000 people (as of 2026)

With Iwate Prefecture's only airport, "Iwate Hanamaki Airport," the TohokuShinkansen's "Shin-Hanamaki Station,the Tohoku Expressway, and the Tohoku Trans-Island Expressway"Kamaishi-Akita Line,"it has become a key hub in Iwate Prefecture's high-speed transportation network, along with the neighboring city of Kitakami.

, also famous as a hot spring resort, consists of 12 hot spring areas: Hanamaki Onsen, Dai Onsen, Kanaya Onsen, Matsukura Onsen, Shidohira Onsen, Osawa Onsen, Yamanokami Onsen, Namari Onsen, Shin-Namari Onsen, Hanamaki Kita Onsen, and Towa Onsen.The Hanamaki Onsenkyo areahas a long history, having been highly valued as a hot spring resort under the Nanbu domain during its rule.

Furthermore, sake brewing is thriving in the region, and it has produced many renowned master brewers. The "Nanbu Toji," based in Ishidoriya-cho, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, is considered one of Japan's three greatest master brewers

Hanamaki City has produced many famous people

Hanamaki City is famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa, a poet and children's author from the Taisho to early Showa periods. There are facilities scattered throughout the city where you can trace Miyazawa's footsteps, such as the Kenji Miyazawa Memorial Museum and the Kenji Miyazawa Children's Village

In addition, the family of Inazo Nitobe , famous for his portrait on the old 5,000 yen banknote, lived in Hanamaki for about 230 years from 1598 (Keicho 3), and Kotaro Takamura , author of the poetry collection "Chieko-sho," evacuated to Kenji Miyazawa's family home in Hanamaki after the Tokyo air raids. Many other famous figures you may have heard of actually have ties to Hanamaki.

In recent years, Shohei Ohtani and Yusei Kikuchi , who are now active in Major League Baseball, are also graduates of Hanamaki Higashi High School and spent their youth in Hanamaki.

A monument commemorating Major League Baseball players associated with Hanamaki

Behind the backstop at the Hanamaki Higashi High School grounds in Hiyojono Sports Park, the alma mater of Yusei Kikuchi and Shohei Ohtani , there is a monument with their handprints.

This was a gift from Hanamaki Onsenkyo to Hanamaki Higashi High School to commemorate their selection for the "2021 MLB All-Star Game," and it features the handprints and handwritten messages of both players.

I hope to emulate the achievements of these two individuals who excelled in both academics and sports, and achieved outstanding grades

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The grand dining hall of the old-fashioned Marukan Department Store from the Showa era

Marukan Department Store (commonly known as Marukan Department Store) was founded in 1973. The current Marukan Building Grand Dining Hall originally opened as the grand dining hall on the 6th floor of that department store.

However, in 2015, it was deemed unsuitable for earthquake resistance testing, and in June 2016, it closed its doors, ending a 43-year history as a department store

The department store's 6th-floor dining hall will also be closing, but many local fans are calling for its continued operation

Then, Kamimachi Yamorisha Co., Ltd., established by young local entrepreneurs to undertake urban redevelopment through renovation , stepped forward to revive the Marukan Building's large dining hall . They raised funds through crowdfunding and other means, and successfully reopened the dining hall on the 6th floor in February 2017

Currently, it appears that the skate park on the basement floor, the souvenir shop and candy store on the first floor, the toy museum on the second floor, and the large cafeteria on the sixth floor are all open for business

Upon arriving at the cafeteria on the 6th floor, you're greeted by a display case filled with food samples

From the interior decor to the tables, chairs, lighting, and even the waitresses' uniforms, everything about the restaurant evokes a nostalgic atmosphere, making you feel as if you've traveled back in time. With a total of 560 seats, it truly is a grand diner from the Showa era

After choosing your menu item from the retro-style food samples, you purchase a meal ticket at the register

There are long lines to purchase meal tickets, butif you can pay via QR code, you can sit down and pay at the same time as ordering,so we highly recommend coming prepared with QR code payment!

If you can pay via QR code, you can go directly to your seat without having to wait in line!

Marukan Building's famous 10-layer soft serve ice cream

The Marukan Building's famous 10-scoop soft-serve ice creamisan impressive 25 centimeters tall! The soft-serve ice cream is made slightly firm, yet its smooth and not-too-sweet texture makes it easy to eat.

The towering, generously sized soft-serve ice creamis meant to be eaten with chopsticks, the "Hanamaki style"! Furthermore, one technique for sharing is to place a glass over the ice cream and fold it in half! I tried it.

Apparently, this soft-serve ice cream was actually a standard size when it was first sold

The founder of the former Marukan Department Store always said, "Make it extra big," because he wanted to please his customers. It is said that during a TV interview, an enthusiastic staff member made a soft-serve ice cream cone with 10 layers, and that's how it all started

Popular menu items are Marukan Ramen and Napoli Pork Cutlet

The Marukan Building's main dining hall boasts a menu with over 110 items , including ramen, set meals, Japanese food, Western food, and desserts.

Among their popular and highly recommended dishes areMarukan RamenandNeapolitan Cutlet.

Marukan Ramen is a spicy ramen dish with plenty of toppings such as vegetables, mushrooms, and fish cake

The Neapolitan cutlet is incredibly generous in portion size. It comes with a large serving of Neapolitan spaghetti and a whole freshly fried cutlet, which is cut to order. The same plate also includes a generous portion of salad. It's a very satisfying meal

This is a popular menu item that often sells out, so we recommend coming early

Chocolate banana crepe that Shohei Ohtani also tried

Now, in the hope of supporting the success of Shohei Ohtani, one of Japan's leading Major League Baseball players,the crepes that Ohtani often ate during his time at Hanamaki Higashi High School have been revived at the Marukan Building's main cafeteria, whichhas also become a hot topic.

Our highly popular chocolate banana crepes
are now available for online purchase!

It's said that Shohei Ohtani often ate them as a reward during his time at Hanamaki Higashi High School.
Please place your order with sufficient time in advance!https://t.co/3TiV02UWui#Iwate #Hanamaki#ShoheiOhtani pic.twitter.com/SRe15fy7fc

— Marukan Building Restaurant (@MarukanShokudo) June 22, 2023

Actually, the chocolate banana crepe that Shohei Ohtani also ate was sold at a food court in a shopping mall in Hanamaki City, but that food court closed in 2022. Apparently, the Marukan Building's large cafeteria has revived it using the same ingredients and method

The company that sold the crepes taught them the recipe and even gave them the 40cm diameter crepe-making machine they used, faithfully recreating the taste and texture of the original. When they were sold in limited quantities, they were sold out every single day

the Marukan Building Cafeteria's online shop. These are the crepes that Shohei Ohtani also ate... so please try them at least once.

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summary

These days, with the declining birthrate and population decrease being widely discussed throughout the country, commercial areas in regional cities everywhere have a somewhat desolate atmosphere

The central shopping district of Hanamaki City is no exception, but the area around the Marukan Building at lunchtime is different! And if you go up to the 6th floor, you'll find a scene that looks like something straight out of the Showa era, bursting with energy..

If you visit Hanamaki, you absolutely must have lunch at the Marukan Building Cafeteria!

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