豆腐庵山中 — Local services in Ise

Tofu An Yamanaka (豆腐庵山中) was a lovely surprise during our visit to Ise. Located just a short walk from Ise Jingu’s inner shrine, this small tofu specialty shop turned out to be one of our favorite snack stops of the day. What makes it special is that they use water from the nearby Isuzu River to make their tofu—and you can really taste the freshness.

We tried the unohana donut, made from okara (soy pulp), and it was light, gently sweet, and surprisingly addictive. But the real highlight was the tofu soft-serve ice cream. It was over 50% tofu, which made it super smooth, creamy, and refreshing without being too rich. It melted quickly since there are no additives, but that just made us eat it faster—and happier.

The shop itself is cozy, with a traditional feel that fits perfectly into the surrounding Okage Yokocho atmosphere. We sat outside, enjoying our treats while watching people stroll by, many also stopping in for a taste. There was a warm, relaxed energy that made us feel right at home.

If you’re in Ise and need a snack or just want to try something unique, Tofu An Yamanaka is absolutely worth the stop. The blend of tradition, healthiness, and real flavor...

(Trip was made back then on 23 Nov 2019, 2 years before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit)

This specialty shop serves up healthy sweets such as tofu soft serve ice cream and donuts made from soy bean pulp.

But the soft serve and donut have a subtle Tofu aroma which was really interesting. A plus point was that the soft serve was not overly sweet. The donut was soft and chewy and felt like a cross between a mochi and bread rolled into one, and had a very unique flavour from the soy beans.

Definitely...

A must visit for Tofu lovers. They have a lot of soybean based products. The Tofu Soft Cream has a very light tofu taste. The Tofu Donuts were delicious. Would love to try the Soymilk Shake next time. Would definitely repurchase the Tofu Donuts when in...