The largest farmers market in Mie Prefecture - Takano-Obana Kaido 🌞 Asatsumi 🥬🐟

The largest farm shop in the prefecture! "Takanoobana Kaido Asatsumi"

Takanoobana Kaido Asatsumi is located about 20 minutes by car from Tsu Station and about 5 minutes by car from Geino IC.

As part of a project to revitalize the Takanoo district in the northern part TsuCity, the area is a place that aims to create a "utopia that realizes new agriculture" by thinking from the ground up, producing and providing safe, secure crops with high vitality.

This time, we will report on a variety of seasonal delicacies from this facility v(^_^)v

Asatsumi opens at 9:30am. The restaurant is quite large, so we went there before the customers arrived and took some drone footage. (Click here for the aerial video)

The parking lot can accommodate over 300 regular passenger cars, so you can head out without worry.

We will introduce this vast facility, which covers an area of approximately 32,600 square meters, in the following order.

▼Table of contents

• Farmers Market🥬 Lots of fresh seasonal vegetables!
• Food Factory🍡Freshly made and delicious!
• Food court🍴Enjoy local ingredients and desserts!
• Various fun events will be held!
• ~Extra Edition~ Red Hill Heather Forest 🌳
• After the interview: Facility details

*The prices stated in the article are accurate as of the time of coverage.

Article created by Mie Travel Ambassador EM&T

Farmers Market🥬 Lots of fresh seasonal vegetables!

First, we went to the Farmers Market. The spacious store was lined with agricultural products, processed foods, rice, cut flowers, and more.

The concept of Asatsumi is "safe because it's safe, and delicious because it's fresh," and not only are the producers' names clearly displayed, but the attention to detail is wonderful! New arrival information is also posted on Instagram!

It was strawberry season when we visited 🍓 There were lots of different kinds of strawberries! The strawberries from local farmers were popular and sold out soon after the store opened 😅

Fun all-you-can-eat vegetable pack! Today's item is cherry tomatoes. They're full of fresh, sweet aromas.

The POP signs for the vegetables sold by vegetable producer Mikata (Mikata Agri Co., Ltd.) clearly explain the nutritional value and benefits of the vegetables, how to cook them, and their unique flavors.

In addition to familiar vegetables such as komatsuna and spinach, there are rare vegetables such as mustard greens (purple, green, red) and arugula, so this POP is very helpful. It also conveys Mr. Mikata's feelings about the vegetables he sells.

In addition to vegetables, they also sell meat, eggs, rice, etc.

There are many varieties of rice, and they are all carefully made using the soil, and they are sold in various sizes, so it would be fun to try them all. They sell rice in small bags or by weight, and you can have it polished for free, or choose between 3-minute, 5-minute, or 8-minute polishing.

In addition to fresh food, the Farmers Market also sells many other Mie specialty products.

There is a wide variety of preserved items such as tea, seasonings, sweets, jams, dried noodles, and pickles, and in addition to food, Mie brand towels, "oboro-towel," are also sold. If you go to "Asatsumi," you can also prepare souvenirs for people from outside the prefecture.

There will also be a corner selling local collaboration products between Mie's support Pokémon, Oshawott, and local products that are perfect as souvenirs.

In addition, as part of a regional revitalization project, a panel featuring Sakakibara Ito, the Sakakibara Onsen character from the "Onsen Musume" comic that has appeared in hot spring areas across the country, is on display. Goods are also available for purchase. Take a look and you might find something interesting!

Freshly made and delicious 💕 Food Factory

The Food Factory has a tofu workshop, a Japanese confectionery workshop, and a prepared foods workshop, all based on the concept of "local production for local consumption" in Mie Prefecture. Tofu is made from soybeans grown in Mie Prefecture and has a high soy milk content. Asatsumi also offers the popular "Yose Tofu," which is available in silken, cotton, and okara.

The Japanese sweets are made using ingredients such as mugwort, which is grown locally in takanocho, as well as seasonal vegetables and fruits from the surrounding area. At the time of our visit, there were many mugwort mochi and strawberry daifuku lined up. Both have a gentle sweetness that is made with great care for the ingredients, and the specialty "mugwort mochi" has a mugwort aroma, and the red bean paste also has the aroma of red beans, making them very delicious.

The strawberry daifuku uses freshly picked local strawberries and has a good balance of sweetness👍

There were many "chicken rice" dishes lined up at the deli workshop. It is a Takanoo flavor made by the local women's association in takanocho. The rice, vegetables, soy sauce and chicken are all produced in Mie prefecture. The simple soy sauce seasoning and chicken fat bring out the richness of the dish, making it an addictive taste.

A delicious food court where you can enjoy meals and sweets made with local ingredients.

After looking at all the delicious things, it's time to fill your stomach (lol)

The dining area inside the store is spacious, with plenty of seating space, so it's safe even for families with children.

Buy a ticket from the ticket vending machine at the entrance and take it to the counter.

We ordered the staff's recommended menu items, the "Asatsumi Set" (top left) and the "All Toppings Udon" (top right). The Asatsumi Set comes with the highly recommended chicken rice, tofu, and miso soup, while the All Toppings Udon comes with tempura, beef, tofu, a poached egg, kamaboko, and wakame seaweed. The broth is delicious, and it's great value for money!

We also recommend the pizza and fresh pasta baked in a real oven! Next time, we'd like to try other dishes.

They also prepare and sell a wide variety of bento boxes. They are all beautifully packed and look delicious.

It seems that the gelato factory that had been closed has reopened 👏 The gelato is freshly made! It is made using fresh local ingredients and special milk sourced from Anotsu Farm in TsuCity. Flavors range from standard ones such as milk, banana milk, strawberry milk, and chocolate to original ones such as cookie milk, baked sweet potato milk, and spinach and cream cheese ✨ Seasonal sorbets are also available from time to time.

As part of the drink menu, you can enjoy freshly ground Tsu roasted coffee from Fuji Coffee. Because it is freshly ground, you can enjoy the aroma and depth of flavor of the coffee.

Various fun events will be held!

What's great is that Asatsumiholds a "Freshly Caught Fish Market" every Friday from 1pm. Fresh fish caught in Ise Bay are delivered directly to the market, and it's always so popular that it often sells out within 10 to 15 minutes! In addition, on the first and third Saturdays of every nagashima.

・Freshly caught fish market event space Every Friday from 1pm (will sell out in 15 minutes?) *Ise Bay Fisheries Cooperative Association

・ nagashima direct sales of dried fish Event Square 1st and 3rd Saturdays from 9:30 to around noon *General Incorporated Association "Kaisho"

There are also lots of other exciting and fun events planned.
Please check out our homepage! 👉Homepage is here

~Extra Edition~ Next to Asatsumi is "RedHilForestofHisa"

We also stopped by RedHilForestofHisa, next to Asatsumi. This is a Satoyama garden operated by the Akatsuka Botanical Garden Group. A wide range of flowers bloom across the vast grounds, changing with the seasons. They also hold a variety of events, including photo contests, forest yoga, therapeutic walks, and pruning experiences. Why not stop by after your shopping trip?

*For more information, please visit the Red Hill "The Forest of Hisa" official website.

After the interview: Facility details

This time, I had the opportunity to talk with many producers at Asatsumi and learn about the commitment and love for their hometown that supports the food industry. Mie Prefecture is long from north to south, so it has a variety of climates, andthere are both seas and mountains, so I was able to reaffirm the abundance of ingredients. It was a wonderful day that made me think that it would be great if the good things about Mie Prefecture could be spread throughout Japan. Please come and visit this dedicated farmers' market in the middle of vast nature!