How do I get to Hamare Utatsu?

The shopping village is located approximately 1 minute walk from JR Kesennuma Line BRT Utatsu Station, making it highly accessible by public transportation. The full address is 100-4 Utatsu-isatomae, Minamisanriku Town, Motoyoshi District, Miyagi 988-0453. The facility was built on elevated ground approximately 7 meters above sea level as part of post-tsunami reconstruction efforts. For those traveling by car, the location is in the northeastern corner of Miyagi Prefecture along the Sanriku coast.

What can I see and do at Hamare Utatsu?

Visitors can shop for local products and souvenirs, enjoy fresh seafood at various restaurants, and experience the warm hospitality of the local community. The architectural design features distinctive large eaves creating an Engawa (semi-outdoor corridor) that allows views of the sea despite the elevated location. At the adjacent Kamome-kan, you can see a postbox that was washed away by the 2011 tsunami and drifted to Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture, returning a year and nine months later. The facility also hosts seasonal events, including the annual Utatsu Summer Festival featuring performances, dancing, and fireworks.

Miyagi

Minami Sanriku Hamare Utatsu, Miyagi

Q: What is Minami Sanriku Hamare Utatsu?

Hamare Utatsu is a permanent reconstruction shopping village in Minamisanriku Town that opened in 2017 following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. The facility was designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma using traditional Japanese construction methods and local Sanriku cedar. It replaced the temporary Isatomae Fukko Shopping Street and serves as a community hub featuring local shops, restaurants, and services. The name "Hamare" comes from local dialect meaning "Come and join us! Let's be friends!" while also combining "hama" (beach) and "mare" (sea in Italian).

Q: Is there an admission fee?

There is no admission fee to enter Hamare Utatsu. Visitors can freely explore the shopping village, browse local shops selling regional products, clothing, and electronics, and dine at restaurants featuring local seafood. The adjacent Kamome-kan display area, which houses the historic postbox that drifted from Utatsu to Okinawa after the tsunami, is also free to view. Individual shops and restaurants operate independently with their own prices.

3.4 (153)Liquor StoreDessert RestaurantClothing StoreCafeHome Goods StoreWholesalerSeafood RestaurantRestaurantStoreFoodPoint Of InterestEstablishment

Last updated Mar 29, 2026

Minami Sanriku Hamare Utatsu is a reconstruction shopping village in the Utatsu district of Minamisanriku Town, located in the far northeastern corner of Miyagi Prefecture along the scenic Sanriku coast. The facility was built on a site raised by 10 meters following the devastation caused by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. Opened in 2017, it serves as a permanent successor to the temporary Isatomae Fukko Shopping Street that operated after the disaster.

Renowned architect Kengo Kuma designed the market using traditional Japanese construction methods and local Sanriku cedar, featuring large eaves that extend beyond the main structure to create an Engawa, a semi-outdoor corridor typical of Japanese houses. The facility sits approximately 7 meters above sea level, and the architectural design deliberately maintains a connection between the sea and visitors despite the elevated position. The name "Hamare" derives from local dialect meaning "Come and join us! Let's be friends!" while also combining "hama" (beach) and "mare" (sea in Italian).

Visitors can explore local shops offering regional products, clothing, electronics, and dining options featuring local seafood. The adjacent Kamome-kan displays a notable artifact: a postbox from Utatsu that was washed away by the tsunami and drifted ashore on Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture a year and nine months later. The facility serves as both a commercial center and a symbol of the community's resilience, with residents known for their warm hospitality and strong community bonds. The shopping village hosts seasonal events including the annual Utatsu Summer Festival featuring performances, dancing, and fireworks.

Access to Hamare Utatsu is convenient from JR Kesennuma Line BRT Utatsu Station, located approximately 1 minute walk from the facility. There is no admission fee to enter the shopping village. The surrounding area offers views of the distinctive rias coastline and access to other reconstruction memorial sites documenting the region's recovery from the 2011 disaster.

Phone

+81 226-36-3117

Website

hamare-utatsu.com

The area

Address

Isatomae-96-1 Utatsu, Minamisanriku, Motoyoshi District, Miyagi 988-0453, Japan

Phone

+81 226-36-3117

Website

hamare-utatsu.com

What other travelers are saying about Minami Sanriku Hamare Utatsu, Miyagi

When I visited on Monday, most of the stores were closed, and it was hard to tell the difference between the closed stores and the vacant ones... The stores that were open were having closing down sales, which was sad news. The soccer team flags were still there, but there were fewer of them and they had been replaced with larger flags.

Nearby attractions to see

Mizusawa Prefectural Office Memorial Hall, Tome

Shiogama Fish Market

Naruko Onsen, Osaki

Fukuurajima

Nearby attractions to see

Mizusawa Prefectural Office Memorial Hall, Tome

Shiogama Fish Market

Naruko Onsen, Osaki

Fukuurajima

Frequently Asked Questions

It's about a three-minute drive from the Utatsu IC on the Minami Sanriku Expressway, along National Route 45. As I mentioned earlier, this shopping street is only good for light shopping. If you're looking for Minami Sanriku souvenirs and food and drink, I recommend heading to Minami Sanriku San San Shopping Street, about a 15-minute drive from here. I visited on a Sunday in August 2024, and it was fairly quiet. There are about seven stores, and it's a great place to grab a bite to eat (they serve seafood bowls) and take a break. (They also sell stag beetles.) There's also an adjacent facility called the Hamare Utatsu Shopping Street Kamomekan, which I stopped by as the meeting point for the Minami Sanriku fossil excavation tour. So, while the facility itself is a bit deserted, it's quiet enough that it's perfect for a break. Minami Sanriku San San Shopping Street is crowded, so if you're not looking for fossils, I think it's perfectly fine to skip it.

Tetra

Aug 4, 2024

Japanese It was so much fun! We could relax, and the kids seemed to be having a great time playing! I think it would be even more fun if more people came! What's Minamisanriku Hamare Utatsu like? First of all, there are sashimi shops, soft serve ice cream and shake shops (selling vegetables and local Minamisanriku specialties)! There are restrooms, of course! It might be a great place to relax and unwind! Also, there are about 50 parking spaces. Please come and try it✨ English It was a lot of fun. We could enjoy relax and the kids seemed to play there too! I think it would be even more fun if more people came! What is Minami Sanriku Hamare Utatsu like? First of all, There are mainly sashimi shops, soft serve ice cream, shakes, and shops (selling vegetables and Minami Sanriku specialties)! Of course, there are toilets! It would be a great place to take a leisurely break✨ There are also about 50 parking spaces. Please come and visit.

Hoya (ホーヤ)

Apr 20, 2024