VOL.209 NOVEMBER 2025
ENJOYING JAPAN’S MARKETS
Sanpachi Market: A Morning Market at the Shopping District with a Long History
On market days, banners announcing the Sanpachi Market are displayed.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
Teramachi-dori Shopping Street in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, boasts a history of over 100 years. This article highlights the Sanpachi Market, a morning market held on days of the month that include the numbers 3 and 8.
Located in northern Mie Prefecture along Ise Bay, Kuwana City is about a 25-minute express train ride from Nagoya Station in Aichi Prefecture. Historically, it prospered as the eastern gateway for pilgrims traveling to Ise Shrine.1 During the Edo period (early 17th to the middle of the late 19th century), Kuwana developed as a post town2 on the Tokaido,3 the route connecting Edo (present-day Tokyo) and Kyoto, and today the city retains many historical sites. From Kuwana Station in the city center, a roughly 10-minute walk toward the bay leads to the arcade of Teramachi-dori Shopping Street, where the Sanpachi Market is held.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
The shopping district, which stretches approximately 200 meters from north to south and is home to more than 30 shops, traces its history back to the Taisho period (1912–1926). According to WATANABE Sayaka of the Kuwana City Tourism Association, the district began to take shape around 1915, when the railway reached Kuwana and the city began to develop.
“The name Teramachi-dori Shopping Street comes from the many temples lining the street, including Kuwana Betsuin Honto-ji,4 which helped the area prosper as a temple-front town. In the 1910s, shops began to gather in the city center of Kuwana—then flourishing through seafood and rice trade—gradually forming the shopping district as it exists today. The street features a variety of stores, from seafood shops selling local specialties such as Kuwana hamaguri (clams) to clothing stores, florists, and wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) shops, all closely connected to the daily lives of the local community.”
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
In 1953, the Sanpachi Market—a morning market featuring local seasonal vegetables, fresh seafood, and regional specialties—was established, becoming a beloved fixture and one of Kuwana’s most representative morning markets.
“Sanpachi Market is held on days of the month that include the numbers 3 and 8 along Teramachi-dori Shopping Street. Normally a quiet morning street, it comes alive on market days as numerous vendors gather from the surrounding area to sell daily necessities, local vegetables, processed foods, and light meals—offering plenty of opportunities for strolling and tasting local treats. The arcade allows the market to continue even in rainy weather, and it draws large crowds of shoppers. From long-established traditional shops to newer stores, the market offers a glimpse of a town that retains its retro charm while gradually evolving, creating a lively space for community interaction,” says WATANABE.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
In addition to permanent shops, around 70 vendors participate in the market, including stalls selling field-grown vegetables5 brought in by local farmers. Alongside clothing stores, pottery shops, dagashi shops (selling inexpensive snacks for children), fishmongers, greengrocers, and prepared-food vendors, the market also features large butsudan shops—retailers of Buddhist altars and related ritual items—befitting the street’s temple-front heritage.
“Many visitors to the morning market are local residents, including many elderly long-time shoppers who have frequented the district for years, as well as families spanning three generations. Overall, the market maintains a relaxed and inviting atmosphere,” explains WATANABE.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
The market also features Kuwana’s specialty, shigureni, a local product with a history dating back to the Edo period.
“Shigureni consists of clams such as asari and hamaguri, harvested from nearby coasts, simmered in a sweet-and-salty sauce of soy sauce and sugar. It is enjoyed as a side dish with rice or as a snack to accompany sake.”
The morning market begins around 8 a.m. and winds down by noon. After enjoying the market, WATANABE encourages visitors to take a stroll around Kuwana City.
“Kuwana is not a large tourist city, but its compact streets offer a sense of nature and history. In just half a day, visitors can explore historic sites such as Rokkaen6 and the remains of Shichiri no Watashi,7 all within easy reach of Kuwana Station. We hope visitors will enjoy exploring the city and experiencing all it has to offer.”
- 1. Making a pilgrimage to Ise Grand Shrine. Originally, the shrine enshrined the imperial ancestors, and visits by the general public were prohibited. From the medieval period onward, not only nobles but also commoners began to make pilgrimages.
- 2. Post towns (shukuba-machi) developed along highways around official lodging stations. They served as hubs where travelers could stay and where people and goods could be transported.
- 3. The Tokaido, the main road connecting Nihonbashi in Edo (present-day Tokyo) to Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto. Along this route, 53 post towns—known as the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido—were established.
- 4. Officially named Shinshu Otaniha Kuwana Betsuin Honto-ji, also known as Kuwana Gobo.
- 5. Vegetables grown outdoors without the use of vinyl houses or greenhouses.
- 6. Rokkaen, the residence of second-generation entrepreneur MOROTO Seiroku, completed in 1912–1913. Designed by the British architect Josiah Conder.
- 7. Shichiri no Watashi, a roughly 28-kilometer water route connecting Kuwana and Atsuta in Nagoya during the Edo period. It was the only maritime section of the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido.
By MOROHASHI Kumiko
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji