Marukan Restaurant

Marukan Building Dining Hall is a restaurant on the 6th floor of Marukan Building with panoramic views over Hanamaki City. It originally operated as the large cafeteria of the former Marukan Department Store. When the department store closed, the dining hall also shut down—but strong local demand led to its revival in 2017. The classic flavors, interior, and atmosphere were carried over, and the retro Showa-era cafeteria vibe still fills the space today. At the entrance, a showcase packed with food replicas makes it hard to choose. Signature dishes include "Napoli-katsu" (a generous plate of Napolitan spaghetti topped with a big chicken cutlet), the addictive spicy-thick-sauce "Marukan Ramen," and the famous 10-layer soft-serve ice cream towering about 25 cm high. In Hanamaki style, the soft-serve is eaten with chopsticks. The building is located about a 15-minute walk from JR "Hanamaki Station," at the entrance to Kamimachi Shopping Street in central Hanamaki. The 1st floor houses a dagashi (traditional snack) shop, and the 2nd floor contains the "Hanamaki Toy Museum," featuring many toys made from Iwate-grown wood—fun for everyone from children to seniors.