The Hokancho area, within walking distance of the west exit of JR Okayama Station, is a popular spot dotted with popular restaurants, long-established shops, and stylish cafes. We'll introduce five local favorites, including authentic soba dishes, Okayama fruit parfaits, custom ice cream, and freshly baked bagels.
2025.10.17-
Table of Contents
- 1. Soba Sabo Kochu - A traditional Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy authentic soba dishes
- 2. Kannonyama Fruit Parlor OKAYAMA- A specialty shop serving Okayama fruit parfaits
- 3. Hachiko Ice Bake- Custom-made ice cream shop
- 4. HATTORI BAGEL - A popular bagel specialty store serving freshly baked bagels
- 5. Mon Repos- A long-established cafe loved by locals for many years
1. Soba Sabo Kochu - A traditional Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy authentic soba dishes
It's about an 8-minute walk from the taxi stand at the west exit of JR Okayama Station. Walk almost straight north to reach the restaurant. Despite being located near a major intersection, the restaurant is characterized by its quiet and peaceful old-fashioned building, and is always bustling with customers as soon as it opens. Run by the owner alone, the restaurant offers a rich set menu including soba konto (traditional Japanese sweets made from buckwheat flour), soba noodles, side dishes, fruit, and dessert. Rice is included with the side dishes, so you'll be sure to be full.
Freshly boiled soba noodles
Once you're seated, tea and soba kento are offered, followed by freshly boiled soba noodles. They're cooked just right and have a smooth texture, which you can dip in the dipping sauce that contains condiments. There's quite a lot of soba noodles, but they're so delicious you'll finish them all! Sobayu (the hot water used to boil the soba noodles; a traditional Japanese drink) is also brought, and you can dilute the dipping sauce and drink it at the end. It's a relaxing moment, but it's not over yet. This is where the prepared lunch begins. The soba noodles are treated like an appetizer.
Lots of prepared dishes
Along with the main dish, many small side dishes are brought out. I had just eaten the soba noodles, but the rice was also served in a bowl, so it was quite filling! Each dish uses seasonal ingredients and vegetables, and is extremely nutritious. It also comes with fruit, so you might think that's the end, but there's more to come.
Dessert is soba dumplings
The dessert on this day was soba dumplings. The hot, fluffy dumplings were delicious! The subtle aroma of soba noodles made it a dessert that could be enjoyed with all five senses. When I visited during the hot summer months, I had anmitsu (a traditional Japanese cold dessert). The menu allows you to enjoy a variety of seasonal flavors. As the owner runs the restaurant alone, reservations can only be made by phone after 4pm.
[Soba Teahouse Kochu]
Address: 1-9-4 Okayama Prefecture, Hokancho Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-254-2669
Business hours: 11:30-17:00
Closed: Saturday to Monday
Parking: None
2. Kannonyama Fruit Parlor OKAYAMA- A specialty shop serving Okayama fruit parfaits
It's about a 6-minute walk from the taxi stand at the west exit of JR Okayama Station. You'll see a line of people in a narrow alleyway, which is where you'll find Kannonyama Fruit Parlor OKAYAMA. This specialty shop offers parfaits that let you fully enjoy the fruits of Okayama, the kingdom of Okayama. We recommend receiving your numbered ticket at the reception outside and strolling around the area until it's time to enter. There are counter and table seats inside the shop.
Seasonal Fruit Farm Parfait
In Okayama Prefecture, you can enjoy seasonal fruits all year round. I had the "Seasonal Fruit Farm Parfait" (1,890 yen), which can be ordered all year round. Since I visited in August, it was made with watermelon and grapes that were just starting to bloom. Since it's made with the fruits that are in season at the time, it's a parfait that you'll want to enjoy every season. It's quite filling, but the fruit is the main ingredient and the cream is just the right amount of sweet, so I was able to finish it all! It was very delicious.
Okayama Prefecture Peach Parfait
If you visit Okayama, you should definitely try the Okayama Prefecture Peach Parfait. The peach harvest season is over, and it's no longer on sale this year, but it uses a whole peach, cut into bite-sized pieces, making it both visually appealing and satisfying! Be sure to visit Okayama in time for the next peach season!
[Kannonyama Fruit Parlor OKAYAMA]
Address: 1-5-15 Okayama Prefecture, Hokancho, Kita Ward
TEL: 086-236-8511
Business hours: 11:00-18:00
Closed: None
Parking: Affiliated parking available
3. Hachiko Ice Bake- Custom-made ice cream shop
It's about a six-minute walk from the taxi stand at the west exit of JR Okayama Station. At first, I was a bit puzzled, thinking "Mixed ice cream?", but once I ordered and it was brought to me, I understood. You choose from three different ice cream bases and your favorite seasonal fruits, and they mix them in a special machine to create your ice cream. It's custom-made ice cream, and it's so much fun to see what flavor it will end up being! They also sell scones (British-style baked goods) to enjoy as a snack with your ice cream.
Mixed ice cream and scones
You can choose between a cup or a cone (waffle cone) for the mixed ice cream, so I chose the cup. The ice cream base was matcha (powdered Japanese green tea) mixed with dried figs, and I had it with a scone. The chewy ice cream was accented with crushed dried fruit, which was very delicious. It was an ice cream packed with all my favorite things! The ice cream and scone went well together, and I was full.
Specially selected scones
The scones are made with wheat, fresh cream, beet sugar (sugar made from beets), and carefully selected ingredients from Hokkaido, so you can tell they are made with great care and deliciousness. They are moist on the inside and crispy on the outside, and are made with seasonal ingredients according to the season, so you'll want to come back again and again. You can also eat in on the second floor of the shop, so you can spend some time relaxing. To get to the room on the second floor, you have to go outside and enter through an alley, which is a bit of a thrill, but enjoy it.
[Hachiko Ice Bake]
Address: 1-5-5 Okayama Prefecture, Hokancho Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-250-4067
Business hours: 11:00-18:00
Closed: None
Parking: Affiliated parking available
4. HATTORI BAGEL - A popular bagel specialty store serving freshly baked bagels
Located about a 6-minute walk from the taxi stand at the west exit of JR Okayama Station, HATTORI BAGEL is a bagel specialty shop that is always bustling with customers. They have a huge selection of bagels (soft, chewy round breads) on display, and they all look delicious. The lineup is so good it's hard to decide what to get. You can also eat in on the second floor, so it's also recommended for those who want to enjoy a leisurely cafe break.
Freshly baked bagels
When freshly baked bagels are displayed, they sell like hotcakes, demonstrating their popularity. Bagels can also be frozen, so many customers buy in bulk. I also froze some and baked them in the toaster oven, but they were delicious even when eaten at home. I recommend buying in bulk, as you can enjoy the fluffy texture of freshly baked bagels.
A wide selection of prepared dishes
They also offer bagels that are similar to sandwiches, and many customers eat in for lunch.
【HATTORI BAGEL】
Address: 1-4-12-1 Okayama Prefecture, Kita Kita Ward, Okayama City, Hokancho
TEL: 086-959-4391
Business hours: 10:30-18:00
Closed: Sundays and Mondays
Parking: None
5. Mon Repos- A long-established cafe loved by locals for many years
Located about a 6-minute walk from the taxi stand at the west exit of JR Okayama Station, the long-established cafe "Mon Repos" is a cozy place with a nostalgic atmosphere. It's close to the station and serves lunch on weekdays, making it a popular spot. They also serve parfaits, unique to Okayama!
Grape verrine
They also have a regular-sized parfait filled with fruits from Okayama Prefecture, but on this day I had a slightly smaller parfait called the "Grape Verrine" (850 yen). Verrine (a French word for dessert served in a glass container) is a small parfait, and the portion is surprisingly small, which is nice! It's also recommended as a dessert after lunch. It's filled with plenty of Shine Muscat grapes (a high-quality grape variety) from Okayama Prefecture, and the fresh cream is just the right amount of sweet. It's sold in limited quantities, and on this day it was the last one left. I'm looking forward to it as the menu changes depending on the seasonal fruits.
Shine Muscat Soda
I found a rare soda! It's "Shine Muscat Soda" (780 yen) made with Shine Muscat juice from Okayama Prefecture. It's sweet and refreshing, and the Shine Muscat grapes make it a visually appealing drink. Be sure to try it when it's in season!
[Mon Repos]
Address: 1-13-10 Okayama Prefecture, Kita Kita Ward, Okayama City, Hokancho
TEL: 086-253-9399
Business hours: 8:00-18:30
Closed: Sundays
Parking: 2 spaces available
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