If you take the Kintetsu Limited Express or JR Rapid from Furuya Station, you'll arrive at Iseshi Station, where Ise Grand Shrine is located, in about an hour and a half. The shrine is made up of two shrines, Geku and Naiku, and you can walk to Geku from the station, so as per the custom of "starting your pilgrimage at Ise Shrine from Geku," you can head there as soon as you arrive. This is because the opening time of our destination, Ichigetsuya, is early, at 2pm. Even before opening time, regular customers are constantly being drawn through the door, and the owner's vibrant, energetic voice echoes throughout the store. "The usual will do, right?"
The owner is Morita Kazuya, the fourth generation owner. "I cook in my own style, but I won't serve anything unless it's something I like. Speed is also important, so I don't want to keep customers waiting when they've come to drink. That's why I don't answer the phone very often."
The phone was ringing like background music, but the more I drank the shochu mixed with hot water that was poured over me, the less I paid attention to it.
The shochu we chose was "EIKI," made by Akafuku (a subsidiary of Iseman), a specialty of Ise. We ordered fried horse mackerel and seaweed vinegar and miso, which caught our eye on the menu. We also enjoyed a dish of yudofu (boiled tofu) topped with dashi soy sauce, green onions, and bonito flakes, which izakaya explorer Kazuhiko Ota called one of Japan's top three izakayas, with "Azumajishi" (Motosaka Sake Brewery, Mie Prefecture), which is said to go well with warm sake.
All of the dishes are standard pub menu items, nothing special, but they're delicious. That's what's great about them. You can clearly see that the conversation with the chef is also a way to accompany the drinks. Even though it was my first time there, after 20 minutes I felt like a regular, which must be thanks to the chef's thoughtfulness.
With this restaurant and this flavor, even if you order three dishes and two drinks, you'll still get change for 2,000 yen. Here, we have fried horse mackerel, which we're glad we ordered, and hot shochu with pickled plums. 
Just looking at the menu on the bill makes you happy. Finish off with the magical curry rice. Don't forget to try the innovative buriteri-yaki. 
The specialty is boiled tofu with wakame seaweed and vinegared miso. Sweet and spicy stewed Fukudame (also known as Tokobushi) for 1,000 yen.
