There is a small shop front with a long line of customers and a constant flow of people. It is a super popular shop that sells dried fish, mentaiko, and shirasu from famous delicious regions across the country. Today, I bought shirasu that was imported from Awaji. There was a limit of 600g. The shirasu was plump and kettle-boiled, and delicious. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.

During my first visit, I bought two types of dried young sardines, which were affordable, fresh, and delicious. Many other customers were also buying dried fish, so on my second visit, I bought dried horse mackerel, sardines, and mackerel in addition to the young sardines. The dried fish was also fresh and delicious.

I have been curious about this shop for a while. Located near the Arakawa tram stop, there are always many people lining up before it opens. I was wondering what they sell, so I took a look and found out they sell dried seafood products from all over Japan, such as mentaiko and shirasu. This time, I bought some mentaiko (sliced). It was 200 grams for 500 yen, which is a good deal. It's quite tasty when eaten on hot rice. It seems to be mentaiko from a company called Maikou Foods in Fukuoka. Buying from here is more convenient than ordering online, as you can just pick it up in person. It's no wonder there are always people lining up. Next time, I'll try buying some shirasu. By the way, there is a noren curtain hanging at the entrance with "Shirasuya" written on it, so I thought that was the name of the shop, but apparently, the actual name is "Shirasu Dondon." I didn't confirm this with the shop, just found it through an online search, so I'm not sure how accurate it is.

Kamaage Shirasu (boiled whitebait) 120g for 300 yen, Jyo Shirasu (raw whitebait) 120g for 260 yen (perfect for snacking). Much cheaper than at the supermarket. The Kamaage Shirasu is great for whitebait pasta. It's so fluffy and delicious. I'm boiling pasta just for this Kamaage Shirasu. With shiso leaves, roasted seaweed, and Kamaage Shirasu, it's easier and tastier than aglio e olio.

During my regular visit, I decided to try the Kamasu (from San'in) as the Shirasu (whitebait) was a bit pricey this time. The small Kamasu cost 230 yen. Although they also had larger ones available, I opted for the smaller size as it would fit better in the frying pan. When I cooked it, I was pleasantly surprised by the thickness of the fish, which didn't shrink much. The seasoning was just right (I didn't even need to add salt) and it was a good quality fish, similar to the Aji (horse mackerel) I had tried before. The staff always recommends the frozen Tuna Tataki, so next time I'll try the Shirasu and Tataki.

I bought cheap dried fish in Ito and Shirahama a while ago, which were processed locally using imported horse mackerel from overseas. They were surprisingly delicious. This time, I bought horse mackerel from Nagasaki for only 170 yen, which is extremely cheap. I didn't have high expectations, so I just fried it straight from the freezer. The horse mackerel looked thin, but it had a good amount of flesh. It tasted different from the horse mackerel you buy at the supermarket. I will definitely buy more next time, maybe I'll try buying barracuda or mackerel next.

Located less than 5 minutes from Minowa Station (Toden), this place is situated in a shopping street. It was my first time visiting Minowa. There are big supermarkets nearby, so it might be a good idea to park at the supermarket and buy daily necessities there before stopping by here. It seems like a father-daughter run shop. There was a kind lady inside the store. The interior is small, it can get crowded with just 2 people inside. It might be challenging to browse slowly inside when it's busy. I visited after scoping out the place when it was empty. There were 4 customers before me. Locals were buying in bulk, but the prices are still cheap. I received a small basket for my purchases. I recommend the boiled whitebait (100g for 150 yen) - small and plump with a strong salty flavor that goes perfectly with rice. Also, the dried whitebait (100g for 150 yen) - moist and delicious, perfect for snacking with seaweed. Oh, this is really tasty and affordable. I might try their dried fish next time.

The shop is called "Shirasuya". It used to be located on the edge of Joyful Minowa (right in front of the tram station), but it has now moved to the middle (next to Oomura Bakery). It is open from 10:00 to 20:00, closed on Wednesdays. I went there around 19:00 on a weekday and there were always 2-3 people in line buying. The shirasu is very cheap at 100 yen for 100g, and they are big. The shirasu on top of rice is 150 yen with a light salt taste, while the chirimen is 250 yen. You can buy shirasu starting from 100g up to 600g per person, and they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They provide a plastic bag but you need to bring your own ice pack or buy one. There is no fishy smell, the salt content is low, and it tastes great on freshly cooked rice. They also sell mentaiko (spicy cod roe) for 500 yen per 200g, as well as dried seafood and processed products like dried sardines, dried horse mackerel, teriyaki yellowtail (marinated in sauce?), and salmon marinated in miso paste.