On the 5th day of my trip to Eastern Hokkaido, I stayed at a guesthouse in Akkeshi City. I usually don't care much about where I stay, so I opt for budget hotels and allocate more budget for food. This time, I decided to try a guesthouse to enjoy a delicious meal. The guesthouse was very clean, and the meals were served in a separate building. Akkeshi is famous for its oysters, so I had fresh oysters and grilled oysters, which were incredibly delicious. I ordered a course with crab, and the crab with its rich miso flavor was also amazing. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well that day, so I couldn't eat much and left some food uneaten. I would love to come back for a second try.

On the outskirts of Kushiro on July 13, I heard that Yuki Uchida said a powerful word on TV, "Hate norovirus, not oysters," so I decided to go eat oysters! In Kushiro, it is said that there is almost no worry about norovirus in oysters. The quality control is strict, and you must receive training to handle them. If you were to get norovirus, it is confirmed that it is not from the virus in the shellfish, but from the person who handled it. I was considering staying at a hotel, but I decided on a local inn. The humble and gentle owner welcomed me. The inn was clean and tidy, unlike the image of traditional inns. The meals were served in a separate building that looked like a pub restaurant, but it seemed a bit dull as they didn't have regular business. I tried steamed oysters and oyster vinegar, and I personally preferred the steamed oysters packed with the richness of oysters. The oysters were small, but just the right size. Lake Akkeshi where freshwater and seawater mix. They are nurtured by high-quality plankton, so there is almost no fishy smell! The sake-steamed large clams and soup were also excellent! They are rich in zinc minerals and give you energy. However, as expected in eastern Hokkaido, there were many foxes and deer all around, which was very healing. Thank you for the delicious meal!

Almost every dish had oysters in it... I had my first oyster in life! Eating in a space with no background music or people around was too tough... I often hear the name Akkeshi. When it comes to Akkeshi oysters, it sounds luxurious. So, I decided to stay in Akkeshi to participate in the oyster festival!! Yay!! Exciting!! Checked into the inn. It's a new place, with new buildings and facilities. Nice! There were many Akkeshi guidebooks and brochures in the lobby!! Oh! There was also a pamphlet for the oyster festival! Huh? Wait, the festival dates are different from what I heard... it's already over... haha. Even though I checked the dates when making the reservation!! Has this ever happened to you?? Well, let's get over it and enjoy the meal at the inn... The meal was to be enjoyed at the neighboring izakaya. I had ordered the "Monkey and Crab Battle Plan" (special room with 1 night and 2 meals for 13,440 yen). The atmosphere of this izakaya is amazing... there were hardly any people, and no background music, so it was quiet... There were large counter seats and semi-private rooms, but the semi-private rooms only had lights turned on when customers arrived. In other words, the other rooms were dark... The dishes were quite impressive!! Each person had a whole hairy crab. If you saw it at the market, it would cost around 5,000 yen... super luxurious... The lightly salted boiled crab had a subtle saltiness, and it was delicious when eaten with crab miso! And almost all the dishes were filled with oysters... when the steamed oysters came out, I heard a "sizzle" sound from the kitchen, so I had a bad feeling... haha. It was rich and delicious!! The large size of the oysters was satisfying. The oyster hot pot had a lot of broth and was delicious. The tofu soaked up the flavors well. There were oysters in the chawanmushi and even on the soba noodles. I must have eaten over 10 oysters in total. Super luxurious!! Besides oysters, the sashimi was amazing! The tuna, white fish, and salmon were all incredibly fatty! It was a shame that the wasabi was just regular paste. So, the meal was quite wonderful, but the lack of sound was too much... I realized that to enjoy a meal, atmosphere is just as important as deliciousness! haha.