I had pork bowl. I was very hungry but it was already past 2:30 PM, and this was the only restaurant around that was open. The taste of the pork bowl is as you would expect. I also had it with soba noodles. Eating while looking at the sea is really nice. It's very calming. Thank you.

On the 3rd day of the 10-day Golden Week trip, we left Kushiro and headed west. We made a stop at this facility for a break. I remembered visiting here 10 years ago and buying some Tsuzangi, but for some reason, it was gone... I wonder why? (laughs) Tsuzangi - 280 yen. I wasn't very interested, but since it was made with Shiranuka ingredients, I decided to try it. The taste was okay, with a lighthouse Tsu coating of light Tsuzangi powder flavor, but the Tsuzangi itself was unique so I had no regrets. It was 9:30 am, and the restaurant would open in 30 minutes, where I could have some pork cutlet curry, so I hesitated for a moment before stepping on the gas towards our next destination.

When I traveled to Kushiro, I visited Koiwai-kan to try their famous pork bowl. The building had a similar atmosphere to when I last visited 25 years ago, a bit dark but nostalgic. They had a variety of snacks with illustrations of cranes and marimo, perfect for souvenirs. The prices were reasonable, making it easy to purchase. I also tried some of the snacks at home and they were just as good as I expected, providing good value for the price. (I think brightening up the lighting a bit could increase the purchase desire.)

Summer~? No, it's still a bit of lingering autumn heat. But I tried the summer limited soft serve. It's from Koimonkan, an outside soft serve. Even though it's already limited to summer outside, I couldn't decide between the regular vanilla or cappuccino. However, since it's a summer limited edition, I had to go with the Aurora soft serve!! It's a beautiful blue color, but the description board says it's neither ramune nor soda. Still, it looked so pretty, so I decided to try it. The blue part tastes like regular vanilla. And they drizzle mango syrup on top, so even though it's blue, it tastes like mango. You can feel the summer vibes. It's almost autumn, but it's cold, so I enjoyed it in the car instead of by the sea. I wonder if they'll have this next summer?

Visit date: July 13, 2019 After enjoying sushi and soba, next stop is Koiyaman for some treats. The place seems quite crowded with tourists. Our main target is the White Lover soft serve ice cream. My companion has tried it before, but it's my first time. We ordered: - White Lover soft serve ice cream (White) - 330 yen - White Lover soft serve ice cream (Mixed) for my companion We also got a White Lover chocolate drink and Marimokkori Garana as well. We sat on the bench next to the entrance to enjoy our treats. The White Lover soft serve ice cream was rich and creamy, but had a refreshing aftertaste. It definitely had the distinct flavor of White Lover chocolates. Quite delicious. After finishing, I looked around for a trash bin but couldn't find one. When I asked, I was told they don't have one for security reasons. Perhaps it's a matter of manners. The staff kindly offered to dispose of our trash, which was very thoughtful. Feeling full, we called it a day. Thank you for the meal.

I visited Koi Toikikan with my partner on a drive. When I went to buy juice from the vending machine, I saw octopus tempura! I decided to try the octopus tempura. It was made so quickly that I wondered if it was already cooked. Since we were at the beach, I thought it would be nice to eat it on the sand. The octopus tempura had a thin crispy coating and a strong octopus flavor, it was delicious. If it had been warmer, sitting on a piece of driftwood and eating outside would have been nice too! The sea was rough today. Thank you for the meal.

Welcome.---------- June 2019 ----------It was at the Michi-no-Eki "Koiwadate" in the Kushiro areaー|o| °д°)ﾉHelloIt's a great place to take a break on a long drive a little more to reach Kushiro, but it's a bit of a distance. It's a good place for local specialties and sugar replenishment. There's also a restaurant in the back... like "pork bowl".White Lover Soft Serve Ice Cream(= ´∀´)ﾉ凵゛I know it may not be the best choice here, but I saw it written as "Surprising Espresso" from the representative chocolate brand of Hokkaido, so I couldn't resist. But this is also really good.Sweet milk with a hint of bitterness from the cocoa spreads throughout your body, leaving a refreshing aftertaste. Improvised stuffNow... time to set off, but reaching the destination right away is indescribable w.

I visited the Shiranuka Product Center Koimonkan! It's been a while since I last went, but I always stop by on my way back from Kushiro. I was planning to buy that Tobo as usual, but...!!! It was out of stock. The Ko no Shakebi series is currently discontinued due to a shortage of raw materials. It is scheduled to be available for sale from May onwards. I'll buy something else as a substitute today. I wonder if it will go well with beer.

I always stop by on my way back from Kushiro. The purpose is to get Kando Ramune. They always have plenty of stock so I can stop by without worrying about it being sold out. This time, I also bought Nekotama. It comes with an 8-hour ice pack, so I can bring it back home as a souvenir even on a long drive. It used to be available at Sapporo Station, so I had the chance to try it there. Now, 6 hours later, I enjoyed it at home. Nekotama "Moka" was still frozen solid. I let it thaw a bit in my palm to soften it. It was delicious, like having winter ice cream. My body craved sugar and water. Thank you for the delicious treat.

Soft serve ice cream from Shiroi Koibito! Purchased at the shop inside the store! It started melting before I could take a photo outside, so I scooped some with a spoon! The taste is delicious! But I wonder if it really tastes like Shiroi Koibito?

I forgot to take a photo again. I realized when I had eaten about half of it and felt disappointed. I chose grilled fish eggs and fried fish eggs. The fried fish eggs were a bit greasy, but the grilled fish eggs were soft and easy to eat. Both were delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Today is February 22nd, which is Nyannyan Day, so I'll take this opportunity to review a sweet treat. I used to buy it near Kushiro Station, but it suddenly disappeared. However, one day I found it at the airport and felt relieved. The outside is chewy, with smooth cream inside that is creamy and flavorful. It's different from Yukimi Daifuku and absolutely delicious. This is a hidden gem of Kushiro, and you can also find it at Chitose Airport. I always buy it when I come across it.

I went to lunch with a friend and then had a Mocha Daifuku, so now I'm craving something salty, right? (^ー^) I also wanted to take a little drive, so we headed to Shiranuka Road Station, Koi-toi-kan. I know that the soft serve ice cream sold outside the building is not available this time of year. But I remember that they sell salty snacks next to the building! And they should be open regardless of the season! Bingo - we found it! The unique shape of the fried potatoes caught my eye, but Shiranuka is famous for its octopus, so let's try the octopus karaage (*˙˘˙*) Since I was the driver, my friend treated me to it~ (*´∀`) They fry the octopus karaage after you order it, so you can enjoy it piping hot, but the octopus is huge (๑*д*๑) It might be tender, but it's so big that I couldn't figure out when to swallow it - (||ﾟДﾟ) And it's a bit too salty (￣▽￣;) The octopus releases more flavor the more you chew, so they really didn't need to make the batter so salty... Oh well, it was just too big for me to handle (´ºωº｀) If you have weak teeth, be careful because it's definitely not for everyone (-人-;)

Now, I am driving from Kushiro to Sapporo. When heading from Kushiro to Sapporo, there is a high-grade road from Akanko IC which is the shortest in terms of time. However, I am not in a hurry, so I have decided to stop in Obihiro to have pork bowl or soba and then get on the highway from Tokachi Shimizu IC. Let's stop by Shiranuka Town Koimondan! Here, they have local products such as lamb meat, octopus, cheese, smelt, and more. The octopus has a thick leg like a water octopus and a chewy texture similar to the one from Mauritania. This time, I have decided on the salted sea squirt. I used to dislike the soft taste of sea squirt, but now it's the best snack with alcohol! I used to think that sea squirts were delicious in Hokkaido's Dounan and Tohoku in Honshu. Anyway, I thought the bigger, the better. Because thick slices of sea squirt sashimi are the best. The sea squirt salted from Oidainuma is also delicious, but the one from Shiranuka is also good. It is sold in bottled frozen form. By the time I arrive in Sapporo, it will be ready to eat! I also bought Fukushi Shuzo's active sake (unfiltered sake). It's a sparkling sake, so I can't lay it down. The cork has a small hole in it. Well, let's put it in the boots in the back seat of the car! (laughs) I'm silly! It's a bit salty, but it's sea squirt after all! It has an indescribable texture and taste. It goes well with sake. I eat it as it is, but it's also good with wasabi soy sauce. They also have live fish tanks. There are live tanks at the roadside stations with crabs and turban shells. I didn't bring a cooler box, so I have to give up, but it's like a small market!

August 29, 2017 (Day 4) Solo trip to Eastern Hokkaido for the first time in 7 years - Day 4~♪ After leaving Nemuro, I traveled 77km west to the Michi-no-Eki (roadside station) "Akkeshi Gourmet Park" and arrived at 10:00. First, I visited the souvenir shop and store to get some oyster-related souvenirs and then at 11:00, I enjoyed the "Bucket Oysters" at the charcoal-grilled restaurant "Enya", savoring the juicy and aromatic steamed oysters from Akkeshi. Next, I traveled further west for 67km, passing through Kushiro city and heading to the Michi-no-Eki "Shiranuka Koi Toi" in Koi Toi, Shiranuka-cho, Shiranuka-gun. This roadside station along the Pacific Ocean had various facilities like a restaurant called "Munraito", a direct sales store of Shiranuka Fisheries Cooperative, local produce shop "Tora Shin", souvenir corner, soft serve ice cream at "House Chapel", "Koi Koi Gyoza", and ramen at "Horyu Koi Toi-kan". It had a drive-in style setup. I purchased "Heart in Chocolat" (12 pieces for 540 yen tax included) and "Koi Toi Langues de Chat" (12 pieces for 700 yen tax included) from the souvenir corner. "Heart in Chocolat" was a gift for a friend. Outside the roadside station, there was a mailbox with the image characters "Koita" and "Meika" holding love letters. Inside the station, two large stuffed animals welcomed visitors, representing the concept of Koita, a squid born in Shiranuka, and Meika, a squid born in Kyushu. The story goes that these two met at Koi Toi coast and got separated in a storm, but their hands were still connected, symbolized by a piece of driftwood. The station also sold Hokkaido famous snacks "Shiroi Koibito" and "Shiroi Koibito Soft Serve", with illustrations of Koita and Meika on the boxes, making them unique souvenirs from Koi Toi-kan. The "Koi Toi Langues de Chat" was a crispy cookie with chocolate and strawberry jam, a sweet and nostalgic treat perfect with tea. Though I may not be the type for lovers but more like a quirky middle-aged man, this souvenir was delicious but perhaps not the best choice (sweat). Next, I headed north towards Lake Akan, making a stop at the Kushiro Tancho Nature Park before making a quick visit to the Michi-no-Eki "Akan Tancho no Sato". Bon appétit! (●^o^●)

I visited the Shiranuka Product Center Koiwadatekan in Kushiro for some shopping. Inside, there is a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious pork bowl, but this time I decided to skip it. The most interesting item I found for sale was "Tantakaikken." It is a product made from the local shiso plant in Shiranuka, which is also the origin of the famous shochu brand "Tantakatan" in Hokkaido. I bought the Tantakaikken and found that it is a dorayaki with a fish imprint, representing the Ainu word for flounder. The dorayaki had a distinct shiso flavor, although I felt there was room for improvement in the texture and overall taste. The concept was interesting, and I hope they continue to develop and enhance the product. I have included images of the labels for Tantakatan and Tantakaikken for reference. It was a tasty and enjoyable experience.