When passing through this road, I always stop by the Sanseki Michi no Eki, so I guess I'm just trying to rack up the visits (lol). After returning to the Hidaka Fisheries Cooperative Sanseki Specialty Product Sales Center, I was looking at the product descriptions when the cashier came over and offered me some items that I could purchase immediately: "Gyorosuke" for 300 yen, "Hokkai Satsuma" for 250 yen, and "Souran" for 250 yen. I decided to go with the "Gyorosuke" as it was recommended and made with 100% kajika fish. I cooked it in a frying pan for 5 hours and enjoyed it as a snack. It had a unique texture with minced kajika fish mixed with carrots, onions, and spices, coated in breadcrumbs. The cashier explained that the name "Gyorosuke" comes from the fish's eyes looking round and bulging. Although there were no pictures, I also tried the "Hokkai Satsuma" and "Souran" by cooking them after freezing. They had a firm and briny texture, similar to a solid fish cake. Although a bit pricey, they were much more satisfying compared to the thin fish cakes sold in supermarkets. I later found out that the reason why they sell fried fish cakes at the fisheries cooperative's direct sales store is to utilize the locally caught kajika fish, which tend to be overlooked during warmer months. Overall, it was a delicious and meaningful meal, and I look forward to buying more products in the future. Thank you for the meal!

We drove to the Michi-no-Eki Mitsuiishi while doing a stamp rally. When it comes to Mitsuiishi, you have to try their kamaboko! They also had some pre-made, but I wanted it freshly fried (≧∀≦) If you wait about 7-8 minutes, they will serve you freshly fried kamaboko for only 250 yen, which is very reasonable. The photo is of the octopus tempura, and it's great that it's served piping hot!

From Urakawa to Mitsuishi Michi-no-Eki. We saw horses at a ranch, and although we initially planned to visit two more places in the afternoon, my camera battery started draining on the first day. Luckily, a camera shop kindly let me charge it, but it kept decreasing. If we visit two more places, the battery won't last... It's hot, so let's just take a break at the Michi-no-Eki. We still have plenty of time, so we strolled around the Michi-no-Eki. Even though I was quite full, the shop was offering freshly fried Satsuma-age, and they had "Gyorosuke" too. It's a kind of sculpin, but it looks like Gyorosuke. I was curious, so I ordered one. They fried it quickly, I paid 300 yen, and received it. The crispy coating and thick Satsuma-age were juicy. Huh? Looking at the photo again... the nails are dirty... It's because I was so busy with work before coming to Hokkaido... Oh, and did you know that this Michi-no-Eki has a hot spring? It's hot, so I'll take a quick bath and come back~ Mitsuishi Konbu Onsen, LOL, a mystery~

I stopped by Hidaka Fisheries Cooperative Sanseki Specialty Product Sales Center to buy souvenirs from Urakawa business trip. The specialty of Sanseki is Sanseki sheep jelly, so I recommend getting the "Sanseki Sheep Jelly Round Tube" (410 yen) as a souvenir! For those who have taken care of you, consider getting the set of three types of Sanseki sheep jelly. The round tube is easy to eat and highly recommended. It comes with a string attached, making it easy to cut and enjoy a little at a time.

On this day, on my way back from work, I stopped by as usual. Today, they had Gyoro-suke so I bought some. I returned to my car and tried it. Gyoro-suke is made by mixing carp surimi with carrots, onions, spices, and then coating it with bread crumbs before frying. It is named after the bulging eyes of the carp. The crispy texture and the harmony of spicy surimi are incredibly delicious. This is perfect as a snack with beer...

On the way to Cape Kamui, I decided to buy a souvenir in advance so that I wouldn't forget, and chose "kintsuba" from this shop because it seemed like it would keep well. However, I also chose this unique item, "Hidaka City Konbu Shoyu 2 colors." When I got back and tried it, it was interesting and delicious. Thank you for the meal! By the way, there was a silly "salmon roe eye mask" for sale next to the register. I wonder what the purpose of that is. It doesn't seem funny or useful as an eye mask. It's a mystery!

Today, I checked the cherry blossom blooming status in Shizunai and visited Kurazan to soak in the hot spring while looking out at the sea. Afterwards, as usual, I stopped by this restaurant. Today, they didn't have "Gyoro-suke" so I had "Souran" instead. It was satisfying and delicious (*'∀') I haven't had it in a while, but it was really good. After that, I was planning to go to Urakawa, but since Urakawa is probably the same as Shizunai, I decided to head to Tomakomai and started driving.

Today, after reading a review by an old man from Abashiri, I felt like eating Kinki simmered dish, so I headed to Erimo. The difference between Kinki and Kinme can be easily distinguished by appearance. I got off the expressway in Hoka and took a shortcut. As I was driving, I saw a familiar wagon parked on the side of the road. The license plate caught my eye! A dandy-looking man noticed me and waved his hand. It turned out to be the boss from Otaru, who had received a gift from a client and generously shared it with me, filling up the passenger seat. Lately, I've been receiving a lot of gifts. It must be my good deeds (laughs). After thanking the boss, I continued my journey along the Hidaka road. Feeling a bit hungry, I stopped by a local product exhibition. Since they didn't have Gyoro-suke, I opted for "Tako Tempura." I ate it in the car. It has a taste of octopus and shrimp. It's delicious! For 200 yen, it's quite satisfying (laughs). With my hunger satisfied, I returned to work. On my way to Urakawa, I drive safely, so no worries, but I did see two unmarked police cars (laughs).

This place is a roadside station with hot springs where you can stay and play by the sea. There are various facilities here, and when my children were young, we used to spend the whole day playing. I don't go there often now, but surprisingly, it was really fun. The soft serve ice cream here is delicious and they have a wide variety of flavors, making it hard to choose. During the summer, this place gets quite crowded. You can play in the sea, take a bath, and stay in a bungalow. Of course, you can also enjoy a simple meal with soft serve ice cream. It's a great oasis during a long journey.

I bought smoked tsubu and other products at the Michi-no-Eki Mitsui Shi in Hidaka-cho, Hokkaido. Michi-no-Eki Mitsui Shi is a large roadside station with hot spring facilities. It is located along National Route 235, on the way from Chitose to Cape Erimo, so it is a popular stop. They sell local products, with many items related to kelp. The smoked tsubu is smoked tsubu clams. It has a crunchy texture and a nice smoky aroma. It goes well as a snack with alcohol. I enjoyed it with Hokkaido sake.

We stopped by a roadside station on our way to Sapporo. The staff seemed unenthusiastic and unhelpful. We tried some local snacks like curry croquettes and miso-flavored fish cakes, which were decent but nothing special. Overall, the experience was just okay, nothing remarkable.

Today, I visited the Sanboku Special Product Sales Center on the Hidaka Road (from Mukawa River to Erimo). Unfortunately, the restaurant serving uni donburi in Erimo was closed (they have irregular holidays), so I am facing a lunch crisis (bitter smile). I sometimes stop by this sales center, and this time I found grilled conger eel, so I bought it right away. I also got some uni miso soup. I have bought this before (laughs). When I got home, I immediately enjoyed the grilled conger eel as a side dish with shochu. It has a good texture and the flavor is coming out nicely, very delicious. It's quite big, but I finished one piece in no time (laughs).

On the third Saturday of September, the first day of a three-day weekend, we continued our journey by heading south on Route 235, arriving in Shin-Hidaka Town. We decided to make a stop at the "Michi no Eki Mitsui" here, located within the Mitsui Seaside Park, which is known for marine leisure activities. The park features a well-equipped auto campsite and a beach, and the roadside station also serves as a center house for the campsite. After exploring the area, we stumbled upon the "Hidaka Fishery Cooperative Mitsui Specialty Product Sales Center" next door. Intrigued by the offerings, we decided to focus on purchasing some dried kelp, a specialty product of the region. We found a reasonably priced option called "Mitsui Kombu Yaki Kombu" and decided to buy it. Moving on to our next destination, we later opened the package at home and tried the dried kelp. While the quality of the kelp was evident, the taste was not particularly enjoyable when eaten on its own. The package suggested various ways to enjoy the kelp, such as with soy sauce, in soup or as a cooking ingredient. Despite our initial disappointment, we look forward to trying out different recipes and appreciating the history and craftsmanship behind the Mitsui kelp.

Mitsui Road Station. Originally it was called "Mitsui Town," but it merged with the neighboring Shizunai Town to become "Shinhidaka Town." The name of this road station seems to have retained the old town name. The coastal area of the road station has a seaside park, which is bustling with summer activities such as sea pools and camping guests. Next to this road station is the "Hidaka Fisheries Cooperative Mitsui Special Product Sales Center." One of the famous items here is the freshly fried kamaboko corner, which uses the "Gajika," a grotesque fish paste. Unfortunately, they were sold out on the day I visited, so I purchased three different types of fried kamaboko instead: Octopus Tempura, Hidaka Satsuma (Onion, Shrimp, Squid, Carrot), and Soran (Squid, Onion, Carrot, Spinach). They all had a subtle sweetness and were delicious on their own. They are made with 100% local ingredients, promoting local production and consumption. In Hokkaido, the "Gajika" is also known as the "Nabe Kowashi" (pot breaker). It is said that it got this name because it is so delicious that people fight over it and end up breaking the pot with their chopsticks. In winter, it is in high demand for hot pot dishes, but in summer, it doesn't sell at all, so they came up with the idea of using it for fried kamaboko. I used to catch a lot of Gajika when I was into fishing in Oogaribe.

I went on a trip to Michishima Michi-no-Eki and wanted to buy something as a souvenir. I visited the souvenir shop where there were many bikers and campers, making it quite crowded. I couldn't find anything specific, so I ended up buying some locally produced beans. It was a good value for the price, as there were plenty in the pack. The taste was average. Since I went in the evening, they had already sold out of croquettes, which was disappointing. The soft-serve ice cream was popular with many flavors available.

During a drive, I wanted to take a break and have some fried food, but unfortunately they had stopped serving fried food. I was looking forward to trying some kajika (type of fish) too. Oh well, I'll have to come back in the summer for a rematch! Inside the store, they were selling lots of seafood. They even had a rare item called "tororo surume" (dried squid with grated yam). They had various types of seaweed, including yuzu seaweed, wasabi seaweed, and shiitake wasabi seaweed. Quite a lineup! I wonder if they'll have soft serve ice cream or fried food in the summer. When I visited in the winter, it felt a bit lonely. I found some natural honey for 860 yen this time! I'm looking forward to tasting it when I get home.

In July 2013, I stopped by the "Mitsuishi Special Product Sales Center" at the "Michi no Eki Mitsuishi". What caught my eye there was the tempura made with 100% Hidaka-caught sculpin. "Gyoro-suke" (200 yen): It is made by coating sculpin surimi with batter and frying it, with a subtle curry flavor. It has a texture like a fried fish ball and is delicious in a very ordinary way, but what made me happy was that it was piping hot. It left an impression on me as it is not commonly seen in the Kanto region. "Sculpin Maru-Ten" (100 yen): This one is also piping hot! It has a texture similar to fish cake and is very easy to eat. I think it would go well with beer or sake. They also sold Sculpin Octopus Tempura (100 yen) and Sculpin Vegetable Tempura (100 yen). Since it is adjacent to the Mitsuishi Seaside Park/Auto Campground, it would be nice to eat while looking at the sea! By the way, according to Wikipedia, sculpin is described as follows: Sculpin (Cottus pollux) is a fish belonging to the sculpin family in the order Scorpaeniformes. Depending on the region, it is sometimes called "Gori" or "Donko" along with other gobies. Its body color ranges from light brown to dark brown, with rich regional variations. It is a species endemic to Japan and is distributed throughout Japan from southern Hokkaido to the south. However, only the small egg type inhabits Hokkaido.

Today, we went on a foodie road trip to a slightly faraway place during Golden Week♪ My wife, our common female friend who is always left alone by her husband during GW, and I, a total of 3 people, embarked on this unusual journey! We departed a little after 8 in the morning, picked up our friend in Nagano, and headed to our destination! All three of us agreed that we wanted to eat a proper lunch at a standard time, so we traveled in silence without eating anything since the morning. When we made a pit stop at Mitsui's Michishino Road Station, my hunger finally got the best of me and I couldn't resist, so I bought some items to satisfy my cravings at the "Hidaka Fishery Cooperative Specialty Product Sales Center" inside the road station! It seemed like our friend was in the same situation because she also made a purchase. They were selling what can be called "tempura," but the fish used in the surimi was apparently "kajika"! Interesting! I chose the plain Maru-Ten, while my friend went for the octopus-filled one. My wife, on the other hand, seems to still be holding out... She's so patient. Since I was the one driving, we ate in the car before continuing our journey. In short, it was just "ordinary tempura" (laughs) Very normal. Using kajika!? Couldn't tell (laughs) Our friend had the same impression. But I'm sure the one with octopus was tastier. It was only 100 yen, so it was fine! Now, let's hit the road again! Thank you for the meal!