I had so much fun that I forgot to take photos of the food. Today I had a business trip to Shari Town in the afternoon. It's 330km from Iwamizawa, which took me 5 and a half hours. It's far, isn't it? What should I do for dinner? I don't feel like eating in the busy downtown area. I saw a sign for a restaurant called "Victory" in a hotel where I was not staying. It turned out to be a sushi restaurant. I decided to eat here, but my boss froze at the entrance. What's wrong? I found the reason - there was a crack in the glass. "Is it okay?" was the common understanding between us (laughs). We went inside anyway. The door clicked shut. No other customers. The chef was watching TV. Chef: "Hmm?" Boss: "Are you open?" Chef: "Yes, please come in!" We ordered the "Chef's choice sushi platter for 10 pieces." I had two glasses of beer and the bill came to 6400 yen, so the sushi must be around 2500 yen per person, right? When we placed our order, the 73-year-old chef showed his true skills! He handed me the first glass of beer and then got to work on the cutting board with a sharp knife, slicing the fish slowly. I watched him carefully as he skillfully put together the rice, wasabi, and toppings with a quick motion. This continued, and two perfect sushi plates were ready. Here comes the second glass of beer. It's delicious! The boss also said that the herring was amazing! For the boss who didn't like salmon roe, the chef made a gunkan sushi with shrimp heads - unfair! Boss: "Delicious, delicious" - high praise indeed! Salmon roe was delicious, but I bet the shrimp head gunkan was even more delicious. Here's some information about the restaurant. Don't worry about the crack in the entrance glass. Don't worry about the chef relaxing inside. Don't worry about the cracks in the glass around the restaurant. Have a beer and chat with the chef. You'll feel really happy. As we were leaving, I asked, "What are you cooking in the pot?" Chef: "I'm boiling red beans." Oh, I don't know what it's for, but it must be delicious. A restaurant in a town far from home, with an amazing sushi experience. Oh, and the essence of the 73-year-old chef. The chef who has been filling the stomachs of the locals with delicious food for many years. I got a bit emotional listening to his stories from the past. If I have the chance to come back next time, I'd like to have a leisurely drink with the chef. Meeting someone once in a lifetime is truly enjoyable!

On Sunday, when many shops in Shari, Shiretoko were closed, I was worried about where to eat and was almost giving up when I saw a sign on the wall of Shari Daiichi Hotel near Route Inn. The aluminum door without a curtain seemed like a back entrance and made me anxious, but when I peeked through the window and saw the chef and some customers inside, I decided to give it a try. The interior had 4 counter seats and 6 raised tatami seats. The menu was straightforward. The omakase (chef's choice) set was priced between 2300 yen and 3500 yen, so I went for the omakase. They didn't have bottled beer, so I ordered a draft Super Dry (600 yen) and made a toast. I chatted with the chef and other customers while waiting for the sushi. My throat was dry, and the beer disappeared quickly. I ordered a cold sake (1000 yen) from Akita called Takashimizu. It didn't have a Hokkaido feel, but it paired well with the food. The chef explained that the curtain wasn't out because they were tired from being closed the day before. The omakase sushi arrived. First, there was herring with marinated herring roe in gunkan style. The fish was sweet. The salmon roe was from cherry salmon, with small but flavorful pearls. The marinated herring roe was made from salted herring, without any seasoning to mask the fish's flavor. The flounder was fatty, and the surf clam was sweet and crunchy. Even sweeter was the botan shrimp. The cherry salmon was not too fatty, and the flavor of the salmon was pronounced. The blowfish didn't make an appearance, but when it did, it had no odor and a firm texture, tasting better than shrimp. The tuna's red meat showed the chef's careful work. The scallop was thickly sliced and rich. It was a good ten-piece set. The miso soup and other side dishes were missing, but there were things that could only be eaten here. I didn't quite like the softness of the rice, but we enjoyed the true flavors for 7400 yen for two people. Thank you for the feast.

After finishing sightseeing on the second day in Hokkaido, I returned to Shari. For dinner, I was wandering around when I stumbled upon a sushi restaurant tucked away in a corner. The entrance looked a bit intimidating, but since I had come all the way to Hokkaido, I mustered up the courage to open the door. Inside, it had the atmosphere of a traditional sushi restaurant. A young couple was already there. When I asked if it was okay to dine alone, the sushi chef said, "Please sit wherever you like." There was a counter and a tatami area, but I chose the counter so I could chat with the chef. The couple next to me was very kind, recommending delicious items and even treating me to salmon roe and raw shrimp. I started with a draft beer for 600 yen to quench my thirst. Then I enjoyed various sushi dishes: scallop, surf clam, tuna, salmon, crab, salmon roe, cucumber roll with pickled cucumber, horsehair crab, squid, abalone, and more. The scallop was sweet and thick, the surf clam had a good texture, the tuna was delicious, and the salmon was fresh. The crab was simple but tasty, and the salmon roe was plump and satisfying. The cucumber roll with pickled cucumber was unique and tasty. I also had more abalone, squid, and salmon sashimi, all of which were delicious. Additionally, the couple next to me treated me to seared salmon roe and raw shrimp. The seared salmon roe had no fishy taste and was delicious, while the raw shrimp was sweet and melted in my mouth. The shrimp head was also flavorful, and I slurped up the shrimp miso. We had a great time chatting with other customers who arrived later, making it a wonderful memory of my trip. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Had dinner at a sushi restaurant near the hotel! Chose the premium sushi! It was delicious (^^)

I went to Shari after a series of work engagements in Okhotsk. Not sure where to go, I asked the locals and they recommended this place. It was a small restaurant down a narrow alley. I ended up sharing a table with a friendly old man and ordered the chef's special. The chef was explaining the different types of fish to my tablemate. The sushi rice was just right with a hint of vinegar. The fish was all fresh and delicious. The tuna had a wild taste to it, not the usual frozen kind. The salmon was flavorful without the usual fishy smell. The scallop was sweet and large. The scallop was crunchy. The flounder was delicate and tasty. The sea urchin was a Bafun uni and it was delicious. I have had sea urchin many times in Otaru, but this one was particularly satisfying.

On a weekday evening in September 2007, I stayed at a hotel in front of Shari Station during a solo train trip. On that day, I took the Super Ozora Limited Express from Sapporo to Kushiro, then enjoyed the views of Kushiro Marsh from the Kushiro Shitsugen Line to Shari Station. The next morning, I traveled to Abashiri and then headed to Asahikawa on the Sekihoku Main Line. The hotel I stayed at was Shari Central Hotel right in front of Shari Station. I wanted to have some fish for dinner, so I used the restaurant map in my room to find this restaurant. It was located just a short walk from Shari Station, but it was a bit hidden and took me some time to find it. After having a beer, I enjoyed freshly made sushi from the chef at the counter. I was able to savor Hokkaido's seafood such as salmon and shellfish.