I visited Misuzu Asakura, a place known for its water wheels, after a long time. I took a bus from Asakura Kaido Station to Hagaki, which took about an hour. In mid-August, there were plenty of vegetables available, including delicious fruits like Kyoho grapes, Shine Muscat grapes, figs, and pears. The highlight of today's visit was the soup curry at Cafe Sakura, priced at 670 yen. When dining in, it comes with a side salad. Takeout is also available. The soup curry is filled with summer vegetables like okra, carrots, pumpkin, and bitter melon, along with chicken, egg, and a light broth. It is very delicious!

A few minutes drive from "Michi no Eki Ukiah" is the "Michi no Eki Haritsuru Farm Station Basaro," but I had to give up shopping there because I bought too much at the previous rest stop. So, I headed towards Asakura Interchange. On the way, there is a place called "Mitsurensuishanomori Asakura," which also has a roadside market. I decided to take a quick restroom break there and ended up buying two packs of chicken meat that I forgot to get earlier, along with some mackerel sushi from the deli section. I couldn't resist trying a piece of the mackerel sushi in the car, and it was delicious! It was a good find and a great deal at 550 yen for a thick slice. We ended up finishing all of it between the two of us. I'm glad we stopped by, always finding good stuff like this makes it worth it!笑

I visited Asakura at Michi no Eki Sanrensuisha and discovered the famous apple curry and apple pie from Ringo to Budo no Ki. I love apple pie so I had to buy it! It's filled with plenty of apples that are soft and almost melting. The pie crust is also delicious.

I tried the soup curry that was featured on TV and it was delicious.

From Tosu Junction on the Kyushu Expressway, I got off onto the lanes of the Oita Expressway... The interchange I got off at is Asakura. (^o^) It is Asakura City in Fukuoka Prefecture. Still fresh in memory is the heavy rainfall that occurred in northern Kyushu in July of Heisei 29, causing concentrated heavy rain in Fukuoka and Oita Prefectures. Asakura City, too, suffered extensive damage in that area. It has been a year since then, but the devastating scars still remain in some places. While discussing this topic, I drive my car. The place I arrived at is "Mitsuren Waterwheel Village Asakura." This shop also suffered damage, but has managed to recover beautifully! (^-^) The producers in Asakura City sell a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, specialty products, and side dishes. My goal is grapes! (^-^) Every year at this time, I drive to buy grapes from my favorite orchard. (^o^) Gorbey and Shine Muscat! I like the firm and thick texture of Gorbey, along with its moderate acidity! Shine Muscat can be eaten with the skin on, and its high sugar content gives it a rich sweetness that is irresistible! (^-^) They were very delicious! As a bonus story... Before arriving at this shop, I stopped by a butcher shop that sells horse sashimi. Why? Because my eldest daughter asked me to buy horse sashimi. (laughs) (^^; I ordered 300g of lean meat! I also asked for the mane, but it seems that the frozen lump is still too hard to cut, making it difficult to divide. However, I didn't give up... (laughs) (^^; Since I came from Yamaguchi Prefecture, I didn't know the geography around here, so I asked if they could introduce me to another shop that sells mane or cut about 100g of frozen mane. (^o^) They were kind enough to cut it for me. (laughs) (^^; The pork offal was also cheap, so I bought it. (^o^)

Fukuoka's unique town, Asakura. A place that cannot be described in just one word. - Watermelons grown in the sun. Bought a handful of small to medium-sized melons. The thick rind was firm and not easy to cut through with a knife. Carefully cutting open the meticulously crafted fruit revealed many jet-black seeds. The edible part was a deep red color. They sell well. Couldn't resist taking a big bite, with a sweetness level of 12-13. The natural sweetness is distinctly noticeable even at room temperature. Enjoying the taste when chilled is also delightful. - Famous shops for side dishes, bread, and bento boxes, with apple and grape trees. Bought some morning bread from there today. A luxurious bread similar to a financier cake. It's not cheap, but definitely worth buying. Thank you! Sending prayers for recovery.

There was a severe flood damage in northern Kyushu due to heavy rain. I had only seen the damage on TV, so since I was visiting Kyushu, I thought I should see the actual events with my own eyes. I asked my relative to take me there, and upon arrival, I could see that the roads and facilities were very well maintained, showing the great effort that had been put in. However, when I went to the eat-in space at the back of the facility, I saw fallen trees and other untouched damage in the grassy park, which made me realize the extent of the damage. Inside the building, there were exhibition photos of the restoration process. There were many customers, all doing a lot of shopping. So, I decided to contribute a little by purchasing some bread. I bought the "Minna no Shiro" bread. I had it for breakfast. When I opened the bag, it was very soft! The cute Miminoki logo was one of the reasons I chose this bread. It had a nice aroma of the dough. When I chewed it, the dough stretched softly. I ate it without toasting it, and it had a slightly sweet taste, which was delicious on its own. It was cut thick, giving it a good texture. I wondered if I had helped a little bit.

I had handmade gelato! I got a double scoop for 450 yen. I wanted to try the muscat soft serve too, but they said they were still sourcing the ingredients. Anyway, I had the strawberry and blueberry gelato. The blueberry had a milky taste to it. The strawberry had a stronger flavor from the ingredients. Thank you for the meal!

Today's introduction is about Komekou, a rice flour confectionery shop located in Yamada, Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, known for its three waterwheels. The shop offers a variety of locally sourced specialty products, creating an exciting and delightful shopping experience. In addition to their own products, Komekou also carries Hachiyu tea and Asakura's brown sugar, adding to the enjoyment of placing an order.

I had plans to have lunch at the restaurant, but I ran out of time so I decided to get takeout instead. They had a wide variety of dishes including vegetables, fish, meat, side dishes, and desserts. The selection of side dishes was so extensive that I had a hard time choosing. Today, I chose soba inari, konjac sushi, and tofu shumai. The konjac sushi was surprisingly delicious. Thank you for the meal! (^^)

When I visited the Michi-no-Eki near the Mitsuren Water Wheels, I stopped by to buy some seasonal fruits. I also purchased a famous apple pie from a well-known shop. It was good to see that the damage from the water disaster had been repaired.

Atmosphere △, Service ◎, Taste ○.

(R4, 4, 4) =========== The food was delicious, the service was great, and the atmosphere was fantastic.