Fukuya. Thanks to not monopolizing the patent for Karashi Mentaiko, we can now freely enjoy this delicious dish. I used to buy slightly misshapen Karashi Mentaiko thinking that the "Kireko" was the spiciest, but I recently learned from MyRebi that there is a super spicy version called Hot Emperor. I bought it in Fukuoka and tried it at home, and wow, it's incredibly spicy but amazing! However, the Hot Emperor comes with an even spicier devil sauce called Hot Emperor Sauce, so be careful when using it. I also tried the Men Tuna and Jagabata Mentaiko, which were okay. But when I tried the Jagabata Mentaiko with the Hot Emperor Sauce, it was delicious and spicy, but still delicious (laughs).

Requested by a junior colleague at work: "Fukuoka is famous for mentaiko, right?" Got it. I'll buy it for you! I'm a kind senior colleague♡ I visited the original store of Japanese mentaiko, "Fukuya" Kawabata store. Located right in front of the back gate of Kushida Shrine, known for the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. Mentaiko [Regular, no artificial coloring] 625 yen. Basic spiciness. [Mild, no artificial coloring] 625 yen. For those who are not good with spiciness, based on the regular spiciness, this mild type of mentaiko is made without artificial coloring and with a reduced amount of red pepper. It is sliced for home use, so the price is also reasonable. You'll be a senior employee soon. Eat Fukuya's mentaiko and do your best, junior colleague!

Fukuya Kawabata Store is located next to Kushida Shrine. Among mentaiko, Fukuya's mentaiko is my favorite, so I always buy it as a souvenir. I bought the home-use mentaiko, which is a good deal, for 1,848 yen. It is a mild type without coloring, with a moderate amount of red pepper, giving it a gentle color and spiciness. The mentaiko snack "Kamenoko 4-piece" for 248 yen is a unique treat. It is a traditional sweet and spicy "Kamenoko snack" with a hint of spiciness from mentaiko powder. It is bite-sized and easy to eat, and the spicy kick becomes addictive.

At the mentaiko shop in Nakasu Kawabata Shopping Street, I bought souvenirs of seasoned mentaiko and tube-shaped mentaiko.

Family-friendly, regular menu.

This is a shop located under the escalator leading to the gate of Kushida Shrine and the connecting passage to Canal City Hakata. I chose to visit this shop because the main store did not handle home-use mentaiko according to the official website, even though it was closer to the hotel where I was staying. During my 2-night, 3-day trip to Hakata, I stopped by on the first day to buy mentaiko to give to my family and returned on the last day to purchase some for myself. Although it is a small shop, they offer samples, which is great for determining the level of spiciness. For my home use, I purchased the following items: - Mentaiko Nori (648 yen): A jar of mentaiko and seaweed tsukudani, perfect as a side dish for rice. It's slightly sweet, so I think it could be used for something other than rice as well. - Karakamon 100g (226 yen): A spicy pickled mustard greens with chili. I added it to a bag of instant noodles "Umakacchan" that I bought at the supermarket or enjoyed it as a side dish with rice. - Men Tuna Kankan (Normal, Premium, Spicy) (300 yen, 400 yen, 300 yen): Thin cans of tuna with mentaiko. I haven't tried this yet, but I think it would be good for pasta. - Ika Mentsuyu 150g: A type of squid salted with mentaiko. - Home-use Mentaiko, Uncolored, Regular, 485g (1,995 yen): A discounted household size pack with some edges cut off. It cannot be shipped, but it is very cheap. There are household-size packs available online with shipping included, but this one is cheaper. I also bought a cooling pack for 100 yen. It may be a bit of a hassle to carry, but I thought I would buy it again when I visit Hakata. They also have a store at Haneda Airport, so I thought it might be a good idea to buy it on my way back from a different trip on an early flight next time.

I purchased home-style mentaiko (spicy cod roe) at Fukuya Honten, which was recommended to me on March 11, 2015. It's about a 10-minute walk from the main store, right in front of the torii gate of Kushida Shrine. The lineup at this small shop is quite extensive. The home-style mentaiko is sold frozen, so no ice packs are needed. I used a cooler bag just in case, and when I got home, it was still frozen solid. The mentaiko was packed full inside, much thicker than what I usually eat. It's perfect with rice, you don't need any side dishes. The spiciness is just right, very delicious. Fukuya Honten doesn't cut corners, even with their home-style products.

I was planning to visit Kushida Shrine with a friend when I suddenly noticed a soft serve ice cream sign. I thought to myself, "Wait, isn't this supposed to be 'Fukuya' known for mentaiko?" I took a second look and indeed, it was "Fukuya." My friend mentioned that they wanted to go back to buy some delicious takana mentaiko, so we decided to stop by. The store was a bit small, with various souvenir items displayed. There was a small window, and on the right side upon entering, there was a machine for making soft serve ice cream. While my friend was purchasing takana mentaiko and other items, I was intrigued by the delicious-looking soft serve ice cream. The flavors available were "Hakata Rocher Sundae" (594 yen), "Fukuoka Prefecture-grown Amaou Sauce Sundae" (480 yen), "Yame Matcha Sundae" (480 yen), and "Vanilla Soft Serve" (380 yen). When I inquired with the staff, I learned that the Rocher Sundae was created by a chocolate shop, and the Amaou sauce used real Amaou strawberries. Although I was curious about the chocolate shop, I wanted something refreshing to combat the heat, so I opted for the "Amaou Sauce Sundae." The staff mentioned that they had just started serving soft serve ice cream from July 1st, and my friend and I were excited to try the new product. The soft serve ice cream was served in a small cup with cornflakes at the bottom and a generous amount of soft serve on top, topped with Amaou strawberry sauce and sprinkles. Since eating inside the store was not allowed, we enjoyed our treats in the shade of the stairs in front of Kushida Shrine. The soft serve ice cream was rich and creamy, with a delightful balance of flavors between the strawberry sauce and the soft serve. The slight tanginess of the strawberry flakes added a nice contrast, and it was a perfect treat to enjoy on a hot summer day. The soft serve ice cream from "Fukuya" was incredibly delicious, and I would love to stop by again if I happen to pass by. Note: "Fukuya" sells mentaiko until 6:00 pm, while KAWABATA is open from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, closing at 4:00 pm on Tuesdays.

After lunch, I went for a walk and stumbled upon the shop called "Fukuya"! I decided to go in and try the highly recommended "Men Tsuna Kankan" from the guidebook. They had a variety of canned sets called "Men Tsuna Kankan Full Comp Set". I bought some for home and as souvenirs. I also purchased some mentaiko seaweed. I tried the mentaiko seaweed first. The sweet seaweed and spicy mentaiko go really well together. It makes you want to eat endless amounts of rice. Thank you for the delicious meal!