Takoyaki, taiyaki at "Oyaki no Fujiiya". Located at 3-15 3-jo, Asahikawa City. Open from 10:00 to 19:00, closed on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesdays. No parking, takeout available. This time, I took a slightly distant shot of the store. I used to work in the building above Fujiiya when I was in my 20s, so it's been a long time. I made a reservation in advance for this visit. The second-generation owner still handles everything efficiently. The taste remains the same as always, which is great. I had taiyaki with red bean paste and white bean paste. The red bean paste was full and delicious. The taiyaki was crispy on the outside and moist inside, just perfect. The sweetness of the red bean paste was just right. The white bean paste was also crispy. The "feathered" edges of the skin add a nice touch. The white bean paste had a good balance of sweetness and umami. The combination of the skin texture and flavor with the white bean paste was excellent. I had a chance to talk with the second-generation owner outside of work, and his stories were interesting. It seems like he puts a lot of thought into his work. As long as the taste remains the same, I will keep coming back.

When walking along Asahikawa Ginza, I noticed people walking around with taiyaki in hand, enjoying it on the go! My sensor for wanting to eat was triggered! I found a shop that seemed to be the one, with a unique charm. As I entered, I saw a tough-looking guy and an old lady waiting for their orders. It was clear that the shop was popular among people of all ages. They said they had taiyaki with white bean paste other than red bean paste, so I ordered two types of oyaki and a taiyaki with white bean paste. The taste was nostalgic and traditional, and I quickly finished all three pieces! When I return to my hometown, there are certain local flavors that I must have, such as ramen from this place, gyoza from that place, and yakitori from this place. Surely, the oyaki from this place must be a taste that locals crave and want to eat whenever they are in the area. It was a great shop that reminded me of my hometown!

This place has been famous for ohagi and taiyaki since ancient times. I love the cream and white bean paste. The ohagi and taiyaki here are generously filled with cream and white bean paste, and they even come with seaweed. I happened to visit the Ginza shopping street and couldn't resist buying some. The shop is still operating as usual with the same family. There was a new employee, maybe the young wife?

Fujiya at Asahikawa Ginza Shopping Street is a place where you can find "oyaki," "taiyaki," and "takoyaki." The atmosphere of this shop is full of Showa era vibes, just like the entire shopping street. In the past, there used to be shops like this in every town where we would buy snacks on our way home from school. Nowadays, these kinds of shops are becoming rare. In Hokkaido, "oyaki" has always been a popular name for these snacks, but in other regions, they are called "imagawayaki" or "obanyaki." The taiyaki was being freshly baked when I visited. I ordered the "oyaki (cream)" (160 yen) and the "oyaki (red bean)" (160 yen). The lady at the shop put the one with seaweed on top in a bag and handed it to me, saying, "The one with seaweed is the cream filling." I also bought a bottle of tea. Due to current circumstances, the eat-in option inside the shop is temporarily closed, but there are benches in front of the shop along the shopping street where you can sit and enjoy your snacks. It's been a while since I had an "oyaki." The price has gone up to 160 yen per piece, but they are still big! Both the cream and red bean fillings were generous. They were warm and fluffy. The taste is a bit sweet, just like the nostalgic flavor from the past. It feels like this shop has been around for a long time. It brought back so many nostalgic memories!

The third stop on the Asahikawa visit was "Fujiya", a place that looks like a festival food stall but is actually a proper roadside shop. It has a bit of a chaotic atmosphere, but I don't mind it. The staff, mostly men in their 30s and 40s, efficiently make taiyaki. The shop is not very spacious, but there is an eat-in area, which is currently closed due to the pandemic. They mainly sell taiyaki, obanyaki, and takoyaki. I bought the "Oyaki (azuki) for 130 yen". They quickly pack the warm treat in a paper bag for you to enjoy later. The obanyaki was a thick, sweet treat with plenty of red bean paste filling, very filling. The crispy texture of the skin was also very good. It's a shame that shops like this used to be common in every shopping street. The taiyaki filled with red bean paste also looked delicious. I might try that next time. Thank you for the meal.

I wandered around Asahikawa and ended up at the Ginza Shopping Street, which I really like. The age group of people walking here is quite high, but I love the oyaki here. When I used to live in Asahikawa, I would buy oyaki and takoyaki. This time, I tried the cream oyaki, which was also delicious. I hope this shop continues for a long time.

I tried each of the following: Oyaki with red bean paste for 130 yen, Cream oyaki for 130 yen, Taiyaki with red bean paste for 150 yen, and White bean paste for 150 yen. These are amazing adult snacks, there's no other way to put it (lol). First, I tried the oyaki. It was thick and satisfying, even when sharing half with someone else. It has a substantial feel to it and tastes great. And then there's the taiyaki. Taiyaki is just amazing (/ω＼) How did I live for half a century without trying this? (bitter smile) But there's still one thing I haven't tried yet, and that's takoyaki. There's another takoyaki shop nearby, so wouldn't it be nice to indulge in a little comparison taste test?! I really came up with a good idea, let's do it next time lol.

I came to look for strawberry daifuku, but... I think it was around here...? Huh? Was there an "oyaki" shop here? Since I had other plans as well, it seems like a good souvenir to buy...♪*ﾟHello~♬︎ I bought takoyaki and 2 pieces each of "oyaki" with red bean paste and cream. A funny old man who seemed like he might say something like "hundreds of thousands of yen" also told me about a strawberry daifuku shop (^_-) Of course, the takoyaki is for drinking at night ♬︎ Thank you for the meal( *ˊᵕˋ)

◆Asahikawa Ginza Shopping Street Oyaki no Fujiiya (Taiyaki/Oyaki)◆ This was my first visit to Oyaki no Fujiiya in Asahikawa's Ginza Shopping Street, despite living in Asahikawa for over 20 years. I only recently learned that in Hokkaido, "Imagawayaki" is called "Oyaki". As someone from Kanto, when I hear "Oyaki", I imagine a steamed bun with vegetables from Nagano. But here in Hokkaido, it refers to "Oyaki". It's the same as "Imagawayaki", "Taiyaki", or "Obanyaki". I purchased one Oyaki (with cream) and one Taiyaki (with red bean paste) this time. I ate them in the car right away. First, the Oyaki with custard cream inside. I thought 130 yen for one Imagawayaki was expensive, but the ones from Fujiiya are bigger than usual. It was simply delicious. Next, the Taiyaki with red bean paste. I usually prefer smooth red bean paste, but I can eat the chunky one when it's warm. This was also delicious. I think I'll visit this place regularly from now on! Thank you for the meal.

On a day off, I bought an "oyaki" for 130 yen each as a snack. It was a Saturday afternoon after running errands. I walked along the Ginza street as usual. Unfortunately, the deli I was looking for had closed down (tears). I switched gears and headed to this place instead. It's a somewhat famous shop. My wife loves sweet bean paste, and my daughter loves custard. The only choice was the oyaki. While waiting for it to be baked, the shop was bustling with customers. It's clear that it's loved by the locals. Back home, we all tried it together. When I opened the bag, I found it quite big. To provide a comparison, I brought in our family guardian, "Sponge On-chan." Come on, "Dad," what's up, daughter? "I know you love On-chan, but this won't show how big it is." My daughter calmly pointed out. Yeah, sorry, lend me your hand. The filling is "Shumari-an" from Fukui Seianjo, a super delicious sweet bean paste. It's packed in there. How does it taste, Mom? "It's delicious." And you, daughter who loves cream, how does it taste? "It's okay." Just okay delicious. That's why it's so loved. A great shop for flour-based treats on Ginza Street. If I have the chance, I'll definitely visit again.

Recently, I often eat at a popular takoyaki chain store that is very delicious, but their takoyaki is more like fried. So, as someone born in the Showa era, I sometimes crave the takoyaki that my grandmother used to buy as a souvenir in a paper box when I was a child. Fulfilling that wish is Fujiya's "takoyaki" (10 pieces for 450 yen). It is not greasy, so even when it cools down, the deliciousness remains the same. The takoyaki itself is slightly sweet, so it goes well with the sauce, bringing out the sweet and salty taste that Japanese people love. It also has a good amount of volume, truly a meal-sized portion. Oh, it's delicious!

In the past, the bustling and deep 15th Avenue Market in Asahikawa must have been lively. While there are still shops along the street, many of the tenement-style buildings inside have closed down, showing the changing times. Among them, this shop has been working hard to stay in business since the old days. Oh my, I hadn't reviewed it yet, lol. I was just browsing. Taiyaki with red bean paste - 130 yen Taiyaki with white bean paste - 130 yen Oyaki with red bean paste - 110 yen Oyaki with custard cream - 110 yen There was a customer ahead of me, so I waited for about 15 minutes. Some customers were happily chatting inside the store, so I gave up on taking pictures and just wandered around. There's a big bag of red bean paste here. Oh, they're selling Shumari Yokan. That means this red bean paste is from Fukui Seianjo. I didn't know that, lol. Resisting the urge to eat on the way home (lol), I finally made it back untouched and had a taste. It's a traditional flavor. Nostalgic and delicious, I couldn't stop eating. A simple taste that you can enjoy without any worries. It was a delightful meal.

November 2022, two years later, photo only.

I stopped by after eating ramen at Hachiya-san on 11/21/2016 (Mon). I had a taiyaki.

I often buy the ohagi and taiyaki here because I like them. The red bean paste is delicious whether it's freshly baked or cooled, but when I eat at home, I like to make it crispy with my Balmuda toaster. The red bean paste is not too sweet, so it disappears quickly. I prefer red bean paste over cream! As for takoyaki... it's a completely different story. The one I had was a traumatic experience. The dough was sweet, mushy, and lacked crispiness. Since then, the smell of takoyaki during my morning sickness made me nauseous to the point of throwing up. This is not takoyaki! Setting that aside, ohagi and taiyaki are delicious. Recommended!