This is a short trip to the northern part of Hokkaido. Today's accommodation is in Nayoro City. We had planned to eat dinner at a certain restaurant, but when we went to confirm, it was unexpectedly closed. Feeling tired and lazy, we ended up buying some side dishes at Seijo Department Store instead. Oh, by the way, Seijo Department Store is not a member of the department store association, so it is more like a general supermarket. There are a few branches in the northern part of Hokkaido. We decided to buy at least dessert from a local shop in Nayoro. We visited "Kishindo Honten," a long-established confectionery shop founded in 1931. We bought some ohagi, hop, step, jump for my wife's friend, sunflower for me, and jelly for my wife. We had the ohagi as dessert after eating the side dishes at the hotel. It had a good amount of rice grains and a moderate sweetness in the red bean paste. I prefer a bit more mochi-like texture, but it was still delicious. The sunflower I bought was enjoyed at home later. It was a delicious galette with a crispy texture. Overall, it was a satisfying experience, and I would definitely visit again if I have the chance.

This is a visit I made a while ago during work in Nayoro. Walking a few minutes from the station through the shopping street with the station behind me, I arrived at a Japanese and Western confectionery shop called "Kishindo". The spacious store had about 4-5 young and friendly staff members who greeted me warmly. In the showcase, there were Western sweets, and along the glass window, there were Japanese sweets. In one corner, there were two tables for dining in. Since I was heading back by JR train, I couldn't have cake, so I bought "Yomogi Daifuku, Houtoku Ohagi, and Top Jump (Vanilla)". I enjoyed the Yomogi Daifuku on the train, with its soft and smooth mochi texture and mildly sweet red bean paste. The Houtoku Ohagi had a coarsely crushed rice texture and a smooth red bean paste, similar to Daifuku but with a different type of red bean paste. The Top Jump was a baked confection in a stick shape, labeled as "Vanilla", which was moist and tasty, but left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied due to its small size compared to a madeleine. The shop had many other intriguing items, and I had a satisfying experience.

Kishindo is a long-established confectionery shop in Nayoro. I got a set of sweets called "Symphony of the North". It includes various unique sweets. The top highlight is a Financier with a rich buttery flavor. The Nayoro Brilliance Sablé is made with rice flour using Nayoro's uruchimai rice, with a coconut flavor. Aspara Song is quite unusual - a stick cookie kneaded with asparagus powder, coated with white chocolate, and sprinkled with asparagus powder. Wish Upon a Star may look like a chocolate cookie, but it doesn't use any wheat flour. Acorn Tree is a twisted pie pastry known as Sacristan in France, coated with almonds. Local confectionery shops in Hokkaido are increasingly expanding into mainland Japan, so I really hope they continue to do well!

I chose to buy souvenirs from Kishindo during my business trip to Nayoro. Although there is a rival store nearby, I decided to go here this time. Whenever I come to Nayoro, I buy souvenirs here about every other time. These are famous sweets from Nayoro. This time, I saw a new item called "Horohoro Holick" and also bought my usual favorite, "Top Jump," which reminds me of the town of Jump. I hope Sara-chan and Yuki-chan do their best! Horohoro Holick is a cookie with chocolate on top, inspired by Spanish sweets. It has a unique texture when you eat it - a combination of chocolate and light cookies. It's a bit difficult to evaluate this snack. I might not buy it again next time. On the other hand, Top Jump is a moist and delicious snack that I definitely want to eat again. Next time, I'll try a different item. Thank you for the meal.

In April 2016, there is a confectionery shop located straight ahead under the arcade in front of the station. The exterior is a splendid building resembling a church, and the interior is spacious. I wonder if there is any connection with the Kinobito in Wakkanai? The variety of products is quite extensive, with a range of Japanese sweets, Western sweets, and bread. They sell items individually, so I purchased various sweets. Baumkuchen, fresh sablé, baked donuts, cookies, walnut mochi, chocolate rusks, etc. Fresh sablé was also sold at Toyo-ken, but is it a staple around here? The baumkuchen has a crispy texture on the outside like caramel. The dough is very fluffy and the sweetness is moderate. It has an elegant taste. Since the other sweets have a long shelf life, I will enjoy them little by little.

The eighth hometown visit is to a long-established confectionery shop that has been in business since 1933. It is located about a 5-minute walk west from JR Nayoro Station along the arcade. The exterior of the shop is reminiscent of a church, and you can often hear the bell ringing. This time, I bought a 10-piece box of "Haskap Ode" (1,555 yen including tax) as a souvenir for my colleagues. When you purchase a product in a box at this shop, they wrap it in wrapping paper and tie it with a traditional string. The cookies are individually wrapped in plastic bags. The cookies are moist and not too sweet. The Haskap inside is slightly sweet, and you don't really taste the sourness.

The price includes shipping. When I asked my parents, who were taking care of the house while I was away, what kind of souvenir they would like, they suggested traditional Japanese sweets, so I bought some from this long-established shop. They have a wide variety of both Japanese and Western sweets, but among the ones I received this time were chestnut-filled sweets, elegant kinako mochi, and manju. They all go well with tea. My family also really enjoyed them. The shop is located in the middle of town in an impressive building, and apparently a bell rings when it's time to close. I stood there frozen for a while (laughs). Next time, I want to try their Western sweets.

Now, this time, I have a rare gift to introduce. My wife received it from someone she interacts with at work and brought it home. My wife sometimes brings back various things, but this time it's a snack called "Hoshi no Negai wo" from a place called "Kishindo." To be honest, I have no idea about the shop or the product at all, so I'm completely in the dark about what it is. It turns out that it's a commemorative snack for the opening of the Nayoro City Observatory Kitasubaru. It's made by combining rich chocolate with 40% cocoa content and milk, baked in a cookie-like style. The product is described as "Wishing on a shooting star," with the message that if you wish from the bottom of your heart, your wish will surely come true. The snack is meant to remind you to always keep big dreams and desires no matter how old you are. It features a combination of chocolate night sky and white chocolate shooting stars, creating a "shooting star in the night sky." It's said to have a different texture when chilled, with a crispy and smooth texture due to the absence of flour. I decided to try it immediately when I got home. The new texture is indeed like a chocolate cookie, but it also has a creamy texture like raw chocolate. The crispy texture and the flavor of white chocolate complement each other very well. I couldn't help but regret not preparing tea... no, maybe coffee would have been better. I ate it as soon as I got home. I plan to chill the rest as suggested on the package and the website. As I write this review, the melody of "When You Wish Upon a Star~♪♪" comes to mind. I suddenly felt like listening to this song, thinking about the concept and the feelings of the people who developed this product. I watched a video on YouTube with Japanese translated lyrics. As I stared at the Japanese translation, the screen started to blur. No, I was moved... Even though I'm an old man, I felt ashamed of myself, but I realized that even someone like me can feel pure for a moment. Disney is truly amazing. Humans are wonderful. I am grateful for this product that gave me the opportunity to feel this way.

I have been eating their sweets for over 20 years, but this was my first time shopping at their main store. Established in 1931, this long-standing confectionery shop offers a variety of treats. Today, I bought a selection of their seasonal delights, walnut mochi, tenshioji, baumkuchen trees, and raw chocolate sables. The seasonal delights include four different fillings: yukari for spring, azuki bean for summer, matcha for autumn, and sweet potato for winter, all in a large 13.5 cm diameter monaka. Not too sweet, making it suitable for gifts. The raw chocolate sables and raw sables are like moist senbei cookies, with a soft texture. The raw chocolate sables, with chocolate inside, are more delicious than the buttercream-filled raw sables. Next, the walnut mochi, a familiar treat in my household. It's like a soft rice cake with walnuts, flavored with a hint of soy sauce. The slightly crunchy exterior and soft interior make it my favorite. Tenshioji is a soft, delicious mochi covered in kinako powder, similar to shingen mochi. The baumkuchen trees, cut into small pieces, have a crispy texture and a great taste. These confections from Kishindo may not be widely available outside Hokkaido, but they are certainly a local specialty in Nayoro. I hope they continue their tradition for many years to come. By the way, the bell installed in the main store building rings with different tones in the morning, afternoon, and evening.