Murashima Kamaboko Store is a long-established fish cake shop located near JR Chikuzen-Maebaru Station in Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture. They have been in business for over 100 years, specializing in making fish cakes and tempura using local fish such as conger eel and hairtail from Itoshima, instead of using frozen pollack. Popular items include bite-sized vegetable tempura called "Yasai Chigiri-Ten," fried fish cake called "Gyoro-kke," and "Kujira-Ten" (whale tempura). They are also known for their specialty "celebratory fish cakes" often used in weddings. You can also purchase their products at Itosai, a popular local produce store in Itoshima. On a sunny day after the rainy season, the reviewer visited the shop to buy Gyoro-kke, which was not available during their previous visit. The shop is easily recognizable by its yellow building on Iris Road near the Karatsu Kaido entrance. The owner warmly welcomed the reviewer and recommended the freshly made fish cakes. They purchased Gyoro-kke, Yasai Chigiri-Ten, and received a complimentary Angled Tempura. The reviewer enjoyed the flavorful aroma and taste of the fish-based fish cakes and tempura at home with their family. They expressed their gratitude and satisfaction with the delicious food and promised to visit again.

"I purchased some local fish cakes, and they were pretty good. I had always been curious about them whenever I passed by the store, so I finally tried them this time. I think they're good. I wonder what I should buy next."

I stopped by Shima no Shiki in Itoshima City. It is a direct sales store operated by JF Itoshima (Itoshima Fisheries Cooperative) and Itoshima City Tourism Association (Shima Branch), where processed products from Murashima Kamaboko Store are exhibited. Being a long-established store in Maehara, Itoshima City, today I purchased "ika ten (2 pieces for 300 yen)" and "yasai ten (10 pieces for 350 yen)". The ika ten is skewered in a square-shaped tsukune style. It is larger than the usual tsukune and has a firm and bouncy texture. It contains chunks of squid with a crunchy texture. The skewer has a substantial weight, and even though it comes in a set of two, eating one piece can make you quite full. The yasai ten is a tempura with cabbage, carrots, burdock, and other vegetables. It has a mild sweetness and a light aftertaste compared to those from Kagoshima. It is packed with crunchy vegetables that give a fresh taste. I brought it home and warmed it up. It is perfect as a snack for a drive or as a side dish for drinks.

I am happy when I receive gyoro-kei in the regular package from my mother. I also enjoy eating maruten (sweet potato tempura) fried in the toaster oven. I like to drizzle a little soy sauce on it. It tastes great when I put the toasted maruten on a slice of bread with margarine. In my hometown, maruten is called "tempura." If you see "maruten" written on udon, it means a large round sweet potato tempura on top of the noodles. Square sweet potato tempura is called "kakuten." I was surprised when I moved to Tokyo and found out that "tempura" wasn't understood.

I had lunch at "Kadoya Shokudo" in Itoshima and on my way to the station, I found this shop. A local person with me mentioned that it was featured on a local TV show recently. Intrigued, I decided to stop by and got a "kujira ten" for ¥120 to go. I couldn't really taste the whale flavor, but it was delicious.

I visited the store in the morning on a regular day, but it was crowded with customers because it was summer vacation. I bought two big pieces of "gyorokke" for 200 yen. Gyorokke is said to have originated in Karatsu, Saga, and it is made by mixing fish paste with onions and coating it with breadcrumbs before frying. The filling is similar to satsuma-age, but the texture is more rough, and you can enjoy the crunchiness of the finely chopped onions. It can last for about 4-5 days after purchase. I like to bake it in a toaster oven. I bake it at a low setting of 600 watts for about 20 minutes so it doesn't burn, and it brings back the crispy texture. It makes a great side dish, and you can even drizzle some soy sauce on it. It's a delicious treat. Thank you for the meal.

◆Small (bean) Daifuku (120 yen) ◆Squid Tempura from Genkai Sea (135 yen) Both are easy-to-eat sized mashed dishes that are recommended to be eaten as they are. I bought them at Itosai, but you can easily purchase them at JF Itoshima Shima no Shiki or supermarkets operated by JA Itoshima in Itoshima City. ～Murajima Kamaboko Store's Commitment～ Since our establishment in Taisho 5, we have been producing kamaboko and tempura using fresh fish. It takes more effort and has a limited shelf life compared to frozen surimi, but we strive for deliciousness every day. Please try the taste of our long-established store. The main store is located in Maehara Shopping Street, so I'm planning to visit when I have the chance ☆