In Fukuoka's Parco, there is a souvenir shop called "THE Tenjin". Despite being a small store, it is packed with Fukuoka souvenirs, making it a convenient place to shop. There are many recommended items, but the one I would like to recommend the most is "menbei". It is sold by Hakata's Fukutaro. When I first tried it, I thought it was delicious. It gained popularity after being featured on TV nationwide. Menbei can be a bit spicy for small children. Now, there are variations like menbei with onions or mayonnaise flavor. I highly recommend menbei for yourself or as a souvenir for others.

During the tour, we always stop by a souvenir shop on the last day. This time, we stopped by one but I'm not sure where in Fukuoka it is. I wasn't really looking for souvenirs, but I wanted to eat something, so I decided to take a look. I saw the plum-scented hijiki that I had seen on TV, but I decided to go with the croquette because I was hungry and couldn't fight the urge. The croquette had mentaiko inside and was quite delicious. I thought about getting one more, but my wife (you'll gain weight!) said no. Oh well, I guess I'll have to resist. However, when I thought about it, croquettes with mentaiko inside are not common in Kansai. Maybe it's because mentaiko is expensive? I think even if it's a bit pricier, if it's delicious, it will sell well. Especially in Kansai, people love this flavor. I guess I'm just a bit stubborn because I don't like it when people say something is delicious just because someone famous made it or because it's popular. Maybe it's because I'm a bit of a contrarian.

Located in the basement of Fukuoka Parco is "THE Tenjin". It is an antenna shop that offers a wide variety of Kyushu limited products, including specialty products from Fukuoka. I purchased a souvenir product that caught my eye this time. It is called "Ume no Ka Hiziki", which is famous for being produced by TBS TV's Shinjo President's Produce Grand Prix! Although I don't watch much TV, I learned that it is a popular souvenir in Fukuoka. It costs 630 yen per box, making it a perfect and affordable souvenir. The contents include chopped crispy pickled plums and dried and roasted hiziki seaweed, combined to create a soft sprinkle. The simple taste with a balance of sweet and salty, acidity, and texture goes perfectly with white rice. It needs to be refrigerated and has a shelf life of about 30 days. You can also purchase it at Fukutomi's official website or at various stores in Fukuoka.

Price: 150g for 630 yen Dish and contents: Ume (plum) and hiziki (seaweed) furikake I was curious about the Ume fragrance hiziki, so I bought it right away~ Enjoying it at home after a drink in the evening♪ Let's sprinkle it on the rice for a finishing touch♪ The combination of Ume and hiziki has a Japanese feel and seems to go well with rice~ When you open the lid, there is a nice Ume fragrance. The crispy Ume has a moderate acidity, easy to eat, and pleasantly sour♪ (Happy) It's refreshing in this hot weather~ The taste of hiziki is also mild with a subtle seasoning. The white sesame left in the aftertaste is an accent! It seems like it would go well with onigiri too~♪ Thank you Fukutomi-san for the meal!