I have visited this sushi restaurant a few times in the past, but this is my first time posting about it. I went with a local friend for drinks. When we made the reservation, they had recommended a special dish for us, which was a generous portion of seafood, vegetables, and meat cooked on a ceramic plate. It was placed in the center of our table. The dish was steamed to perfection and served with a soy-based sauce, which went really well with beer. However, the portion was too much for just the two of us. We also enjoyed a sashimi platter and some delicious skewers. We were so full that we didn't even get to order sushi in the end. The restaurant's specialty ceramic plate dish was truly delicious. Thank you for the meal! (^_^)

Third stop of the day!! Around 10 PM? Many places close around this time (lol) so better drink up early!! Azuma Sushi in Iwanai is one of the few places that stay open relatively late. They have a ramen shop and an izakaya next door, so by coming here, you can enjoy the menu from the neighboring places as well (´･ε･｀)♡ My aunt usually comes here with her colleagues, so they have a designated bottle, but this time it's just me and my niece, so a new bottle is opened! Reliable Kagemizuki!! I can drink as many cups as I want \(˙꒳˙ )/〇. We requested a sashimi platter with three kinds of fish, including salmon. They also added tuna, scallops, and shrimp! The freshness was great and it was delicious ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝〇. The size of the fresh oysters surprised us!! They were so big, I had never seen oysters this size before, and I didn't expect to find such good oysters here!! They were very creamy ( •̀∀•́ )✧〇. Handmade gyoza from the ramen shop next door came crispy and juicy!! They were small but satisfying to eat.〇. Hoke fry from the izakaya next door (lol) Hoke in Iwanai is delicious! Grilled is good, but you can't miss the fry either⚐⚑. It was a very enjoyable time joking around with the master!! A really nice place loved by the locals(*´ω`*) They serve everything from seafood to ramen!! Thank you for the meal*ˊᵕˋ*

You can enjoy 8 pieces of sushi and a whole fresh abalone in a luxurious way. Comes with abalone sashimi (with liver), vinegared dish, and soup. This time, as there was no abalone available, they substituted with turban shell and sashimi.

[Visit Date: 2012-07-20] On the 10th day of my first camping trip in Hokkaido, after finishing our final camp at Lake Onuma, we stopped by on our way to Otaru via the Shakotan Peninsula. We arrived in Iwanai after a pleasant drive along the Shakotan Sōran Line from Suttsu Bay. At 11:56, we explored the town of Iwanai on foot and decided on this restaurant. There were quite a few sushi restaurants and izakayas clustered around this area. The restaurant had counter seats, raised seating areas, and even private rooms. There were no other customers at the time. I ordered the Azuma Sushi Set (2000 yen) and it arrived in about 10 minutes. It included abalone sashimi, 8 pieces of nigiri sushi, vinegared dish, and miso soup. Soy sauce for sushi and soy sauce for sashimi were provided separately. The sushi, made with sea urchin and crab, was very delicious. Sushi that hasn't been sitting around is truly the best! The abalone sashimi, though small in size, was served with its liver intact, giving it a crunchy texture and great flavor. The vinegared dish and miso soup were also tasty, and I left satisfied. As we head to Otaru next, I believe dining at a place like this gives a higher level of satisfaction compared to having sushi aimed at tourists in Otaru. Thank you for the meal! [Menu] - Sushi (Regular 1700 yen, Special 2100 yen), Sushi Set (2000 yen), Azuma Sushi Set (2000 yen), 3-color bowl [Abalone, Sea Urchin, Squid] (3100 yen, Mini 2000 yen), Sea Urchin Bowl (2400 yen, Mini 1800 yen), Hamanabe (1600 yen), Azuma Kamameshi (2100 yen)

The restaurant is a bit hard to find, but it has the typical atmosphere of a local sushi place. It was a holiday afternoon, and there was only one couple who seemed like tourists. The set meal with abalone seemed to be popular among tourists. This time, I ordered the "special premium nigiri". The nigiri that arrived promptly had a strong local sushi restaurant vibe, with the vinegar flavor being quite subtle and the rice being just okay. The shrimp miso soup had a large shrimp head. The shrimp for the sushi was also on the larger side. There was also a famous abalone included. However, the other sushi toppings seemed a bit touristy. Overall, it was a decent meal. The "special premium nigiri" cost 2100 yen. The service was good.

Tonight, I hid in Iwanai, entering the Shakotan Peninsula area by bus from Otaru, Hokkaido. I remember visiting about 10 years ago, when the lights of squid fishing boats spread beautifully over the night sea. At that time, I had many fresh seafood dishes. Now, I decided to have dinner at a sushi restaurant. There were no customers inside, but various sushi toppings were prepared in a refrigerated case behind the counter. I started with a sashimi assortment. The abalone and botan shrimp were excellent. I was amazed by their freshness. Vinegared oysters, salmon roe, and crab meat were also delicious. I switched to my usual shochu with hot water. Interestingly, although it is a sushi restaurant, they also serve dumplings and grilled chicken. It's difficult to run a pure sushi restaurant in a local fishing town, so offering some izakaya-like dishes may be necessary. However, I was impressed by the Azuma Kamameshi, which had sea urchin, abalone, and oysters cooked in it. The sweet flavor and texture alone were satisfying. By the time I finished snacking on some sushi, I had spent a meaningful time drinking, eating, and chatting tonight. Delicious food from the northern land. I think encounters like this make business trips worthwhile. Thank you for the feast!