On May 13, 2023, at 11:50, I visited the neighboring town of Higashikawa from Asahikawa for the first time. I came to Higashikawa for a company event where I wanted to buy some treats. Higashikawa had many stylish shops, and I found a small shop in a residential area that stood out with its sense of style. I bought cookies as a gift and for myself, I purchased a Shortbread Lemon Icing (400 yen), Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffin (330 yen), and Banana Caramel Tart (380 yen). The Shortbread with lemon flavor was excellent, and the muffin was delicious with a nice balance of strawberry acidity and cream cheese. The tart had a comforting taste. It was a delightful experience to shop in the sunny weather.

"I'm not going to back down!" I said as I bravely went ahead, but I never flinched and always ended up getting beaten up by Higashikawa. I had planned to visit there a while ago and had made a note, but I forgot the reason why I wanted to go, so I decided not to go. Oh, I remember now, so I went to Higashikawa on Saturday. I left pretty early in the morning, but it took me an hour to have lunch. I couldn't relax at all and had to stand next to someone the whole time. It was really uncomfortable. I wonder how the other person would feel if I stood next to them? I really can't stand this foolish old man. I cooled down a bit in the parking lot before heading to the next shop, "Tekago." My note said "sweets." The navigation led me deeper into a residential area. By the way, there are quite a few wooden houses in Higashikawa, and they look really cool. I spent the first six years of my life in a wooden house in Nemuro, so it feels nostalgic. I passed by the sweet shop, but decided to go back. They only open on Saturdays, so I'm glad I came. The shop is small and cozy, with only one young lady working there who is very pleasant. I bought a peach and cheese muffin and a chiffon cake, as I had written "muffin" in my note. "This is made with salad oil," she said. "When you want to bring out the flavor of the flour, you use salad oil." I don't really understand, but I guess it means it doesn't taste like butter. The chiffon cake is moist and delicious, with a subtle sweetness. The muffin is also good, with a tasty dough and a hint of peach and cheese that doesn't overpower the whole thing. It's interesting how each element doesn't overpower the others, making it a delicious and unique muffin. It was a delightful experience."

At Asahikawa Airport on the way back from my trip, I found a delicious-looking muffin at a souvenir shop. It seemed to be from a local bakery. In addition to the muffin, there were various cookies, snowballs, and galettes on display. I decided to try the scone, which was tea-flavored. It had a simple and gentle taste, made with local wheat from Hokkaido. It was a nice way to remember my trip.

A handcrafted pastry shop specializing in baked goods located in a quiet residential area. It is a small shop where you can feel the warmth of wood. Inside the shop, there are cookies, scones, pound cakes, financiers, etc., all lined up and looking delicious! I purchased 4 items and enjoyed them at home. ① "Coffee Cookie" (400 yen including tax) - When you open the package, a nice coffee aroma fills the air. That's because crushed coffee beans are inside. Hazelnuts are also generously used, giving it a great texture! I was able to enjoy both the aroma and texture! ② "Matcha Cookie" (350 yen) - A fragrant matcha flavor. This one is relatively less sweet, suitable for Japanese tea! ③ "Shortbread with Chocolate" (400 yen) - The buttery scent of shortbread with chocolate coating on one side. Butter and chocolate make a delicious combination! ④ "Fondant Chocolat" (250 yen) - A rich chocolate taste with a moist texture. The crunchy pecan nuts on top also complement the rich chocolate well. I received a small "fig tart" as a service. It had a nice balance of acidity and sweetness. They use "Hokkaido-grown" flour and "raw cane sugar." I enjoyed the handcrafted baked goods, which showed a dedication to quality ingredients!

I was able to visit the actual store on the opening day as my work schedule coincided with it. I was thrilled and went there eagerly. I'm not sure if there were customers before me, but the store had a good selection of products. After browsing through, I ended up buying just one (sorry for being stingy! ^^;) baked good from here, which is delightful. It's like a treat for your taste buds. It's perfect as a little snack served at the end of a meal or with afternoon tea. It's quite intricate and the deliciousness goes beyond just sweetness. It's a pleasure to savor it. It might be challenging to visit on regular business days, but if possible, I would be happy to buy my favorite item in person from the owner at the store. I'm sure it would be a delightful experience.

I found and purchased Shortbread Lemon Icing Cookies for 380 yen and Hazelnut Coffee Cookies for 350 yen at Asahikawa Airport. The shortbread cookie was crispy and light, possibly due to the milk in it. The butter flavor was fresh, and the lemon icing left a refreshing aftertaste. The coffee cookie was crunchy with a deep, bitter coffee flavor and a nutty richness from the hazelnuts. It had a sophisticated taste. The cookies were large and had a good amount of volume, allowing me to enjoy them in multiple sittings.

I met this cute bakery at an event in Higashikawa Town. The prices were quite reasonable compared to other stores of this kind. I received a basket and made sure to grab some items before they sold out. Even my husband, who doesn't usually eat baked goods, ended up picking a few items to put in the basket. Most items were priced at less than 200 yen, with muffins being around 230 yen. The wrapping and display were cute, and I ended up buying scones, muffins, galettes, and florentines. I forgot to take a picture, so I can't remember exactly what I bought. I had high hopes for the galette as I love them, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. It needed more buttery and almond flavors. Despite that, the florentine was delicious! It wasn't too sweet and had a nice balance of almond and biscuit flavors. I want to visit the store again to try more of their treats. I think the scones were also to my liking. I need to try them again soon!

I went to an event called "2015 Couturier Marche and Zakka Style". The highlight of this event for me was the simultaneous appearance of the two amazing bagel shops, chilu and lehti! But as I was wandering around, I stumbled upon a tart! It was at the booth of a shop called tekago. Before I knew it, I had bought their banana tart (lol). It was quite unique! The sweetness, aroma, and banana flavor were really brought out. It was interesting and delicious. This was my first time trying it, but I would love to try their other tarts as well.