2022.6.18 (Sat) First visit [Early Summer Hokkaido Trip 2022 Day 3 Part 4] Otaru Yumeichiba located about a 5-minute walk from JR Otaru Station on Otaru Toudori Shopping Street. Fresh Hokkaido seafood and fresh food were lined up, so as a tourist, I couldn't help but stop by. The seafood, in particular, looked cheap and delicious. It was a shame that I couldn't take it home. ● Kushiro Hime Shishamo ● Hokkaido Dried Scallop I purchased only easy-to-carry dried goods for takeout. Just the right size to enjoy at home! And I'm happy that they were reasonably priced. It was also good that I could use Pay Pay even though it is a cash-oriented traditional shopping street when paying. I would like to check it out again when I stop by the Otaru Station area.

In Otaru City, where I have been observing the local market "Otaru Yume Ichiba" this spring, they have a variety of delicious items. I recently bought some items to enjoy at home. Here are some of the items I purchased: "Thin-cut kelp" for 380 yen, which is kelp harvested along the coast of Otaru. It is crunchy and delicious, turning bright green when added to hot pot. "Shucked whelk" for 380 yen, where the shells were already cracked open, perfect for removing the fatty part and eating as sashimi. "Matsubu" whelk for 580 yen, a large and delicious whelk from Hidaka. And "Monk's garlic" for 130 yen, a slightly opened garlic with a unique aroma, perfect for adding to seasoned Genghis Khan (grilled lamb dish). The Otaru Yume Ichiba always offers the best quality products.

"Otaru Yume Ichiba" is a must-visit spot for seasonal delights in Otaru, Hokkaido. During the late autumn to harsh winter months, they offer unique items such as "Octopus Surimi" for 250 yen, "Bluefin Tuna" for 720 yen, "Herring Rice Sushi" for 680 yen, and "Cod Roe" for 300 yen. These dishes reflect the local flavors and traditions, making it a fascinating market to explore.

From June to September 2020, I revisited this place during early summer and early autumn. I pass by here every morning and evening. The owner of this shop is really nice. They teach me delicious ways to eat the food. They have a good selection of items during the day, but I usually stop by right before closing time on my way home. In July, they had "Hamachi Tsukudani" for 250 yen, a sweet tsukudani. It's probably from Asasato's Komatsu Foods. It's a bit firm but has a rich flavor of hamachi, making it a tasty tsukudani. They also had "Salted Sea Urchin" for 999 yen, a cheap salted sea urchin from Matsumae, as it's still a bit early for the ones from Otaru. It's Murasaki sea urchin, but it's fine to use in cooking. I made sea urchin pasta at home. They also had "Hokkai Shrimp" for 900 yen, small but delicious shrimp that tastes better when boiled. It should be the real Hokkai shrimp from Odaito-numa, but for some reason, this one is from Senpoushi. Well, as long as it's delicious, it's all good. They also had "Akamoku" for 250 yen from Miyagi. I mixed it with natto and ate it. And now, it's the season for local fruits from Niki. They had "Star Crimson" for 90 yen, a red pear that I saw for the first time. It's from Niki town next door, and it's a type of pear that comes out before Bartlett pears. It's sweet and delicious. Last time, they had "Kuushinsai" and "Kinmedai," among other rare items. I look forward to seeing more unusual items as it gets colder.

In November 2019, I visited a shopping street in Otaru City called "Machi-dori" that is covered by an arcade. The street used to be bustling, with a variety of shops selling Western goods, restaurants, and cafes. Among them, the only shop that stood out was one selling seafood. It offered interesting and affordable items that were different from the typical tourist shops. As winter approached, I decided to purchase seasonal products from this shop. I bought homemade pickled herring for 500 yen, which I consider to be a soul food of Hokkaido residents. Although labeled as spicy, it had just the right amount of salt and was not too sweet due to the low amount of koji. The pickled herring was slightly small but delicious. I also bought "hon-mikaki" (lightly processed fish) for 450 yen, which seemed to be a lower grade product but was cheap. I soaked it and made candied fish, which paired well with Japanese sake. Lastly, I bought "nama-mikaki" (raw processed fish) for 150 yen, which was a bit small but had four pieces, making it a good deal. Since I am the only one in my family who enjoys herring, I plan to freeze it and enjoy it as a snack when I'm alone. The shop's inventory changes daily, adding to its charm. I look forward to seeing the new seasonal products they will offer in the future.

After visiting Hokkaido University, I moved to Otaru. I strolled through the streets of Otaru and saw a fish market selling cut melons! They were being sold at a really nice price (≧▽≦)☆ The Yubari cut melon (350 yen) was a large size, about 1/8 of a melon. It was so sweet and delicious (´▽｀)♬ In Osaka, it's rare to have the opportunity to eat melons, so I was delighted to be able to enjoy cut melons everywhere I went. At the Yume Market, they sell all kinds of fish and vegetables, and local customers were coming in one after another to make purchases. Regular melons are sold as cut melons for 200 yen, so if you're visiting, be sure to try them out (´▽｀)

In October 2016, I passed by a shop called "Yume Ichiba" located in the Ichiban-dori Arcade, which sells fresh seafood. I noticed a sign saying "Lunch now available" and decided to try their "Daily Seafood Bowl" for 540 yen (tax included). The bowl included salmon, soy, tuna, ikura, striped shrimp, kinshi tamago, pickled ginger, and baram. The variety of seafood was limited but the quality was good for the price, and the sushi rice was tasty. Although the portion was a bit small for me, it satisfied my hunger. The seafood bowl is usually available from around 11:30 am, but it's a popular item and limited in quantity, so it's first come, first served. I made a reservation over the phone to secure mine. The shop owner used to work in caregiving but has been running this shop for five years now. He seems friendly and energetic, making the shop a favorite in the neighborhood. Supporting young businesses like this is important for the future of our town. I also support the older establishments, like the longstanding ramen shop "Tsukasa" nearby. I hope the elderly lady who runs it and had a sign saying "Temporarily closed" will be okay.

Welcome! ┌¬o＊　＊　＊　2014.03　↓Inaho area, Otaru city. Walking towards the canal from Otaru station, you enter Central Town Todoroki (there's an arcade) and as you stroll, you come across a shop with items blocking the way. Looking ahead, you realize it's the shop's merchandise. This is the place where many elderly people gather, almost blocking half of the road. Honestly, having a selling area here is obstructing pedestrians. Hmm, it's noticeable that the elderly customers are more popular than the products inside. The prices in front of the store seemed cheaper than they actually were! But upon closer inspection, they're not significantly lower than a supermarket. I almost fell for it thinking it was a great deal on liquor and snacks, but it's not really a must-buy situation...f^_^; The young owner is kindly explaining the grilling and cutting methods to the elderly customers. The shop mainly sells dried fish, pickled fish, delicacies, fish roe, and frozen items, catering to the local community with affordable prices. Despite being small in size, the "Salted, Bran, Miso-pickled Mackerel" at 150 yen for 2 pieces caught my attention. The "Saury, Split Saury" were the same size and price, which was a bit confusing...f^_^; In the end, I decided to try the pickled mackerel. When I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised by the large, tender mackerel with a good amount of fat. Slicing it thinly, it looked beautiful...it was a nice change of pace. The vinegar flavor was refreshing! While I prefer it as a light pickled dish, this acidity might go well with sake rather than rice... The slightly thick flesh was a bit dry, but the belly area was surprisingly sweet! For the elderly customers, this shop might be more welcoming than a supermarket due to the respectful attitude towards the staff. Finito〜♪o(^o^)o Thank you for the meal ===========

I happened to come across an interesting fish market on Instagram! A seafood shop in Otaru is using social media to sell fresh Hokkaido ingredients at a reasonable price. This year, fresh salmon roe is being sold at a low price! It's around 500-600 yen for 100g. The shipping fee is only 2,000 yen, which is great. I immediately sent a direct message, but they replied saying to call instead. I called to confirm the price, and it turns out that the price is based on the day you place the order, according to the fluctuating wholesale prices. This time, it was 549 yen for 100g. I ordered 2kg and it arrived two days later. I immediately prepared it by marinating it. The next morning, I enjoyed it. The texture of the roe was soft and delicious.

There are two shops in the shopping street of Otaru. I went on a souvenir shopping spree at Yume Market. I bought hair crab for 3900 yen, two types of sea urchin for 2000 and 2800 yen, scallops for 1800 yen, and a slice of scallop for about 700 yen. I also bought two Yubari melons for 1300 yen each, as well as honey, other fish, and seafood. Despite being cheap, the items were of good quality at Yume Market. The hair crab, scallops, and sea urchin were delicious. I spent around 30,000 yen on my shopping spree and my family was delighted when I brought the items home. It was probably the cheapest place to shop!

"The Otaru Yume Ichiba market was our destination in Otaru with my partner. We had a great time drinking at three different places last night, and today we planned to go skiing. We were supposed to have breakfast at 8 o'clock, but we ended up leaving the hotel at 9:30 due to our lack of punctuality. Initially, my partner said, 'There's a cheap parking lot just 5 minutes away from the hotel, so let's park there,' but it took us over 20 minutes to park. We ended up realizing that we had actually mistaken the location of the hotel. It was a struggle to get to the hotel and to the parking lot, especially with heavy luggage. As we passed through the arcade street, we stumbled upon three open shops early in the morning. It was unpredictable, and today turned out to be all about such surprises. The first place we found was the 'Yume Ichiba' fish market. It looked like a fishmonger's, and while buying vegetables was fine, I was hesitant about buying fish. There were some reasonably priced and delicious-looking items, but my partner was drawn to the 'Hokke Meshi Sushi.' We bought it, but I was concerned about the lack of customer service in the store. No one greeted us or offered help, and even when I tried to hand the items to passersby, they didn't take them. It felt like they didn't care about individual customers or expect tourists to buy fish. Even at the checkout, the staff seemed disinterested, focusing more on their smartphones. My partner, engrossed in their phone, just asked me to handle the payment. It was a disappointing experience. Unfortunately, the Hokke Meshi Sushi turned out to be too sweet for my liking. My partner, on the other hand, found it delicious and even remarked that it tasted like something homemade by an older lady. Despite their enthusiasm, I couldn't help but worry about the overly sweet taste. The fish had a thick, good quality flesh, but it was just too sweet."

I always rely on this shop♪ I also check their Instagram♪ Whenever I pass through Tsudori Street, I always take a peek. On the way from the shops on Tsudori Street to Nagasakiya, there is a new shop. This time, I found sea urchin there at such a cheap price that I immediately bought it. Even though it was close to its expiration date, it's fine because I'll eat it at night haha. The sea urchin was so cheap at ¥1200, considering the price hike. My sister scolded me, saying I should have bought more! (When we went back a few hours later, it was sold out as expected.) We enjoyed the sea urchin in various ways: as it is, with coarse salt, with wasabi, on top of rice, with soy sauce on rice, and as hand-rolled sushi with seaweed and rice. It was delicious! I love sea urchin, and while sea urchin bowls look great and get me excited, I can't eat a large amount at once. I prefer sushi-sized portions for daily consumption. However, it was disappointing that the sea urchin, which I was excited to buy, got a bit squished in my eco bag on the way home. When I looked at it later, the water had become cloudy, and the shape had slightly melted. It was a bit sad. Next time, I want to try eating Ezo Bafun sea urchin! I can't find a taste that surpasses the happiness of cracking open and eating sea urchin I caught myself in the sea. It brings back both happy memories and a bit of sadness.

After visiting Miyofuku and trying their delicious food, I went to their second store that opened in April and bought some hair crab. It was so tasty! The next day, I drove 30 minutes from Yoichi to the main store at 10 o'clock in the morning. They had crabs available! I bought all of them! The manager even gave me some extra! I was so happy. Some of the shells were crushed or some legs were missing, but at such a low price, even locals would be satisfied! It's a mystery why the crabs from Tora-souhama are chilled at this time of year!

2022/4 Dori Shopping Street in Otaru, the kitchen of the local people, is bursting with incredibly cheap deals! "Fish Shop San" is overflowing onto the street with fresh and delicious seafood at astonishingly low prices. It's hard to resist making an unplanned stop here on your way home. When you visit, make sure to take your time and carefully choose what you want to bring back on the JR train. I couldn't resist the Hokkaido king crab legs priced at only 999 yen per bag. They were not frozen but chilled, and the size and amount of meat were beyond expectations. The meat was sweet, moist, and absolutely delicious. Don't forget to bring a cooler box for your sashimi purchases, as they are also incredibly cheap here. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Jumping on the bandwagon review. Seriously, it's so cheap. I always want to buy something, but I can't carry it around, so I resist. Lately, that Kazuchi was in the 400 yen range. There was a hokke with scratches for 50 yen. Shako meshi was 150 yen. The chestnut crab was good at 300 yen for the last one. I bought furikake, kombu, and crab miso, but I resisted buying refrigerated items. Next time, I have to bring a cooler box!! There was also olive oil, canned goods, and bread from Okame-ya. It's like hunting for treasures and it's fun. I always end up stopping by. I recommend it to my friends too.

"The 'Daruma' of the hairy crab... the head portion of a crab where the legs and head are separated. I have seen it occasionally being sold at the outdoor market in Muroran, where I grew up, and have also purchased it directly from fishermen. It is a bargain as it is sold at less than half the market price just because the legs and head are separated. In Sapporo, I have been looking for it in various places and have bought it a few times from specialty shops, but there is no store that consistently stocks it. During a stroll in Otaru, I happened to come across it at the storefront of 'Otaru Yume Market.' The legs were priced at around 750 yen for 300g per bag, and the 'Daruma' was priced at 680 yen for 200g (tax included). The good thing about broken crabs is that the legs are sold in a broken state, so you can confirm the amount of meat inside. The freshness and meat quality of these crabs were good. I purchased one bag of legs and one 'Daruma.' At the storefront, they also had other seafood and processed seafood products at great prices, such as 'Horsehair Crab @1,280 yen, Red Hoya @250 yen, Dried KinKi @680 yen.' Otaru is a coastal town, so it seems that seafood is sold cheaper here compared to supermarkets in Sapporo. After carefully bringing it home, I first weighed it... the legs weighed 209g, and the 'Daruma' weighed 294g. The meat content was solid, and it was quite a bargain. The amount of miso was small, but the taste was not bad. The 'Daruma' had a good amount of meat and a mild saltiness, allowing the crab flavor to shine through. The legs were large, with a few small legs sprouting, but they were not soft-shelled crabs, and the meat quality was good. They were also mildly seasoned and packed with flavor. While not a top-quality product, considering the price, it was a great deal and quite satisfying for home use. You may come across cheaper crabs online, but without being able to see the actual product, there are uncertainties about the meat content and freshness. Of course, we also bought the usual 'Pudding Daifuku' from 'Andelis' and enjoyed a blissful dessert time afterward. My wife loves hairy crabs, so when we visit Otaru again, we will definitely stop by for more. Thank you for the meal!"

In January and February 2021, as outdoor dining was restricted, I visited "Yume Ichiba" to look for appetizers for table drinking. I found salted chicken meat and shiokara from the famous Zangi restaurant, "Jun no Mise," in Shakotan, so I bought the shiokara and headed to a familiar dining place. The shiokara had a lighter seasoning compared to traditional pickled fish, making it easier to eat. Adding kan-zuri (fermented chili pepper) enhanced the flavor and made it perfect for drinking. The products from Jun no Mise are restocked every Monday, and when I purchased the shiokara in January, they also recommended the "tachikama," which was popular. I reserved it and finally received it on February 15th, along with some monkfish liver to enjoy at home that night. The monkfish liver was elegant in flavor and paired perfectly with sake. The tachikama, whether eaten as sashimi or butter-grilled, was delicious. While the store in Iwanai is famous for tachikama, I find the saltiness a bit strong, so I prefer the version from Jun no Mise, which doesn't require desalination. Their tachikama offers a balance of sweetness and umami, making it a top-notch choice. Jun no Mise is known for their delicious awabi shiokara, and their tachikama is also a must-try item that requires reservations.