I visited this sushi restaurant on my trip from Tokyo to Hakodate! The friendly chef made the experience enjoyable and the sushi was delicious. I definitely want to visit again when I have the chance. Next time, I might even try the sushi made by his son.

I arrived at the restaurant around 5 p.m. and sat at the counter seat to enjoy the premium sushi. I didn't take any photos, but I savored the sushi prepared by the master in front of me and had a delightful conversation. Every sushi topping was delicious, but I especially liked the flying fish roe, lean tuna, squid, and burdock roll! When I come back to Hakodate, I will definitely visit again.

The premium sushi and horse sashimi prepared by the cheerful and fun head chef at Benten Sushi in Hakodate are amazing! Even the wife will be delighted. The "tobikko" in the premium sushi is shockingly delicious! And the horse sashimi, which some customers even come from Sapporo to reserve, is incredibly tasty and melts in your mouth! Check out the details here ☟ Benten Sushi in Hakodate's premium sushi and horse sashimi are the best! A popular spot where even GLAY fans gather!

I made a reservation over the phone. When I made the reservation, they told me that the curtain is not out, but the shutter is open so please come in. When I arrived at 6:00 pm, there were no other customers. I was seated at a seven-person counter and ordered a draft beer and premium sushi. The chef chatted with me while making each piece of sushi. He asked me where I came from. During our conversation, two local customers and two customers from Tokyo arrived at the counter. The premium sushi of the day included tuna, scallop, cod roe, squid, sweet shrimp, sea urchin, and flying fish roe, I forgot the rest. We also ordered more sea urchin, smoked salmon, fatty salmon, and flying fish roe. I don't usually like sea urchin, but it was surprisingly delicious without a strong smell. The flying fish roe was served in a gunkan style with quail eggs in the middle, and although I couldn't quite figure out the taste, I ended up ordering more. On our way out, two customers arrived without a reservation. There are tatami seating available besides the counter, but since the chef mainly prepares the sushi, the maximum capacity seems to be seven people. There was no price list, so it's best to ask the chef about the available items for the day. We had a total of three draft beers, two servings of premium sushi, and an additional eight pieces of sushi, and the bill came out to be just under 10,000 yen for the two of us. It was delicious. If you are traveling and really want to visit this place, be sure to make a reservation. The atmosphere was not really suitable for taking photos, so I didn't take any.

I paid 2900 yen for the cherry blossom sushi. The chef made a lot of pieces for me. The sea urchin was from Canada? The flavor was a bit off.

Hopscotch is the best.

I had already decided on a restaurant to visit for dinner, but I came across a cut-out article in a magazine posted in the inn. The article was about a place called "Marutama Koya" that Yoshida Rui had visited, and I thought it might be nice to visit alone and relax, so I decided to go there instead. Before visiting "Marutama Koya," I called to confirm that they were open and arrived around 6:00 PM. The restaurant was located a little away from the bustling area, and it had an old-fashioned sushi restaurant vibe. When I entered, the counter seats were mostly occupied by customers who had stopped by after work, but luckily there was one seat available at the end, so I was able to sit there. I usually don't drink alcohol when eating sushi, but on this day, I felt like having a drink while eating sushi, so I ordered cold sake and premium sushi. As the cold sake was served, I tried to imitate Yoshida Rui and took a sip, but since the counter seats were full, I couldn't fully immerse myself in the experience (laughs). The sushi was not served on sushi geta or plates, but rather one or two pieces at a time on the counter, which I found delightful. I don't like it when the sushi is served on a plate and presented as "here's your portion." When eating in a private room, it can't be helped, but when eating at the counter, I prefer to have the sushi served to me one by one. I believe that the true joy of eating sushi is having the chef prepare it right in front of you and picking up the sushi placed on the counter with your hands instead of chopsticks to eat it. The premium sushi included tuna, shrimp, abalone, sea urchin, flying fish roe, shad roe, and salmon roe. For sea urchin, flying fish roe, and salmon roe, the chef kindly advised me to "eat them as they are," which I appreciated. Otherwise, people who are not used to it might end up dipping them in soy sauce. When the sushi servings were finished, I decided it was the end and ordered squid and mackerel as an additional order, which I enjoyed. What made me happiest was the owner occasionally talking to me while making the sushi, and I was able to enjoy a pleasant time while savoring delicious sushi and cold sake.

From Motomachi Park, I saw a ship that looked like a battleship heading towards Hakodate Dock. I told the accompanying photographer, who wanted to see it too. We walked downhill towards the port, which was about 2000m away. Finally, we arrived at the port. The photographer happily took pictures while I sat on a mooring post and searched for a sushi restaurant on the Tabelog app. "Benten Sushi" was the closest. The reviewer also recommended it. I decided to walk there for sushi! It was 800m or a 10-minute walk away. The restaurant was located below "Yayoi-zaka," near the "Omacho" tram stop. The building had a nostalgic Showa era atmosphere. The door creaked open, and the interior was quiet. It was Sunday at 1 pm. I sat at the counter and ordered the "Special Nigiri Set for 1800 yen." I resisted the temptation for a highball. The meal started with tuna, which was delicious. I'm not a big fan of salmon, but this one was really good. The scallop was soft and well-prepared. The set also included abalone, snow crab, and surprisingly, abalone was served as well. The herring roe was a rare treat. The taste and texture were excellent. The chef brought out Hokkigai from the back, claiming it was of high quality. The tobiko quail sushi, which was like a conveyor belt sushi, was surprisingly delicious. If only there was sea urchin, it would have been perfect. The chef mentioned that customers from all over the country are surprised by the quality at this price and often come back. He also mentioned that traditional sushi restaurants in Hakodate are dwindling due to the rise of conveyor belt sushi places. It was a delightful meal at a local sushi restaurant that I would love to protect. Thank you for the feast. ◎

I visited one of the two sushi restaurants featured in the September 2012 issue of the free magazine "Kanraku" by Hakodate Shimbun. I ordered the recommended special sushi, which was served one piece at a time rather than in sets of two or three. It was a great deal to enjoy sea urchin, abalone, and crab for less than 2000 yen. The sea urchin was seasoned with salt, and the tobiko with moon viewing sauce was also delicious without soy sauce. The moon viewing sauce had a rich flavor that I enjoyed. The tamagoyaki (rolled omelette) I took home had a nice crispy texture and a homely taste that I liked!

Hakodate Benten Sushi Theme: Gourmet Diary Tonight, I went to eat here! I had heard it was delicious since a long time ago, so I wanted to check it out. The location is from Otemachi tram stop in Hakodate, turn at the corner of the dry cleaner's towards the mountain, and it's on the right side at the next intersection. When I entered the restaurant, there were about 7 counter seats and also tatami seating. Even though it's a counter-style restaurant, the prices are surprisingly cheap! Today, I ordered the special sushi and a beer, and it only cost 2310 yen! The chef seemed experienced, with a collection of well-sharpened sashimi knives. The first piece I ordered was tuna, but I had trouble with the white balance in my photos. Each piece was hand-pressed and served in front of me. I also had two types of scallops, salmon roe, and tobiko with quail egg. The ingredients were large and delicious, I got lost in enjoying them. The direct interaction with the chef across the counter was a great experience. The way the chef hand-pressed the sushi, especially the salmon roe, was impressive. It's not just wrapped in seaweed, it's a true hand-pressed sushi! It was amazing. I feel like getting more now!