In late March in Hokkaido, it was still cold but there was no pollen in the air like in Tokyo, making for a comfortable evening. I stayed in Shizunai in Shinhidaka Town. My friend had made a reservation for dinner at Amaya. I was the one paying, but I had a good laugh about it. It was my first time at Amaya. I sat at the counter and had already ordered the course meal when making the reservation. I started with a beer, and the first thing that came out was a kelp broth, which seems to be the style at Amaya. The lightly salted broth was comforting. Then, out of the blue, spring arrived on two plates. Asparagus from Tokachi, thick and tender. It had just started being served that day, so I felt lucky. It had a great texture and was sweet! As I drank with my friend and our conversation flowed, the dishes kept coming. Scallops topped with fresh sea urchin. I wondered if I would get to try the spring sea urchin from Hidaka, and I did. It was sweet and disappeared without any fishy taste. Scallops and sea urchin are a favorite combination of mine, and they paired well with lemon. After that, they served various fish dishes in unique ways. I was surprised when bamboo shoots appeared. They were from Kyushu, but they made me feel like the cherry blossoms were already blooming. They went well with seaweed. They paired herring roe with prosciutto, and the meat dish was like sukiyaki, but it was served with raw spring chrysanthemum leaves. I thought the bitterness of the chrysanthemum would be too strong, but it was pleasantly mild. The finale was a sea urchin bowl. Sea urchin appeared three times throughout the meal, and while the amount wasn't huge, the delicious sea urchin made me smile naturally. The delicious food and drinks, along with our conversation, made me confident that the rest of the trip would be even more enjoyable. After dessert, we left the restaurant. I slept soundly and looked forward to another fun day ahead!

I had no idea that Jonaicho had merged with Mitsuiicho to become the new Hidaka Town. I often stop by this restaurant for lunch on my way to Hiroo for grave visits along the Tenma Kaido. I first discovered this place when they had a booth at the early Autumn Fest. The restaurant has a calm atmosphere and a lineup of delicious-looking menu items with a slightly luxurious feel. This time, I had the beef tataki rice bowl with a mini soba set. It looked delicious from the start... I ate the first bowl as is, and then poured the broth over the second bowl for a light taste. Personally, I did not like the sweet sauce on the rice. It would have been perfect with some uni soy sauce from Amaya-san.

New Hidaka Town is famous for its cherry blossom trees along the 20-meter road in the early spring. One of the representative shops in New Hidaka Town is a bit understated with a Western-style entrance that may be easily overlooked. However, once you walk through the entrance, you will find a splendid Japanese-style interior with lively jazz music playing in the background. The menu offers a variety of options including meat, seafood, rice dishes, and a famous soba dish. The hot broth in the soba dish is quite sweet, complemented by the extremely thin noodles mixed with kelp for a slightly green hue. The aroma of kelp and the sticky texture of the noodles are enjoyable. While the sweetness of the broth may be a bit overpowering, adding yuzu pepper gives it a stimulating kick. Additionally, the yuzu scent on top of the dish adds a refreshing touch to the warm soba. The meat in the dish consists mostly of white meat, not too fatty, but a bit dry, which was the only downside of the dish.

I visited Amaya for the first time. I had been curious about it for a while and finally got the chance to visit. The atmosphere from the entrance near the parking lot was nice. The Red and White Seafood Chirashi Bowl (¥1,870) was delicious, with vibrant colors. The white fish may have been Matsukawa, if I remember correctly. The Octopus Hitsumabushi (¥1,650) had tasty seasoning on the octopus, and the meat was very tender and easy to eat. The dish came with a variety of dashi and condiments, allowing for different ways to enjoy it. I would love to visit this restaurant again if I have the chance.

Great for dining out. The dishes are carefully prepared, and you can feel the chef's dedication. For example, the asparagus bacon with bacon flakes is a must-try. The wine selection is also impressive, you can enjoy Kenzo's wine at a surprisingly affordable price. A renowned restaurant in Shizunai, Hokkaido. Highly recommended.

The cherry blossoms along the 20-meter road are usually in full bloom around Golden Week. Last year, I stopped by on my way back from Obihiro, but they were already falling. This year, they were just starting to fall, but let's feel the spring with those magnificent cherry blossoms. I know it will be crowded, but let's go out anyway. First, let's fill our stomachs. I heard that the spring sea urchin is excellent. Although it says they open at 11:30, I had already written my name at the entrance. The restaurant was fully booked. I wish they had clearer signage about their opening hours. I couldn't see much of the interior because of the lack of depth. The counter at the back seemed bright and nice. Looking at the menu from two years ago, there has been quite an increase in prices. Well, maybe it's due to the soaring fuel costs for fishing boats... I wonder if sea urchins are caught far away by boat. Since I came all the way here, I ordered the following: Hidaka seafood bowl for 5800 yen, beef tataki rice for 1980 yen, a set, and a beer. The bowl was filled with squid, sea urchin, and more. The sea urchin was light and had a subtle richness. It really feels like spring. The salmon roe and tender squid were delicious too. The soy sauce was probably made with kelp. It was also delicious to melt the sea urchin in it. Another surprise was the Hidaka kelp mixed soba. It wasn't on the menu, but when I said I wanted to eat soba, they served me more. The soba had a smooth texture and a rich kelp flavor, very delicious. I also bought some dried soba noodles. The beef tataki rice with Tokachi beef was the most delicious I've had recently. Tokachi beef is really tasty. The kelp roll in the set was made with high-quality Hidaka kelp. It was soft and delicious. The ingredients were also top-notch, so it was definitely delicious. I highly recommend the kelp mixed soba. It was a delicious lunch. Thank you for the meal.

I visited during the cherry blossom festival season. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was nice, and the staff were very friendly. Reservations can be made by writing your name and phone number. While exploring the Shizunai shopping street, I received a call and returned to the restaurant. I ordered the beef sashimi bowl and beef tataki bowl. The beef sashimi came with half-thawed Ezo Bafun sea urchin on top, which was delicious. The beef tataki bowl had a unique style where you eat it as is and then pour broth over it like ochazuke. Both dishes were very tasty. I couldn't try the soba this time, but I bought dried noodles to enjoy later.

I was prepared for the crowds at the cherry blossom festival at GW, but still had to wait for an hour at 11 am. I'm glad I put off seeing the cherry blossoms. My daughter and I debated on what to order, and in the end, I chose the Uni Don with beef sashimi for 3850 yen, while my daughter went with the Uni Don with fatty tuna. We decided to splurge since they had spring Uni available. When we tried the dishes, the beef sashimi was a bit too rare and thinly sliced for my liking, but the spring Uni was delicious! It was a small portion due to a shortage caused by red tides, so we were fortunate to have it. It was tasty, but for this price, I may not have been completely satisfied. I thought I should have gone with the under 1500 yen Tenju or the beef tataki bowl. I may have had too high expectations. Thank you for the meal!

Asparagus Tempura Soba for 1310 yen. This is a famous Japanese lunch spot in Shin-Hidaka town. It was my first visit as it's often difficult to find the right timing to go since they also offer private bookings. The interior is spacious and quite stylish, suitable for inviting guests. Although I was curious about the seafood menu, I decided to try the soba today. The Asparagus Tempura Soba consisted of thin soba noodles topped with tempura crumbs, spinach, seaweed, and a whole tempura asparagus. It came with rice and a side dish. The soba noodles were smooth and refreshing, with a fragrant and delicious broth. The tempura asparagus was crispy and juicy, and I liked the touch of seaweed on top. It was a delightful meal.

My companion had made a reservation at Amaya, a local restaurant. I was impressed throughout the meal by how delicious everything was, from the fried dishes to the sashimi and meat. It's amazing to find such a great restaurant in this area! (Note: Reservations are essential as it can get fully booked, depending on the season.)

I went to a confectionery shop to order hors d'oeuvres for guests. I was planning to eat lunch elsewhere, but I had time until the last order, so I decided to have lunch there too! After much deliberation, I wasn't in the mood for seafood, so I went for a hearty beef cutlet meal. The beef cutlet set meal (1,980 yen) had a crispy fried beef cutlet with a slightly sweet sauce, and was served with wasabi on the side. The simmered white radish, shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots in sweet soy sauce were also delicious, but personally, I think the beef cutlet alone was tasty enough. And... I really like the miso soup here. The refreshing taste of the side dishes was also delicious. It's nice to indulge once in a while, haha. I'm looking forward to the hors d'oeuvres for tomorrow.

I visited a restaurant known for serving fresh spring sea urchin, and it was already full when I arrived. The restaurant only allows 40 groups per day due to COVID-19 restrictions, and luckily I was the last group for the day. I had to wait for 2 and a half hours before being called in for my reservation. The dish I ordered was the Uni Tamatebako for 4950 yen, which was quite a good deal. The sea urchin on top of the rice was large and had a strong presence, with no fishy smell. The dish also included dashimaki tamago, turban shell, and snow crab claws. Underneath the warm rice, there were sweet shrimp, squid sashimi, scallop, and a surprise element of sea urchin in a suribachi. Overall, it was a luxurious meal, although I wished the rice was sushi rice instead. The sweet shrimp seemed a bit overcooked due to the heat from the rice, but I couldn't tell if it was intentional or not. My expectations were high due to the hype around the spring sea urchin dish, so I felt slightly disappointed.

I went to the famous restaurant Amaya in Shizunai. At night, there is a cover charge of 700 yen, but the roasted kelp dashi, crab tiramisu, and chewy fried kelp bread with lily root jam that come with it are satisfying. I immediately ordered the Uni Tamatebako from Amaya. It includes crab, sea urchin, tamagoyaki, and spring sea urchin. As I ate, I discovered that underneath the rice were large scallops, shrimp, and squid. I understood the meaning of "Tamatebako." Spring sea urchin, also known as red sea urchin, is said to be in season in Hidaka now. Each sea urchin piece is dissolved in soy sauce and enjoyed. The grains are firm and large, allowing you to fully taste the sea urchin itself. Each dish is carefully made, and I could see why this restaurant is so highly regarded.

Category: Favorite Izakaya (Hokkaido and Tohoku) Today was a solo trip to an izakaya in Hokkaido. It was raining a bit, but I rented a bicycle from the hotel and headed to Nijukken Road. It's a famous cherry blossom spot. I've passed by this road a few times to see racehorses like Aroostad. I didn't get lost on the road, but the uphill ride was a bit tough. After leisurely enjoying the cherry blossoms, it was time for a lunch beer. I returned to the Shizunai city area and went to "Amaya". I arrived late for lunchtime, and unfortunately, it was full. They asked for my phone number and told me to wait in my car, but my car is a small one. Since it was raining outside, they allowed me to wait inside. Since it was lunchtime, the turnover was quick, and I was seated at the counter right away. They offered either premium or black label beer. I chose the premium, but it turned out to be Ichiban Shibori Premium, not Premium Malts. A beer after some exercise is delicious. Besides the small counter, there were table seats and private rooms mainly for groups. There were two couples at the counter. It seemed like the main customers were those who came by car, so there were no drinking buddies. My draft beer arrived in about 8 minutes. The uni treasure box from Amaya was served. It was filled with plenty of spring sea urchin. The sweet and rich Bafun uni went well with the sake. Oh, I almost forgot the vegetable dish. I had some pickles in a small dish. The tsubu shellfish was also delicious. It's a local specialty. Furthermore, there were crab, tamagoyaki, and delicious sashimi, which made me finish my beer quickly. I ordered some sake. It was a local sake from Hokkaido. There was also sashimi in the rice. Sweet shrimp, squid, and scallops. Unfortunately, the sashimi was a bit lukewarm due to the warm rice. But I have no regrets. I chose the treasure box for the shote-mae. Urashima Taro had a fun time and received the treasure box. Shote-mae is... I grew old without having a fun time. I was told that my prime would come eventually, so I waited. While thinking about such things, I enjoyed the delicious spring sea urchin. Thank you for the meal. I walked back to the hotel since I had some drinks. It was convenient that it was close by. Thank you for taking care of me! "Amaya" Shizunai, Hidaka District, Shinhidaka-cho, Gokomachi 2-5-51 [Lunch] 11:30-14:00 (last order 13:30) *Closed for winter from January to February. [Dinner] 17:00-22:00 (last order 21:00)

A friend came to visit, so I treated them to Amaya, a restaurant known for its hospitality. I had made a reservation for a spring sea urchin course in advance, and we were both excited. The course started with a kelp broth, followed by asparagus, sashimi, steak, and sea urchin rice bowl... The dishes were not only visually stunning but also delicious. The asparagus was tender yet crunchy and juicy. The sashimi assortment with spring sea urchin was also delicious, with the clam being crunchy and tasty. The garlic sautéed asparagus and monkfish(?) was incredibly tasty, and we enjoyed our beer, sake, and white wine. And the main dish was Kobe beef steak. We were told they weren't serving Kobe beef when we made the reservation, so it was a delightful surprise. The beef was unbelievably delicious, and we were truly impressed. For the rice dish, we had a mini sea urchin rice bowl. Even though it was a mini bowl, it had a generous amount of sea urchin on top. My friend, who loves sea urchin, was very satisfied. While it's not cheap, the quality of the food definitely justifies the price. I've always thought the staff here are great, too. They are polite yet warm, making us feel comfortable and happy. I look forward to coming back in a different season to try a different course!

In Hidaka Town, Hokkaido, there is a place called Shizunai which is famous for being a breeding ground for racehorses. Around Golden Week, it seems to be popular as a cherry blossom viewing spot in Hokkaido. For lunch, I chose a Japanese restaurant called Amaya. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant had a limit on the number of people inside, so I had to wait in the parking lot. After about 10 minutes, I received a phone call and was finally able to enter the restaurant. The private room I was seated in had a calm atmosphere. Since I came all the way here, I ordered the Hidaka seafood bowl filled with sea urchin, salmon roe, and fresh scallops. It was a luxurious way to enjoy sea urchin by even mixing it with soy sauce. It looked like a treasure box, just as it appeared. The Hidaka seafood bowl truly lived up to its name with its splendid combination of sea urchin, salmon roe, and fresh scallops. Delicious! It was a bit far, but I'm glad I came. The service was great, and it was a very nice restaurant. I also bought soba noodles with kelp mixed in as a souvenir. For those who want to buy something that is not sold at airports or souvenir shops, this would be a good choice.

It's been a while since I visited Shizunai (Shinhidaka Town). Due to the new coronavirus, it's difficult to carry out business activities. For lunch, I went to "Amaya" which I have visited a few times before but this is my first time posting about it. I couldn't take photos due to my companion's circumstances. The entrance photo is from the parking lot side, which is actually the back entrance. The prices here are generally high, making me wonder if it's a high-end restaurant in Shizunai. I ordered the curry soba set, which included curry nanban soba and a mini rice bowl for 1000 yen (excluding tax). I chose the tempura rice bowl for the mini bowl. With tax included, it came to 1100 yen, which is a bit pricey for a budget lunch. It was served after a 10-minute wait. Let's dig in! The curry soba was quite thick in consistency, becoming thinner towards the end. The spiciness was moderate. The soba noodles were flat, which I'm not a big fan of. The chicken had a slightly strong smell. The tempura rice bowl had scattered tempura with a sprinkle of sansho pepper, which was delicious with wasabi. Thank you for the meal! I'll visit again when I have some extra money.

I used it for lunch on Saturday. It was delicious. I had the una-gyudon and the meat was tender and the eel was finely chopped, making it very easy to eat. If I were to make a suggestion, it would be to use Hokkaido shin-hida wasabi instead of the green store-bought wasabi. The quality of the green wasabi has improved and tastes good, but using shin-hida wasabi would be even better. The mixed soba ordered by my companion had Sichuan pepper in it, which made it numbing as you eat, creating an addictive flavor. I had a little taste and it was delicious. I hope to visit again.

JR Shizunai Station is an 8-minute walk away. This Japanese-style store is in a town that was one of the earliest to be settled in Hokkaido, giving it a unique and charming atmosphere. I visited for lunch on a weekday. I arrived shortly after the store opened, so there was only one other group of customers. Although at the time there wasn't much concern about COVID-19 in Hidaka, the store had taken solid precautions. They ensured there was enough space between tables and were conscious of guiding customers to their seats with social distancing in mind. I ordered the seafood bowl on this day. I can't remember the price! Unfortunately, they didn't have uni and some other seafood that day, but the bowl was still satisfying. It was made with fresh ingredients and skillful knife work, making it delicious. The service was also excellent.

Due to the coronavirus, restaurants are struggling with low customer traffic. Many places have started offering delivery and takeout services for the first time. Today, since I have the day off work, I decided to buy a daily bento box from a local candy shop. The menu changes daily, and today's special was a teriyaki fried chicken bento. The meat was tender, and the sweet and savory sauce was delicious. There was also some salmon roe on top of the rice. It cost 800 yen and was really tasty. Thank you for the meal.

Three of us had the course menu for kuzushi-nabe (a type of hotpot dish). We were hesitant about going out, but we felt that it's important to have some small pleasures like enjoying a meal nearby to cope with the current situation. Lately, I've noticed delivery flyers being distributed, and when I inquired, I learned that the restaurant is quite busy and facing challenges. Upon entering, there was a sign at the entrance saying "Reserved guests only today," and walk-in customers were being turned away. Luckily, I had made a reservation the day before. They also seated us far away from other customers, which we appreciated. Needless to say, the food was delicious.