Visited the food court at "Salmon Park Chitose," which reopened on August 26, 2023. The place was crowded around 11 am, with a mix of locals and tourists. The layout remained the same, but all the food stalls seemed to have changed. The most popular stall was "Kaisendon Totomaru," with a line of about 10 people. I decided to skip it and try "Kamado-yaki Namara Onigiri" instead. I bought the luxurious "Zekkei Maki" with sea urchin, salmon roe, and crab for 400 yen. The onigiri was generously filled with seafood, but the rice was too soft for my liking. The crab inside was too watery, affecting the overall texture. While the quality of the ingredients was not top-notch, the flavors were decent. Overall, I think traditional fillings like bonito or salmon might be better suited for onigiri. However, this onigiri is unique and worth trying at least once.

The Michi-no-Eki in Chitose, which reopened on 8/25, offers onigiri with plenty of Hokkaido-grown nanatsuboshi rice. The renewal of the Michi-no-Eki is always exciting, and the new food stalls are a welcome addition. As a big fan of onigiri, I visited the store right away. The ordering system is unique - you can buy onigiri displayed at the store front at the merchandise counter, while for those not displayed, you can place an order to have them freshly made. However, there were a few things that caught my attention. The order sheet has small print, which might be hard to read for elderly customers. The order sheet is located at the order/pick-up counter, which can get crowded with customers ordering, receiving, and taking order sheets. It might be better to place the order sheets elsewhere or have a separate pick-up counter. The process of receiving the onigiri involves writing down the desired quantity on the order sheet, handing it over at the order counter, receiving a number tag (not a bell), and being told to come back in about 15 minutes. Payment is made at the merchandise counter, but make sure not to lose the receipt. When you come back to pick up your order, there might be a slight delay in preparation. It would be more efficient if they used a bell system like other stores. The onigiri itself had a generous amount of filling and a satisfying volume. The salted salmon onigiri for 248 yen was flavorful and had plenty of salmon pieces, although there were some bones that needed to be removed. The rice was slightly soft, causing the onigiri to fall apart easily. It seemed like they were busy, so the rice might have been packed too loosely. The seaweed was tasty, although it could have been easier to bite into. Overall, for the price of 248 yen, the onigiri had a good amount of filling and the ingredients were of good quality. The rice itself was delicious, but it would be better if it were a bit firmer. I have high hopes for the quality of ingredients used and look forward to future improvements. I would like to visit again when it's less busy and see how they have progressed. Excited to see what's in store for the future!

In a nutshell, the onigiri here is hearty. The amount of salmon roe is generous, making a strong impact at this price point. The flavor of the roe is decent, and while the rice quality is average, the texture is good. As a self-proclaimed onigiri expert (having worked for a company that sold 1 billion yen worth of onigiri annually), I believe that onigiri should be slightly soft to provide a sense of comfort and appeal to customers. Onigiri made with hard rice tends to lose its charm over time. The size of the seaweed feels somewhat lacking, and the seasoning could be better. In terms of overall quality, this onigiri may not be perfect, but it effectively showcases the hearty nature of Hokkaido cuisine and offers good value for money.

I visited a rice ball specialty store that is particular about rice, ingredients, and salt. I arrived after 12 o'clock and all varieties were sold out, so I had to wait for 20 minutes. They cook the rice balls in a round-bottomed clay oven, and the shape is so homey that it doesn't look like a product, but... I see... it's delicious. I had the salted salmon rice ball for 248 yen. Thank you for the meal! (^^)v