In the early morning of April 2017, there is a fish cake factory along my walking route. They have an interesting fish cake at their direct sales store. For me, fish cake is a side dish for alcohol, in other words, a snack. I'm not good with dried snacks, so I also like cheese and ham. They mix cheese, ham, and parsley into the fish cake, smoke it with cherry wood chips, creating a Western-style fish cake. When you open the package, there is a nice smoky aroma. Cut it into pieces and enjoy. It goes well with beer or wine. This fish cake has become a staple in my home. The factory store also offers daily special products, but they seem to sell out by the morning.

I came to Mitsui Outlet Park in Kitahiroshima. It's rare to hear Japanese here, I'm starting to remember Chinese words... Even though I didn't buy anything, my money keeps disappearing. I have to get dinner too. I just follow behind my eldest daughter, basically I'm just a wallet, I have no authority at all. But still, she said, "If there's something you want to eat, you can put it in the basket." So I'll just let her do as she pleases since I'm the one paying. If I say anything, she'll just say, "I'll make it..." and that's the end of it. So I won't say anything (sweating). If I hold back, it seems like my favorite things won't end up in the basket, so I found some kamaboko (fish cake) and put it in the basket. It's squid flavor. I wondered which store it was from, and it turns out it's from Sapporo, in Shiroishi Ward. Come to think of it, Noguri-chan and Toshiya-kun said they were "making kamaboko," so it must be this. I just microwaved the kamaboko, it's not bad but not great either. Even though it's labeled as "squid," the squid flavor isn't very strong. Well, I'm used to eating Kamaboko from Kamaei or Kurihara, so this one doesn't taste that good.

This is a place in Shiroishi-ku, located in the eastern part of Sapporo near the Sapporo Convention Center. For the exact location, please check on the map on Tabelog as usual. I happened to be waiting at a traffic light in front of the main store of this restaurant before, and later when I searched, I found out that the factory-direct store was closer and had a parking lot, making it easier to visit. When you get close to the factory, you will see a flashy pink sign, and you will immediately see the direct store and park your car in the parking lot in front of the store. When you enter the store, there is first a business guide, with signs saying "Special offer, limited quantity, discounted items," then you go further inside. Inside the store, there are refrigerated boxes and showcases. The boxes have many fried foods and even oden, and the "special offer items" I was looking for are also there. The showcases mainly display kamaboko. So, I bought two types of kamaboko and the classic "boarded kamaboko," which had a 10% discount, and then I paid and left the store. Now, let's eat at home. First, the "special offer" kamaboko, the difference is that the steamed one has a cut next to the kamaboko, and the grilled one has some grill marks, but it doesn't affect the taste. The flavor is slightly sweet, which I personally prefer to be less sweet. Next is the "boarded kamaboko," which has a good texture, flavor, and aroma, allowing you to enjoy the authentic taste of kamaboko, making it a great snack for drinking. However, the slightly high price is the only downside. Overall, I think it's a great achievement to have a kamaboko shop with such a long history here in Sapporo.

It is located near the EASE Sapporo shopping center. It's not a very big factory, and it has a quiet exterior. There are various unique fish cakes here. One that surprised me when I first saw it was "Kibikko-chan," a fish cake with corn kernels packed inside. I couldn't imagine the taste, so I ended up buying it. Surprisingly, corn goes well with it!!! It's sweeter than regular fish cakes, but that's what makes it delicious!!! I like to eat it with just a little soy sauce.

Continuing from the previous day, I did a snack broadcast at 3 o'clock. On this day, I was going around various shops trying to install a new webcam in a different position. On my way back, I visited a shop that I had been eyeing for a while, a shop directly operated by a kamaboko factory. The destination was the "Kanehiko Head Office Factory Direct Shop" near the East Sapporo Convention Center. I had searched for a store when I felt like eating some side dishes before. This Kanehiko was an old kamaboko shop founded in Taisho 7. Now, I entered the store right away. There were various kamaboko lined up, from expensive ones to cheap ones. The expensive ones cost over 1000 yen each. Among them, I chose the cheapest one, "Ikadataro" for 240 yen, which is a kamaboko with squid mixed in, perfect for a snack. This series also had salmon and octopus flavors, among others. Now, let's try it. It tastes good in a normal way. There were even squid legs inside, which was nice. It's not like "Wow, this is amazing!" but it was delicious. I recommend it. If you ever feel like eating kamaboko during a drive, be sure to try it out. Any takers? JUGEM Theme: Local Gourmet

I want to eat wasabi so I researched the Kamaboko shop. I want to know their skills, so maybe the best thing to do is to buy all their products and try them out. When I tried the Chikuwa, it was delicious from the first bite. It has a good texture and a strong sweetness, which is nice. However, as I continued eating, it became strangely sweet and I got tired of it quickly. Looking at the ingredients, there are a lot of additives. For Kamaboko, fish paste and salt are enough. Sweeteners, starch, preservatives, coloring agents, etc. are all unnecessary. It seems like most other Kamaboko are similar. Maybe I made the wrong choice? I'll come back again this month.

I visited the factory-direct store of Kanehiko, known for their kamaboko, in search of hanenori products (*'ω'*)* Hanenori product: Satsuma age (2 pieces: 207 yen) The sizes were different, so maybe that's why they're hanenori products?? A classic delicious Satsuma age. Just right for a drinking snack ♡ I wonder if the types vary depending on the day?? I often use this place for work, so I'll definitely be stopping by again~ (*'ω'*)

Recently, the snow has been melting, it's getting warmer, and the days are getting longer. I'm so happy. I love this season the most. Now that the temperature is relatively high for this time of year and the weather is good on a holiday, I search for snacks to enjoy while predicting the G1 races. I prepare Kenmin's fried vermicelli and the grilled squid and green onion fish cake from Kanehiko that I purchased before. When it comes to fish cakes in the Sapporo area, Kamaei in Otaru is well-known, but Kanehiko is a local establishment in Sapporo, founded in the Taisho era. Now, after warming them up in the microwave, I lightly sear them in the oven. I can taste the flavor of the squid, which goes perfectly with beer. It seems like the outside has become a bit tough in the oven, maybe just using the microwave would have been better. On a Sunday afternoon, sipping on beer and nibbling on delicious snacks while predicting the G1 races – ah, the simple pleasures of life! Bon appétit! Oh, but horse racing is really difficult...

Blog ⇒ [Riding on the Flowing Clouds♪] On August 25th, the government decided to expand the state of emergency and priority measures to prevent the spread in response to the new coronavirus infection at the Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters. ◇The following 8 prefectures were added to the areas subject to the state of emergency: Hokkaido, Miyagi, Gifu, Aichi, Mie, Shiga, Okayama, Hiroshima ◆The following 13 prefectures are already subject to the state of emergency: Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Hyogo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Okinawa ◇The following 4 prefectures were added to the areas subject to priority measures to prevent the spread: Kochi, Saga, Nagasaki, Miyazaki ◆The following 8 prefectures are already subject to the measures: Fukushima, Yamanashi, Toyama, Ishikawa, Kagawa, Ehime, Kumamoto, Kagoshima ※All measures are in effect until September 12th 8 prefectures + 13 prefectures + 4 prefectures + 8 prefectures = 33 prefectures This accounts for more than 2/3 of the 47 prefectures. Isn't the reason for not issuing a nationwide state of emergency a financial issue? Surely, they wouldn't say that they are preoccupied with election matters, right? The new coronavirus measures have been a series of failures, and day by day, the physical and mental strength of the people is being drained. No, not just physical strength, but lives are being taken away. The country does not offer any help in such abnormal circumstances. Criticisms seem to be running out. We must now make a serious effort to take measures! Otherwise, the economy will collapse. The travel and restaurant industries are already on their last legs. If the country doesn't help, then we must help each other... There is no other way but to support each other. Therefore, as much as circumstances allow, as long as our physical strength holds, I want to actively support restaurants more than ever before. But this time, I will support by eating in a slightly different way. While in Hyogo prefecture, I will eat delicious food from Hokkaido! I found out that the Co-op I visited was holding a Hokkaido Fair. The selection was so good that it could rival a fair held at a venue! The wide range of products was impressive for a supermarket. From there, I chose the "Squid and Green Onion Grilled Fish Cake" for 278 yen from "Kanehiko," a kamaboko (fish cake) shop founded in 1918 with its headquarters in Sapporo. So, there is a sense of reassurance, and the appearance is adorable. The cute squid shape is like cheating, it just makes you want to pick it up. However, it is undeniably delicious, so I recommend it! It's great on its own, but it's also delicious with ginger soy sauce.

Due to the significant reduction of hospitalized patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were delays in hospitalization. I was hospitalized again in April, following stays in September and January last year. As a result, regular reviews were put on hold starting from April 19th. Before being hospitalized, I managed to write several reviews on my computer and only uploaded them from my hospital bed. I was unable to reply to comments on the reviews during my hospital stay. This hospitalization was initially planned for about three weeks but I was discharged slightly earlier than expected. I couldn't reply to comments, but I managed to like them. Your supportive comments were a source of encouragement for me during my hospital stay, and I am truly grateful. It may take some time, but I plan to reply to comments gradually. Thank you for your continued support. [May 2021] "Kanehiko Kamaboko" is a local kamaboko shop in Sapporo. Originally, it was a fish market in "Nijyo Market" established in 1900 (Meiji 33). In 1918 (Taisho 7), they started manufacturing and selling kamaboko in the market by establishing a kamaboko department. The kamaboko made by the fishmonger became popular. The "kamaboko" department alone has been a long-established store for 103 years. They still hand-cut fish into three pieces without using machines. It takes time and costs, but the flavor of the fish is alive in the kamaboko. They use many local ingredients from Hokkaido and do not use preservatives. The current main store is located across the street from the "Sapporo Park Hotel" in the Nakajima Park area of Chuo Ward in the city. It has been open since May 2007. I visited with my usual companion after lunch for the first time. This shop is located near "Lasora Sapporo" along Nanngo Avenue in Higashi Sapporo area of Shiroishi Ward. Please check the exact location of the shop on Tabelog. I visited around 1 pm on a weekday. There were no previous or subsequent customers. The shop is compact and has a distinctive direct sales store feel compared to the main store. Although there are over 400 products, the selection is limited. There were three types of "outlet products" that day. Two of them were already sold out, and the remaining "grilled bamboo ring" had only three bags left. Unfortunately, my favorite "Castella Yaki," "Tsurunoko," and "Chigiriage" outlet products were not available. However, all products are available at a 5% discount. I did not know about the 5% discount compared to buying at the main store (laughs). I bought two bags of the remaining "outlet grilled bamboo ring." ■ Outlet Grilled Bamboo Ring Weight: Average 112g per piece (after removing the windbag) Two pieces in one bag A firm and chewy grilled bamboo ring with a good texture, thick and long. There are slight scratches, but the taste is unaffected and has a good flavor. Regular Price: 1 piece in a bag for 237 yen (tax included) Outlet Price: 2 pieces in a bag Price: 285 yen for 2 pieces (tax included) Kanehiko's kamaboko is still delicious. It has a taste that reflects the 101-year tradition of the store. Outlet products offer a great sense of value. What would normally cost 475 yen was available for 285 yen. It's a great deal to buy good quality products at a lower price. It's a store that suits a commoner like me (laughs). I would be happy if they have "outlet products" again next time. Thank you for the delicious meal.

This is a sales corner in a corner of the factory. It seems like they only sell refrigerated products in this small space. I thought it might be difficult to buy since I can't carry it around, but my friend bought some and I tried a little bit. It has a rich and strong flavor. It's real kamaboko without any starch added! I want to try the other varieties too. By the time I went in the afternoon, the discounted items were already sold out. Next time, I want to go when everything is available and take my time to look around. Thank you for the meal~♪

No matter what I eat, it all tastes the same. Maybe it's because they all have the same additives like starch, sweeteners, and preservatives. I was hoping to find some delicious fish cakes, but it seems they don't have them here.

This is a gift. I had talked with an acquaintance about how it would be great as a snack with alcohol, and they bought it for me. Last year, they brought a big bottle of shochu to a drinking party, which was hard to take home. This year, it's a smaller size so it fits in my bag. I took it home and tried it the next day, and at first I thought the smoke flavor was light, but it slowly creeps up on you! It has a taste like an angry bite. On this day, my eldest daughter and I opened a 4-cup bottle of sake we had at home and enjoyed it, but Imo shochu or red wine might go better with it. The sake I chose was too light and smooth. I might buy some snacks to enjoy with my daughter at home. Thank you for the meal.

I purchased a "Smoked Cheese Ham" (600 yen) that I found at a nearby supermarket because it looked interesting. When I opened the bag at home, a fragrant smoky scent filled the air. Despite being sealed in a plastic inner bag, the intensity of the smoky aroma was surprising. I cut it into slices about 5mm thick and tried it. Although it wasn't labeled as kamaboko, it seemed to be the main ingredient, so I thought it would go well with both sake and beer. I started with sake, and the smoky flavor was reminiscent of "iburi-gakko" and paired perfectly. It was delicious. Next, I tried it with beer, and the smoky aroma and cheese complemented the beer well, with the ham and parsley adding a nice touch. It was also very tasty. Although it was a bit pricey, I felt it was worth it. Thank you for the meal!