Tomim Frozen has also arrived. I usually frequent Satsudora, but there are also some hidden gems that can be found elsewhere, so personally, I can't take my eyes off Tsuruha in the future. Various initiatives are being implemented, and in addition to the previous bento box variations, new additions were spotted this time. From the Sazae-san family, I purchased the classic Ebi Tempura Onigiri made with Hokkaido rice, and the Tuna Mayo Onigiri. The Tuna Mayo has a crispy seaweed exterior with rice and tuna mayo inside, delivering a familiar onigiri taste. The Ebi Tempura Onigiri, with the tail removed, offers the familiar flavor of Sazae's Ebi Tempura. The tempura coating is soft, allowing the shrimp flavor to come through. While the Ebi Tempura Onigiri doesn't make it into my top list of favorites, there's something about it that makes me reach for it every time. Despite my frequent visits to Tsuruha, I have yet to register for their point card or app membership, so I feel like I should do that soon. Now, next week's Sazae-san will feature cod slices, bonito tataki, and a special Sazae-san with salmon roe and seaweed on the side. Whether you believe it or not is up to you!

There are several original products at Tsuruha, such as Hokkaido soup curry flavored potato chips, slightly expensive cup ramen developed in collaboration with Nissin, and bento boxes that are not original but convenient for a quick meal during lunchtime. Although eating and drinking are not allowed in the eat-in area, there is a microwave available for heating up food. The bento box has a colorful arrangement with red, white, and yellow items, including three types of rice and various side dishes like shrimp fry, zangi, meatballs, salmon, tamagoyaki, chashu, potato salad, pickled plum, and burdock kinpira. The variety of items was appealing, but the overall look gave a good idea of what to expect. The rice was decent after microwaving, but the zangi felt heavy on wheat and somewhat lacking in flavor. The shrimp fry had a crunchy coating, but the meatballs were difficult to eat when cut in half, leading to leftovers. The chashu and salted salmon, while not visually appealing, were among the items that were fully consumed. I have been visiting Tsuruha Drugstore Kotoni Station East Exit branch frequently due to work, and these are my observations.

I used to go around the shops with Nocchimu in the past, and then when we happened to pass by the front of Tsuruha in Kotoni, I noticed a sign for soft serve ice cream at the entrance. Soft serve ice cream at Tsuruha? I was skeptical. Nocchimu went inside to check and confirmed that they indeed had soft serve ice cream. However, I heard that it was self-serve, which made me curious. That day, we left without trying it, but I decided to go back to Kotoni another day to give it a try. We went up to the second floor, where there was a different counter in the medicine section for ordering and payment. There were four flavors available (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, matcha vanilla), and this time I chose chocolate in a cup. After paying, we were guided to a resting area where the staff gave us a brief explanation since it was our first time. I set the cup on the machine and tried to swirl the soft serve. It was a bit tricky, especially towards the end. Also, the amount was small, so it looked a bit underwhelming in the cup. The soft serve itself was a firm type, similar to Sujata's soft serve, with a hint of bitterness from the rich chocolate. It was delicious and might be good for a tired body. The fun of making it yourself was enjoyable, and at 200 yen each, I might come back to make more. Thank you for the meal.

At the end of the year, when I was strolling around with my friend Wu-ta in Kotoni, we noticed a soft serve ice cream flag at this Tsuruha store. Wu-ta said, "There was a soft serve ice cream flag at Tsuruha," and I was surprised, thinking it might be a mistake. We went to check it out, and indeed there was soft serve ice cream available. This time, we finally bought some! There was a machine in a corner of the rest area where you could purchase ice cream at the pharmacy counter (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, matcha & milk flavors). I wanted to try the vanilla, but it was sold out (apparently it was more popular than expected). The machine dispensed the ice cream in a cone style. I opted for a cup for safety reasons. However, it turned into a bit of a mess, it was an accident! Maybe it would have been better to choose a cone instead of a cup? The taste was typical of Tsuruha's chocolate flavor. But considering it was only 200 yen, I think it was a good deal. Also, the cup drinks were only 50 yen, which is a steal. My goal for next time when I visit the Kotoni area is to be able to make a beautifully rolled soft serve ice cream like a pro. Thank you, Wu-ta! (((orz