On January 17, 2022, what I can do now is to support at least the food and beverage industry while being careful enough. Let's all work together and give it our all! Today, I checked if the sushi restaurant was open for lunch, and since it opens at 12:00, I had some spaghetti before heading to the restaurant for the first time in a while. Even if the curtain is out, many places have a rare lunch break, so if you see the curtain and an open sign, they are open for business! I went to "Sushi no Makihira" located in Obihiro Jiyugaoka. It's along Nakajima Street, a little west of the Nonbiriya Shokudo. The exterior has a traditional Japanese feel with white walls. The interior is spacious with 5 counter seats, raised table seats, and private rooms. It was 12:15 when I arrived. The kind chef said they didn't have premium sea urchin today, but if I was okay with an extra portion, he could add more. I ordered the Special Premium Sushi for 1,600 yen (excluding tax). After about 12 minutes, it arrived. The special premium toppings included scallops, button shrimp roe, spear squid, salmon roe, sea bream, tuna red meat, shrimp roe, button shrimp, crab, and fatty tuna roll. It also came with shrimp miso soup and dessert. All of this for 1,600 yen is still very affordable! The thickness of the toppings was a bit thin, the vinegar rice was firm, and the sushi was slightly loose and plump. The surf clam was soft, sweet, and delicious. The salmon roe had a nice texture and was tasty. The shrimp miso soup was very rich in shrimp flavor and incredibly delicious. And of course, I asked for seconds (laughs). Since lunch hours are often irregular, I recommend calling ahead to confirm. It's truly one of the few reasonably priced restaurants around. Next time, I'll come for sushi and drinks at night. Thank you for the meal. Sushi no Makihira ☆ Business hours: 12:00-13:30 (open to the public) 17:00-24:00 ☆ Regular holiday: Irregular

I went to Makihira-san's place! I've only been here once at night with a few people, so I decided to try their lunch. There were two other customers at the counter when I arrived, so I sat on the opposite side. The chef, who was very calm, served me tea while I looked at the menu. There was no menu, but the lunch options were 600 yen, 800 yen, 1,000 yen, or 1,200 yen for nigiri sushi. I chose the 800 yen option and waited about 10 minutes. The first two pieces were served separately - wow, very authentic! The squid was delicious, with a hint of sweetness. The yellowtail had just the right amount of fat, and the texture was amazing. The shrimp, scallop, and tuna were next - the shrimp was so firm and fresh, the scallop was full of flavor, and the tuna was simply delicious. The last piece was a seaweed roll, which was absolutely amazing. The combination of seaweed and rice was incredibly tasty. Even though there weren't many pieces, I was satisfied with the quality and the miso soup that came with it. Thank you, Makihira-san, for the wonderful meal!

Today is January 2nd. There are few restaurants still open for lunch. Initially planned to go to a premium Chinese buffet at a hotel, but it was fully booked. Checked and found a Nepalese curry restaurant open, so headed there. On the way, spotted a sushi restaurant with its curtain out. Decided to go as it had been about 10 years since my last visit. Although I had tried to visit three times last year, it was usually closed during lunchtime. If the curtain and open sign are out, they are open. So, I went to Makihira Sushi. It is located in Obihiro Jiyugaoka, along Nakajima Street, a little west of Nonbiriya Shokudo. The exterior is a traditional Japanese-style white-walled sushi restaurant. The interior is spacious with 5 counter seats, raised table seats, and private rooms. At 11 o'clock, the friendly chef explained and discussed the order. He mentioned that they usually serve 8 pieces per person, but I could change it to 10 pieces if I wanted. I agreed to have 10 pieces. Since it was the 2nd day after New Year's, the market had not yet started, so they didn't have their usual selection of ingredients. I ordered the Special Premium Sushi for 1,600 yen (excluding tax). After finishing, I added a Tekka Maki for 200 yen (excluding tax). It arrived in about 7 minutes. The Special Premium Sushi included scallops, kodiko (herring roe), sea bream, button shrimp, medium fatty tuna, crab, sea urchin, and salmon roe, with shrimp miso soup. The quality was consistent with the price and the scallops were beautifully prepared. The kodiko was firm and flavorful, the sea bream and medium fatty tuna were rich and delicious. The sea urchin and salmon roe were slightly smaller in portion but tasty. The added Tekka Maki was well-balanced and delicious. The shrimp miso soup was rich in flavor, and when I complimented it, they offered a refill. I highly recommend calling ahead as they often have irregular lunchtime closures. Prices start from 600 yen for lunch. It's a rare find for affordable sushi. I will definitely be back. Thank you for the meal.

I went to "Sushi no Makihiei" for the first time (*"ー"*). I had tried to go for lunch several times before, but it was always closed when I arrived; it turns out I was going too early each time. This time, I happened to pass by and saw that they were open, so I quickly turned around. The lunch menu is simple, so I ordered the "Special Premium Sushi (1600 yen)" which is the most expensive sushi on their menu. It included 8 pieces of sushi with toppings like fatty tuna, crab, surf clam, sea bream, sea urchin, salmon roe, shrimp, and herring roe, along with shrimp soup and homemade ice cream. The sushi pieces were a bit small, but the quality was top-notch. The fatty tuna was incredibly tender and melted in my mouth. Although the portions were small, the freshness of the ingredients was evident. I could have easily eaten two servings! The homemade ice cream was a refreshing way to end the meal. I finally fulfilled my wish to dine at this restaurant, and it was worth it. Note that the Makihiei Bento (600 yen) requires advance reservation and is not sushi.