It was my first visit. Stopped by with friends on a drive. I knew it was there before, but never had the chance to visit... I bought marimo tofu, fried tofu, and soy milk. They were surprisingly delicious! I regret not stopping by earlier. The marimo tofu was creamy and delicious. I will definitely come back!

It is stated as pending publication, but the restaurant is open for business. (Visited at the end of September 2018) It is located next to the Akanko Bus Terminal near Lake Akan. (About a 2-minute walk from the bus terminal) I saw the words "Marimo Tofu" from the bus and decided to visit. I ate it in my hotel room. Inside, there is a machine for making tofu. You can buy it inside the workshop. It's a real tofu shop. My expectations were high. By the way, there is a call bell at the entrance, so if you ring it, someone will come from the back. (I waited for about thirty seconds) Marimo Tofu: 1 piece for 100 yen Tofu-making soy milk (500ml) for 200 yen, I think. I liked the tofu-making soy milk. It felt like drinking tofu. It had a sweet richness and a good bean flavor. I like unadjusted soy milk, especially when I go to a tofu shop, I usually buy soy milk. However, there are good and bad soy milks at tofu shops. Some are greasy or thin, and I can't drink those, but the ones here were delicious. Marimo Tofu: Do you know "Marimo Yokan"? It's a small rubber balloon filled with yokan, and when you stick a toothpick in it, the skin (rubber) peels off smoothly. This is the tofu version of that. The color is a very light green. At first glance, I thought it was edamame tofu, but it was different when I ate it. The texture is like filled tofu. However, the taste is not so much that of tofu, but rather something mixed in that feels subtle. In the end, I couldn't figure it out, but when I looked it up, it said that it was colored with matcha. (I didn't ask the staff, so I can't confirm the accuracy) Also, when I poked the first one with a toothpick, the tofu shattered and made a mess (;・∀・) The second one was put in a cup and turned out to be a decent Marimo (*´∀｀) By the way, this shop is less than a 10-minute walk from the hot spring town of Lake Akan. (depending on the location) So, why Marimo tofu? Lake Akan in Hokkaido is famous for marimo. It was designated as a special natural monument by the country. Some are over 10 centimeters in diameter and are said to be precious. This unique tofu seems to have been born from that background. I would like to try regular tofu as well. The feeling of drinking soy milk. However, Marimo tofu feels lacking in salt. Maybe it's good for just one try. It was an unexpected discovery!

I'm heading from Kitami to Kushiro and since I'm directionally challenged, I rely on the navigation system. I passed by a tofu shop that always caught my eye on the right side in Tsukibetsu on the way to Akanko. I was curious, so I turned back to check it out. The shop was open and looked clean. I didn't expect to find "Marimo Tofu" here, but they actually have it. I asked about the price, and they showed me a Marimo yokan and a regular tofu, which I decided to buy for 330 yen. The manager, who was dressed in white, handed me the tofu. I wished him good luck with making tofu in such a place. The tofu was delicious, with a good texture. It didn't have a strong bean taste, but that's understandable considering we're in Akanko and Kushiro, not exactly bean country. Overall, it was a good experience.

Marimo tofu, a specialty, is a tofu with a hint of green color mixed with matcha. When I tried it at home, it indeed had a subtle taste of green tea. It wasn't the taste of marimo, but still enjoyable. Since I bought a lot, they gave me thick fried tofu as a bonus. It was a generous amount, so I happily ate it all. Overall, all the tofu was delicious.

I visited Marufuku, a tofu workshop, for the first time after having ramen. After a little exploration, I found a tofu shop with a sign. I tried ringing the chime as instructed, but no one came. I even tried calling out, but still no response. I gave up for the time being and went back later. This time, the lady came right away. I bought cotton and seaweed tofu (5 pieces). The lady was very kind and even gave me free ice packs and fried tofu to try. The tofu was delicious, with a smooth and sweet taste. The seaweed tofu had a hint of green and disappeared quickly like agar jelly. It had a similar texture to silken tofu. Overall, it was a great experience at the shop.