I occasionally go check if my favorite Hokkaido cheese has been restocked.

In August 2015, I received a sample of bacon at Daimaru Sapporo on the first floor. It was delicious! The staff mentioned that it was the same bacon served at the Lake Toya Summit. I decided to purchase a bag of goodies which included bacon and 3 types of sausages for 2160 yen. The bacon looked quite dark but when sliced, it had a nice balance of fat and lean meat. It was a bit tough to chew but tasted delicious when cooked until crispy. The Basil Vienna sausage was also tasty, being a light and soft sausage with low salt content.

◆◆◆◆◆◆ 【Second Post】 ◆◆◆◆◆◆ 【April 2015】 For my second post, I visited a slightly different location after a long time. I bought "Nama-taki Shirasu Tsukudani" and "Imo Mame" from Yamashita Suisan in Tokachi Town. - Nama-taki Shirasu Tsukudani: Made by Yamashita Suisan in Tokachi Town, this product uses fresh small whitefish (shirasu) caught in the early morning in the Sea of Japan. The whitefish is cooked without any additives, resulting in a delicious taste. Price: 410 yen for a 50g pack (including 8% consumption tax). - Imo Mame: A new product exclusive to Hokkaido by Calbee's brand "Potato Farm," similar to Jagapokkuru. It consists of thick-cut, crispy potato chips and green edamame, both sourced from Hokkaido. The potato chips are salty, and the edamame provides a nice crunch. Price: 648 yen for a box of 6 packets, each containing 14g (including 8% consumption tax). Yamashita Suisan in Tokachi Town is a company located in a town on the Sea of Japan side of southern Hokkaido. Established in 1915, it is a long-standing company approaching its 100th anniversary. They produce and sell processed seafood products such as fish roe, candied fish, and seaweed rolls, with a factory in Tokachi Town. Despite being a depopulated town with a population of less than 3,500, Yamashita Suisan is striving to succeed amidst the aging population. The local community has high expectations for them, and I hope they continue to do well. The "Nama-taki Shirasu Tsukudani" is a great specialty product from Hokkaido, and the "Imo Mame" is also a good Hokkaido souvenir. They are perfect as snacks with beer. ◆◆◆◆◆◆ 【First Post】 ◆◆◆◆◆◆ I tried the wakasagi tsukudani from Lake Akan and other products at Hokuhoppe, a shop selling Hokkaido specialty products at Daimaru Sapporo store's basement floor in November 2013. - Wakasagi Tsukudani: Made from wakasagi fish famous in Lake Akan, one of Hokkaido's two major production areas. Produced by the Akan Lake Fisheries Cooperative. It is small in size and easy to eat. Price: 945 yen per pack. - Machimura Farm Vanilla Ice Cream: Produced by the Machimura Farm owned by the brother of LDP faction leader and House of Representatives member Nobutaka Machimura. The farm is now located in Ebetsu City. The ice cream has a milk fat content of 7% skim milk and 15% milk fat, with a refreshing taste and good melt-in-the-mouth texture. Price: 294 yen. - Nakasatsunai Smoked Chicken Wings: Produced by Nakasatsunai Wakatori Co., Ltd. using their own Nakasatsunai chickens fed with local feed. The chicken wings are made to be easy to eat by reducing the chicken's smell. Price: 147 yen per pack. The Lake Akan wakasagi tsukudani has been a favorite of mine for a while. The Akan Lake Fisheries Cooperative directly manufactures the product, so fresh Lake Akan wakasagi are rarely available in the market. Both Machimura Farm and Nakasatsunai Wakatori Co., Ltd. are not just involved in farming or fishing but also handle the entire production process in-house. Their products reflect the future of Hokkaido. They not only taste great but also represent the potential of Hokkaido. With approximately one-sixth of Japan's land area, it's difficult to explore every corner of Hokkaido. Shops like these are very helpful, and I look forward to what I'll buy next time. Enjoy the delicious food!