In September 2022, I visited a small meat shop called Kikusui in Sapporo's Higashi Ward. They opened a budget meat shop called "Cowboy Fukuko Store" on weekends, which later evolved into a popular store offering affordable seafood, vegetables, and more. In the 1990s, they developed a "mall-type shopping center," pioneering the concept. However, due to financial difficulties and the rise of large shopping centers, they partnered with the Fukuoka-based supermarket chain "Trial" for a business turnaround, leading the founder to step down. Meanwhile, the founder Mr. Nakano returned to the basics by focusing on meat wholesale while reopening retail stores. In 2021, they revived the "Cowboy" brand, offering a variety of products including processed meats and sausages. I stopped by out of nostalgia and found their prices to be still affordable, including the "chicken liver" for 135 yen. I bought it as I love liver, and plan to clean it, soak it in water, and cook it with ginger soy sauce. While this area is not my usual hangout spot, there are many delicious dining options, so I will definitely visit again.

In September 2021, 18 companies such as high-quality meat, green grocers, fresh fish shops, and noodle makers are operating as tenants. The display is neat and easy to see, with a compact interior. The Jamón Serrano has a strong salty flavor, rich in depth and umami, making it perfect for accompanying alcohol. There is a wide variety of noodle dishes available. The fresh pasta was very delicious. There is also a rich variety of processed meats that are affordable.

When I come nearby, I always stop by this place first. But what I buy here is tofu, natto, and soba noodles (laughs). The tofu is from Mameda Tofu in Eniwa, and the Yama-chan natto is delicious! You must try it. And the soba noodles are sometimes on sale. By the way, the place that was Kushi Tori is now Yakiniku Ichiba. They sell meat by weight. The frozen wagyu beef in the corner seems cheap. Speaking of processed products, the smoked pork tongue, chicken wings, and cartilage look delicious and cheap, but they contain a lot of chemical seasonings, so I gave up. The smoked pork tongue and other processed products are made by Nakano Foods, just like the world-famous Naka-chan. You can find them at Satsudora and Hakueki Outlaw.

Cowboy, cowboy, nostalgic cowboy. I miss the days when it was only open on weekends in Atsubetsu. This place is still all about meat and fresh noodles (lol). Recently opened near Sapporo Station North Exit, Maruha Seimen offers plenty of fresh noodles. The prices are tax-inclusive, but I wonder if they are the same as before. There is a meat section where you can order cuts of Wagyu beef. They will cut it for you and you can buy Wagyu steak for less than 1000 yen per gram. They have various cuts like fillet, sirloin, and from different regions. I want to try buying that for my next yakiniku. Oh, there used to be Kushitori inside, but it's gone now. They seem to be preparing for a new store.

On a certain weekday, I remembered a place I had not visited before and stumbled into it. It is a supermarket located in Kita-no-7-jo, Higashi-ku, where you can find reasonably priced items. The parking lot seems to have enough space for cars, typical of a supermarket. Inside the store, there is an open space with various items, and each section has specialty shops that make the system interesting. On this day, I browsed through the shelves, looking for items that caught my eye, and found a "Navelina Orange" (499 yen) from the display shelf. The sign mentioned that it is a Navel orange from Spain, produced in Kumamoto Prefecture. The skin is relatively thin, making it difficult to peel like a mandarin, so I cut it into quarters with a knife and ate it like a shrimp, spreading it out. Oh, the taste was richer than similar-looking items in the supermarket, with a good amount of sweetness and slightly less acidity. The "Too Much Pepper, Salty Tantan Men" (99 yen) caught my attention next. Looking around, there was not a cup ramen corner, but rather several cheap cup ramen varieties displayed in one area, which may not be available next time I visit. It seemed to be a ramen from Acecook that I had never encountered before, with a salty soup that was slightly thick, and ingredients like corn, green onions, and cabbage. When I added all the pepper provided, I was surprised to find it quite spicy and unexpectedly delicious. I then tried the "Yakisoba Bento in Cream Sauce Style" (99 yen). I always buy yakisoba bento, but I couldn't remember if I had tried the cream sauce flavor before, so I bought it. After 3 minutes, the aroma of cheese wafted out, and when I took a bite, I was surprised by the cheese and milk flavor, which I thought was new to me! It had less saltiness and a slightly more oily taste compared to typical yakisoba bento, and the soup made with hot water seemed a bit different from usual. Lastly, I picked up the "Yukkejang Cup Ramen" (155 yen). There were various ingredients from neighboring countries on display for sale, and this one was the cheapest, so I chose it. When I opened the lid, there were light toppings like eggs on the noodles, and after adding the red powder packet and pouring hot water, waiting for 3 minutes, the noodles were thin, white, and curly, typical of cup ramen. The soup was spicy as expected, but it had a faint seafood dashi flavor, which was nice. I noticed that when the store first opened, there used to be a line for the parking lot, but now it seems to have calmed down. If you look carefully, you can find good deals and unique items that you don't usually see, so I look forward to my next visit. Thank you for the meal.

This is a supermarket. It's not very big. Unlike other supermarkets with a wide variety of products lined up, this one seems to have specialty stores for vegetables, meat, fish, etc., so you can find what you need. There are not many sweets, mostly nuts and dried snacks. I didn't need any groceries, so I noticed this item. It costs 99 yen. It's cheap. Someone who bought it left a review, so please refer to that. They had scallops that my friend in Tokyo wanted, but I hesitated to buy them because they didn't respond right away on Line. On the day I visited, I was drawn to the flowers. The Turkish bellflowers were cheap. It might have been a limited-time offer. A taxi driver was eating a bento in the parking lot. I've heard that restaurants recommended by taxi drivers are good, so I'll come back and take a closer look.

This is a place in Kita-no-6-jo 2-chome, Kiyota-ku, along Kiyota Street. It was recommended on a local TV show that a cowboy-themed restaurant had opened, so I decided to check it out. When I arrived, I parked in the shared parking lot and entered the restaurant. There were 13 different shops inside, so I decided to try some affordable options for drinking snacks - "beef tripe" and "dashi guts". I took them home to enjoy with some drinks. The dashi guts were easy to warm up in the microwave and had a unique smell that may not be appealing to everyone. They had a nice salted flavor with a dashi broth, perfect for hot pot or stir-fry dishes. Next, I tried the beef tripe, which was only 99 yen and made for a great snack to accompany drinks.

This time, the long-awaited "Cowboy" has made a comeback. Located in Kitano, Kiyota-ku, it is a 10-minute walk from Nango 18-chome subway station with parking space for about 30 cars. As I entered the restaurant through the new entrance, on the right-hand side, there were vegetables and daily groceries lined up. Moving forward, the not-so spacious floor consists of five shops including "Cowboy, Noguchi Fish Market, Maruha Noodle Factory, Grill Nakano, and Kushitori." I purchased frozen "meat-covered Yagen" at the meat section of Cowboy. They don't have top-class meat like Ogon Livestock, but the product lineup that tickles the hearts of the common people is not bad. I brought it home, opened the vacuum-packed bag, and put it in a heated frying pan. After tasting it when it was slightly cooked, I found it a bit too salty, so I quickly took out some vegetables from the refrigerator such as onions, carrots, and cabbage to balance it out. Once it was ready, I plated it and enjoyed it. The Yagen with a "meat-covered" label is different from the thin Yagen cartilage, offering a firm texture and a well-matched salty sauce. The variety of frozen meats seems to be quite versatile and easy to use. I will visit again. Thank you for the meal.

Cowboy! Cowboy! Human carnival~♪ That being said, congratulations on your revival! I was quite reliant on the discount supermarket "Cowboy" about 20-30 years ago. It was thriving and could catch flying birds, but for various reasons, it disappeared, which was sad. However, I heard that the founder has revived it, so I visited right away. The store has 14 specialty shops inside. I bought 5 items from the main Nakano Foods: "Domestic chicken thigh meat" (100g for 79 yen), which I made into fried chicken. It was tender, juicy, and had no odor! By the way, Brazilian thigh meat is 39 yen per gram!! "Meatloaf" (black sesame 200g for 299 yen) made with Canadian and domestic pork, tightly packed. It can be eaten as is, but I fried it in a frying pan and it was delicious, like bologna sausage. "Salad chicken" (pepper 100g for 99 yen) is sold by the gram, so the price varies depending on the item. I bought it for 227 yen (around 230g). Unlike store-bought salad chicken, it has a strong chicken flavor and is delicious! "Hamburg steak with Shiraoi beef" (199 yen) made with Shiraoi beef, and at this price, it's a steal! It had a lot of fat when cooked well, but it became like a beef steak and was delicious. "Pork salt hormone" (299 yen) is my favorite thin type of salt hormone. It was delicious! This time, I only bought the hormone, but it's in the frozen meat section with various types like Genghis Khan, pork sagari, pork belly, chicken seseri, and marucho, and you can freely combine them in a 4-pack set for 1080 yen! "Ham cutlet" (4 pieces for 99 yen) is thin and small, but it's enough for one person. 99 yen is definitely cheap! Everything is a great deal and delicious! I will definitely continue to use the "Kiyota store." Thank you for the meal♪

When it gets hot, my symptoms worsen, as I have a designated rare disease. Unfortunately, there is no medication available that suits my condition. I was hospitalized for rare disease treatment again in April-May, following my stays in September and January last year. Your supportive comments were a source of strength for me during my hospitalization, and I am truly grateful. After receiving the second dose of the COVID vaccine, I had to wait two weeks before continuing my treatment. At my July appointment, it was decided that I would be hospitalized in August, two weeks after completing the second vaccine dose. Prime Minister Suga stated that vaccinations for those aged 65 and older would be completed by July this year, but Hokkaido has the lowest vaccination rates in the country for both first and second doses. Pfizer vaccines are being cut by 10% nationwide, and after mid-July, only 30% of the expected quantity will be delivered to Sapporo due to delays. Despite this, events like the Olympic marathon will be held in Sapporo. According to the news, it will be impossible to vaccinate the elderly in Sapporo by the end of July, with a 70% reduction in vaccine supply, the highest in the country. The reason for this drastic reduction remains unclear. Thank you for your continued support. [August 2021] "Cowboy" was a reasonably priced commercial facility where specialty shops gathered, offering popular buffets only on weekends and holidays. However, it disbanded due to various reasons. It has now been revived as "Cowboy Kitano Store" in Kiyota Ward after over a decade. Many specialty and factory direct sales shops have opened as tenants. I visited for the first time with my usual companion. The store is located along Kiyota Street in the Kitano area of Sapporo. Please check the exact location on Tabelog. We visited around 11 a.m. on the weekend. "Cowboy" was originally launched by the butcher shop "Nakano Foods." The iconic "Chicken Weiner" with the Cowboy logo was also available, and I purchased a few items. ■ Chicken Weiner A pack of 200g for 159 yen or 100g for 80 yen, a budget-friendly option with a boiled type that enhances the flavor. Contains cartilage Price: 159 yen (tax included) ■ Homemade Pork Loin Bacon Block Canadian pork loin at 99 yen per 100g, very reasonable 299g for 291 yen Price: 291 yen (tax included) ■ Lamb Slices Australian lamb at 149 yen per 100g, 287g pack, not yet eaten Price: 427 yen (tax included) ■ Delicious 6P Cheese for Cheese Lovers Processed cheese with 90g and 6 pieces, perfect for wine or beer Price: 129 yen (tax included) The "Chicken Weiner" is a budget-friendly option at 80 yen per 100g. It was a popular choice due to its affordability. Slightly greasy, boiling it significantly enhances the flavor. The "Lamb Slices" are extremely affordable at 149 yen per 100g. Since I haven't tried it yet, I can't comment on it. I wonder which budget-friendly "meat" I should choose next time. Thank you for the delicious meal.