I arrived in Asahikawa on a romantic trip in early autumn 2022. Today, I finally visited the Asahiyama Zoo, which I had been looking forward to. I spent about 4 hours from the opening at 9:30 in the morning, getting up close to various animals, listening to their voices, and understanding why it is so popular. Feeling pleasantly tired, I returned to Asahikawa Station around 2 pm. Tonight, I will be staying at a hotel in Asahikawa, and tomorrow I will head to Wakkanai on the Soya Main Line local train departing from Asahikawa Station at 6:03 am. Since the departure time is early, I won't be able to have breakfast at the hotel. I will try to find a bento box or bread to eat in the morning at AEON Mall Asahikawa Station, located adjacent to Asahikawa Station. There is a corner in Kitakitchen, a select shop of Hokkaido products produced by Marui Imai, where they sell bread on a daily basis. Bakery Selection, which orders delicious bread from various regions in Hokkaido every day from Sunday to Saturday. Today, Friday, they had bread from Boulangerie Rafi in Furano on display. Olive and cheese bread for 251 yen (tax included) and walnut and apple bread for 281 yen (tax included). The local train to Wakkanai runs through the wilderness after passing Nayoro. During the 13-minute stop at Nayoro Station, I enjoyed the coffee I bought from a vending machine in front of the station. The olive and cheese bread had a rich flavor of shredded cheese with salted olives as an accent. It had a chewy texture, and the more you chew, the more you taste the richness of the cheese. The walnut and apple bread had two slices of stewed apples and walnuts on croissant dough. The sweetness of the stewed apples is a characteristic of this bread. It seems more suitable as a snack than for breakfast. Boulangerie Rafi's bread is made with Hokkaido wheat and carefully fermented for a long time before being baked one by one, and it is a popular bakery in Furano with long queues. I would like to visit their shop in Furano if I have the chance. It was a delicious meal.

It's a shop I occasionally visit for souvenirs or snacks. I bought some yakisoba from a shop called Kakuya. They also have cheese snacks, sausages, and even yakisoba for the last dish! I couldn't find Tokyo Dassan's "drinkable cheese" though. It's always interesting to visit this place. Thank you for the meal.

Umetsu Shoten offers a variety of interesting and delicious products, but sometimes it's too far to go all the way to Shoshambetsu. In such times, "Kita Kitchen Asahikawa Store" is a great option. Located in Asahikawa City, Miyashitadori 7-chome, on the 1st floor of AEON Mall Asahikawa Station, you can find natural sweet shrimp dried soup stock and natural sweet shrimp dried sprinkle. The dried sprinkle is easy to use - just sprinkle it on for a delicious flavor. It has a fragrant aroma and the soft flavor of shrimp, without any unnecessary taste. The dried soup stock can be used to make a cold soba dipping sauce, adding depth and richness to the flavor. Both products are convenient and versatile, perfect for enhancing your dishes.

【Takeout】Kita Kitchen, a select shop that offers Hokkaido ingredients, is a place where Hokkaido locals would want to eat every day. The Asahikawa branch is located at the entrance of Asahikawa City, directly connected to JR Asahikawa Station within the commercial facility AEON Mall Asahikawa Station. The shop is located on the first floor of AEON Mall. On April 4, 2020, at 10:30 am, I revisited the shop for a quick shopping before catching my train. I bought some snacks to go with beer, including tender dried squid with sanma fish sauce. Since it was the expiration date, it was half price. The squid was quite tender and well-seasoned with various flavors, making it a good match for both sake and beer. It tasted like a higher-grade version of soy sauce-marinated cod roe, with the flavor of the squid well preserved. Overall, it was quite delicious.

I went to "Kita Kitchen" at AEON Mall Asahikawa Station Front Store and purchased the "Kuniwo's Mackerel Kimchi (250g) for 1,080 yen." The fatty mackerel and spicy kimchi complement each other very well, making it delicious. It's irresistible for mackerel lovers. It goes well with rice, but it's also perfect as a side dish for drinks.

After a B'z concert, we stopped by Asahikawa Ion. There was a shop called Kitakitchen that sells local specialty products. We saw these long bean mochi without red bean paste inside that we often see in Keipon's reviews. We decided to buy them because they looked delicious. My husband also pointed out a bottle of samurai pudding that he wanted to try. When we got home, we tried the bean mochi and they were delicious. My husband thought the pudding was too salty, but I enjoyed the unique flavor. Kitakitchen is an interesting place to explore.

I bought a latte at the Starbucks near the entrance, and patrolled Ion with the latte in hand. Since it's a major supermarket, the displays and views don't seem to change much, but if you look closely, there are some products that are distinctly from Hokkaido. The fish at the fish market looked delicious too. Since I couldn't buy and take them home here, the patrol was over. As I left Ion, there was also a kitchen, so I checked it out thoroughly. And then...ohhh! I finally found what I was looking for! I couldn't find it at New Chitose Airport, but I found it here. I bought the remaining three bottles together. What I bought was "Cheese to Drink," not yogurt but cheese. It's a drink made by a cheese shop in Takinoue town, using the byproduct of cheese production, so the product is limited. When I got back to the hotel, I drank one immediately. I imagined before drinking it would be like a cheese fondue drink or maybe a cheesecake-like drink. It was the latter (of course, haha). In short, it was like a liquid version of a rare cheesecake. Slightly sweet, not too heavy or rich. It was definitely delicious. A few days later, when I drank the rest, the impression changed and it seemed like the liquid had thickened a bit. Had it fermented further? It didn't mean it had gone bad or turned sour, it just seemed like it had become more concentrated. This is interesting. "Tsuki no Cheese" from Takinoue town. Takinoue town, huh, it's far away...

Today, I tried the soft serve ice cream at Tonden Farm, which is located next to Kitakitchen. It had a rich milk flavor with a mild sweetness, which I liked. However, the aftertaste was a bit off.

It's not a big store, but they have a wide variety of items. It's located in Aeon, so it's easy to stop by near the station while doing other shopping.

Uzumisato's pickled plums are delicious.

Ion Asahikawa Station store. I peeked into the Kitakitchen and bought two types of candy. One sweet and one salty. * Kikko Nihon Shoyu Ame This Kikko Nihon soy sauce is the oldest soy sauce shop in Asahikawa. It was established in 1944. When I saw the building on the website, I really wanted to go, but I didn't have the time and transportation, so I had to give up this time. They sell attractive products, and I wanted to see the big brewing barrels in the building. There seems to be a wide variety of soy sauce products, but they were selling soy sauce candy at Kitakitchen, so this time I brought Kikko Nihon to Chiba as a representative. I thought it would taste like just soy sauce, but oh, this is a good idea. It was a candy with a sweet taste and a soy sauce flavor. This is nice. It's the kind of candy that makes you want to eat it again. In addition to candy, there are Hokkaido rice crackers, simmered clam rice seasoning, and soy sauce pie. They have creators in the company. * Tokachi Honey Candy The candy itself is honey-flavored, but the honey paste that oozes out from inside the candy is irresistible. They use the famous Bodhi tree honey from Tokachi Kamishihoro town. Kitakitchen makes it easy to buy Hokkaido souvenirs, so if you buy here, you won't have to reluctantly buy from the limited products at the airport. (#6503)

On Sunday the 27th, I happened to stop by a shop where I occasionally see Sailor Crew bread. However, on this day, there was a notice that the bread will no longer be sold in Asahikawa (sad face). It was announced that it will be sold in Shin Sapporo from now on. Seeing this, the bread in front of me became even more precious. As a farewell gesture, I decided to buy one. When I held this bread, it felt different, it had a certain weight to it. I wish they didn't say that this was the last one, I really love this bread. I can't go to Sapporo often (truth be told). I sliced this bread and enjoyed it with cheese and wine. It was truly delicious. I read somewhere that the bread artisan makes the bread from scratch. Whether they are a genius or just really particular about creating 100% original bread, their intentions are clearly conveyed. Thank you for everything so far ☆

Marui Imai department store operates a select shop that gathers popular Hokkaido products. One of my favorite items is the Kitakitchen Bakery Selection, which features bread from popular bakeries in different regions on a rotating basis. Today, I purchased bread from Nayoro's "Yanai Kashiya" and Nayoro's "Brazil". The Yanai Kashiya Cream Anpan was delicious with its homemade sweet bean paste and cream filling. The Brazil Onion Cheese Bread had a smooth dough made with Hokkaido wheat and cream, topped with bacon, onions, and cheese. The Brazil Pumpkin Bread used Hokkaido wheat and mixed pumpkin and red bean paste, with pumpkin seeds on top. The Brazil Bear Bread had a cute bear shape and a fragrant custard cream filling. Apart from bread, they also offer a variety of delicious Hokkaido products suitable for meals or snacks. You can find their stores in Sapporo, Asahikawa, Shin-Sapporo, and New Chitose Airport.

At Asahikawa Station, I went to Aeon Mall and headed to Kita Kitchen. Today, I first went to see the bread from Sera Crewe in Ishikari. What they had today was Walnut Nut Raisin Bread. Sera Crewe's bread, which can only be bought at Kita Kitchen and a few other stores, is full of originality. I usually buy the Rye Brown Rice Bread, but today's Walnut Nut Raisin Bread has raisins and dried fruits in it, with a slightly sweet taste. When I sliced it and ate it with olive oil, it was really delicious. As for souvenirs, I bought a large bag of White Black Thunder, and for home use, Hokkaido Camembert Cheese and Onion Soup. Black Thunder is a snack similar to Shiroi Koibito. Hokkaido Camembert Cheese is made from 100% fresh milk from Kobayashi Farm. It is more expensive than the regular kind, but when you try it, it's not too creamy, with plenty of milk flavor. The Camembert-like taste is subtle, with a rich cheese flavor. It was quite delicious, so I would like to buy it again.

Located on the 1st floor of AEON Mall Asahikawa Station, directly connected to Asahikawa Station, is Kitakitchen Asahikawa store. This shop is like an antenna shop where you can purchase all kinds of famous products from Hokkaido. Among them, there is a small corner where donuts and sweets are sold daily on a rotating basis. A weekly Thursday treat, that is the famous Yubari cinnamon donut. Established in 1929, this treat is from the long-established shop Usagiya Kashiho in Kanoya 1-chome, Yubari City, which has been in business for over 80 years. It is so popular that it sells out in the morning at Marui Imai Sapporo Honkan's Kitakitchen. It may also be sold in convenience stores in Yubari City and Sapporo City, but the northern Hokkaido area was previously unfamiliar with it. Now, you can purchase it in Asahikawa as well. I have eaten various types of donuts before, but I didn't have any particular attachment to them and rarely bought them. However, when I received one from an acquaintance last year, I was greatly impressed. It was a bolt from the blue. I couldn't believe how delicious this donut was! The donut features a light and fluffy red bean paste made from Tokachi red beans, a thin donut dough that doesn't feel oily, and a moderate sweetness with sugar and cinnamon generously sprinkled on top. A pack of 6 costs 519 yen including tax. Despite its size and weight, the donut is so light that you might end up eating it all in one go, which is quite scary in terms of calories. In Asahikawa, there were still about 10 packs left in the evening, and when I went in the afternoon, there were only 2 packs left, so the sales situation seems to vary from day to day. It is highly recommended as it is often well received as a gift or a small treat. I have become completely captivated by Usagiya's cinnamon donuts, so, to put it dramatically, it is the king of the donut world. To put it more modestly, it is incredibly delicious. The more you explore Kitakitchen, the more delicious things you will find. Such as the Yuni-cho Maeda Planning's salmon kimchi praised by Nakai from SMAP on Satasuma, Yamashita Suisan's raw baby sardine tsukudani from Shutsu-cho, Samurai Pudding series from Sapporo's Pudding Honpo, and the cup ramen collaborated with the popular ramen restaurant Soranoiro in Tokyo and Aenoshio town, the ultimate Aenoshio shijimi light noodle, etc. Kitakitchen is a charming shop that makes you want to spend money. Thank you for the meal.

At "Kita Kitchen," you can buy various popular bread from different bakeries each day of the week. On this Sunday, you can purchase bread from "Sailor Crew" in Ishikari City. It's a popular bakery located in Tarukawa, Ishikari City, which is quite far for a drive, so it's convenient to buy their bread here. Here are the items I bought: 1. Winter Vegetable and Cheese Pizza Bread (270 yen): A sophisticated bread made with various vegetables such as purple sweet potato, corn, onion, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin, carrot, and broccoli, seasoned with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and topped with mozzarella cheese. The flavor of the vegetables really shines through. 2. Walnut, Nut, and Raisin Bread (270 yen): A hard bread made with whole wheat, brown rice, and rye, filled with a variety of ingredients like walnuts, almonds, pumpkin raisins, oranges, jujubes, and papaya cranberries. It's very delicious! 3. Fig, Prune, and Cheese Bread (270 yen): A chewy bread with a creamy texture, filled with cream cheese, figs, and prunes. Although it's a bit pricey for bread, the high-quality ingredients make it worth it. "Kita Kitchen" is a place where you can find many delicious Hokkaido products, including items that would make great accompaniments for drinks or snacks. It's great that you can enjoy Hokkaido's delicious food without having to travel there. The store is located on the 1st floor of Aeon Mall Asahikawa Station.

I went to Ion Mall at Asahikawa Station and visited Kita Kitchen. Since it was Monday, I first checked out the bread from Sera Crewe in Ishikari. They had the rye brown rice bread available. It's a rare bread made with whole wheat from Yumechikara, brown rice from Yumepirika, as well as whole rye, black soybeans, black sesame, white sesame, butter, and yogurt. You can only buy this bread at Kita Kitchen and a few other shops. This bread is heavy, so I bought a whole loaf, cut and ate some, then froze the rest. It's delicious as is or toasted. If you like multi-grain bread, you'll love it. Next, I tried the fig, prune, and cheese bread. It has a white pita-like dough filled with rum-soaked figs and prunes, giving it a delightful aroma. The bread is chewy, made with Yumechikara, Yumepirika, and whole rye. I also got the onion soup made with onions from Kitami region, which is perfect for making onion gratin soup. Lastly, I tried the fried fish cake from Ohyakuriku Horigama Kobo in Otaru. I got both Ikatsumami and Karamidango varieties. They make a great snack with excellent flavors. The Karamidango has a nice spicy kick.

Welcome. ---------- June 2017 ----------At AEON Mall Asahikawa Station, there is a treasure trove of Hokkaido food products, from minor to major, available|o| °д°)ﾉHelloYou can find various souvenirs, alcohol, snacks, and more directly towards the register. You pay the money and receive a ticket, then you can pick up your items at the designated spot. A popular place for ham and sausages in Ebetsu, "Yume Koubou Tonden Farm," gifted me with a vanilla ice cream(= ´∀´)ﾉ凵゛It has a sherbet-like texture, very milky, smooth, and melts quickly. It has a strong milk flavor, like shaking sugar into milk. It's light and goes down smoothly, with a nice balance of richness and sweetness. I'd like to eat this 3.14 times (Pi again, really?). I wonder if a "melon milk juice" would be similar to this. Thank you, it was delicious.