Sapporo Festival in June 2016, still bright, moved from 7th Avenue. "Long time no see~" "It's not been that long! Too long!" "Sorry, beer!" Cheers! "Are you doing well? Seems like you are!" The end. A friend who retired this year and returned to his hometown is surprised by the menu prices. I ordered skewers and ham cutlet. I sound like a nagging mother-in-law because I just ate a big piece of meat earlier. It's okay to skip lunch because it's a festival, and it's still bright. Oh, I finished all the ham cutlet! Well, of course it's delicious, so obvious. I won't eat skewers! They're big and delicious~ If you want to eat them, order separately! Shall we go to the riverside and finish with some raw ham~

I found a row of small, rustic-looking izakaya (Japanese pubs) near the hotel where I stayed. I decided to try "Kucchan" based on the reviews here. When I arrived, there was only one dapper gentleman sitting at the counter, who seemed to be a regular. I sat a bit away and observed, but eventually ended up chatting and drinking with the gentleman and the hostess. It's nice to make new connections while traveling, isn't it?

Today, I was invited by MB to a restaurant that they really like. They brought along some acquaintances as well. The menu includes sashimi, oden, and fried dishes. The prices for appetizers range from 150 yen to 490 yen, which is quite reasonable. Let's start with a highball for 380 yen while we wait for our appetizers. We ordered squid sashimi for 390 yen, mackerel for 390 yen, and two servings of hot sake. The hot sake was served in a unique way using a burner. The sashimi was good, and the owner mentioned that the market was closed today, which made me curious about what sashimi would be available if the market was open. The restaurant's specialty seems to be the 380 yen per skewer katsu. It was large and delicious, definitely worth a try. I would love to come back again if I have the chance. They are open from the 2nd of January onwards.

"Umeichin - Do you have a bite-sized gyoza and sabamiso?" Mama's Sawachan and the elderly lady (Yamachan) welcomed me at this small counter-only restaurant in a 'kitchen' shape. It was the newest and most welcoming place within a 10-minute walk. "It's so cold, isn't it? Let's sit in front of the stove," I said as I sat right in front of the stove, despite the cold, and ordered plum wine. The sabamiso arrived, steaming hot. "Be careful, it's hot," Yamachan warned as she slowly placed it in front of me. The sabamiso had a mild miso flavor with the lingering taste of mackerel, and it was not too thick. The seasoning made it easy to drink with sake and go well with rice. The one-bite gyoza was a cute size, and although it seemed like a store-bought product, I sometimes prefer the small size over a larger, meatier one. Yamachan brought over some chili oil and vinegar for dipping, and I noticed a familiar sauce on the table. It turned out to be from Manekiya, a restaurant where the owner, Kikuchan, used to work before opening this place on the edge of Tanukikoji. A regular customer ordered the kushikatsu, and it was so big that I couldn't finish two skewers. The size was like a straw sandal. I'll have to try it next time. The regular customer was chatting away, making the atmosphere lively, and everyone gathered around the counter to talk. It was such a warm place, thanks to Yamachan's thoughtful care, that I felt like telling her to take a break. I'm looking forward to going back next time for a drink with some Manekiya stories."