When visiting the Kansai area, I always end up buying from 551, located in the JR Kyoto Station Central Free Passage. Even if they tell me to eat it the same day, I tend to buy extra and end up storing it in the fridge or freezer. But freshly made is always the best. This time, I will have it for dinner. Lately, I have been interested in their shrimp shumai, which is also delicious. The regular shumai tastes somewhat similar to the filling of a pork bun, so...

Before boarding the morning Shinkansen, I purchased two pork buns. Eating pork buns and oolong tea on the Shinkansen is the best combination for me, and the portion was just right. The morning time is relatively quiet. Two buns for 420 yen, great value for money.

Today, I visited the 551 Horai store located to the left as soon as you get off at the Shinkansen exit in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. There is always someone on the Shinkansen with a paper bag marked with the trademark of 551 Horai. It is a well-known store mainly in Osaka and the Kansai region, so it's great to be able to buy it at Kyoto Station. The pork bun is bigger and heavier than the meat buns in the Tokyo area, with a thick and substantial skin. And all this for less than 200 yen per bun in these times, making it highly rated and popular. The store in front of Kyoto Station is often crowded in the evening, but luckily it was not busy when I went. The staff are very friendly and provide quick service, which is impressive considering the number of commuters taking the Shinkansen. There is a slight smell, so if you have it on the Shinkansen, people might notice, but it's a familiar sight for customers coming from Osaka. I will definitely visit again. Thank you.

During my visit in November 2022, I had 4 pork buns for 840 yen at Hamamura, which was my last Chinese meal of the trip. After that, I still had some time before catching the bullet train. I didn't really need any souvenirs, but whenever I see the red sign of this place, I just can't resist getting some food. When I arrived, there were about 30 people waiting in line, and those beyond that were directed to another spot to line up. I had given up before in the spring due to the same situation, but this time I had time to spare so I decided to wait. It's amazing how everyone loves this place - I didn't wait for 30 minutes, but around 20 minutes later I was at the front of the line. I got 4 pork buns. Although it was fine in Kyoto, it was raining in the Kanto region, so I asked for the rain cover plastic sheet that was mentioned on the sign. They even provided this small service - it's nice! I also bought some sabazushi, which I froze for later. The pork buns were delicious, slightly oily with a hint of onion. I wish they also offered chilled options here.

My overly packed Kyoto trip has finally ended. Despite the busy schedule, I had a lot of fun. I'm feeling a bit sentimental and thinking I want to come back to Kyoto again. As I walk to buy a ticket for the Shinkansen, I suddenly smell a familiar scent coming from somewhere. It turns out to be 551 Horai, a famous pork bun shop. I remember seeing it at a department store event in Tokyo with a crazy long line, but the line here at Kyoto Station is nothing compared to that. I can't resist buying some pork buns, as I'm a big fan of Horai. I purchase a pack of 4 for 840 yen. I bring them on the Shinkansen and enjoy them when I get home. They taste delicious as always. I know there's a similar shop in Ebisu, but eating these pork buns from Horai makes me realize how much better they are. The dough is sweet and soaked in oil, making it really tasty, and the pork filling is flavorful. It was an unexpected encounter, but it turned out to be a great souvenir from Kyoto.

The other day, I bought some delicious shumai from Hourai at Shin-Osaka Station, so I decided to visit this shop in front of the Shinkansen gates at Kyoto Station. They had a promotion on October 14th and 15th where you would receive a deck of cards if you spent over 2000 yen, and I got one. Each card had a different design, featuring illustrations of shumai, pork buns, sweet and sour pork, and more. The shop also had a variety of dishes available for dining in. The shumai and pork buns were filled with plenty of meat and had a strong, appetizing aroma. Unlike the shop at Shin-Osaka Station, this shop did not sell chilled items. The delicious smell of the food wafted through the Shinkansen cabin when I placed it on the overhead shelf. I gave the deck of cards to my friend who was with me, but I wish I had taken a photo of it. I have compared Hourai's shumai with Yokohama Sakaeen's, and Hourai wins! The flavor of the meat is exceptional. It would make a great gift and also goes well as a snack with beer. Just be careful with the strong mustard they provide, it packs a punch!

I bought 4 meat buns, 6 shumai, and a pack of 10 meatballs for around 1,400 yen. Visited around 7 pm on a rainy day, and the restaurant had a rating of 3.45 on Tabelog. There was no parking lot, and there were only 3 people in line. It had been a while since I had pork buns, so I got excited and ended up buying too much.

I went out to Kyoto and did a little shopping before returning to Tokyo. First, I bought some bread at "Shizuya." And of course, when visiting Kansai, you have to buy from here - "551 Horai JR Kyoto Station Store." The store is located on the 2nd floor of Kyoto Station, near the Hachijo West Exit of ASTYSQUARE. There was a long line, but I waited in line. You probably already know, but the menu is as follows, and they also had "meat dumplings" displayed on the counter, which looked really tempting! I didn't buy them though. "4 Pork Buns" for 760 yen. I'm sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the box, but I'm sure you all know what they look like (laughs). Pork buns are always delicious no matter how many times you eat them, right? The slightly sweet and fluffy skin, along with the generous amount of meat filling, is just perfect. "6 Shumai" for 420 yen. They are meaty, have a good volume per piece, and are delicious. "12 Shrimp Shumai" for 600 yen. It had been a while since I bought shrimp shumai. The shrimp flavor is strong, but it also has the umami of pork. It's always delicious no matter how many times you eat it! When visiting Kansai, I always end up buying them. A while ago, I tried the "Tokyo Pork Bun" from 551 Horai, which was created by the founder's grandson, and it was delicious too. But the one that becomes addictive is still "551 Horai."

After finishing a day conference in Kyoto, I headed back home. With no time to dine out, I found "551 Horai" at Kyoto Station. Due to the lack of business trips to Osaka during the pandemic, I haven't had their food in a while, so I decided to grab some meatballs as a snack for the Shinkansen ride. I also bought some shumai and meat buns to enjoy at home later. I treated myself with warm meatballs covered in plenty of sauce and a highball on the train ride back. Once home, I reheated the shumai and meatballs in the microwave and enjoyed them hot. It was delicious, as expected from 551. The train ride experience with the strong smell was a bit much, so I decided not to do that again (laughs). My family was also happy to have 551 Horai after a long time. A highball at 3:45 is also a nice touch.

When I traveled to Kyoto, I suddenly felt like eating 551. I remembered seeing it and decided to stop by on my way back. There was a long line, but after waiting for about 30 minutes, I finally made it to the cashier. I had never tried anything other than the 551 pork bun before, so I also bought some shumai out of curiosity. The pork bun was ¥190 each (great taste at a great price!), and the shumai was a pack of 6 for ¥420. When I got home, I reheated them and enjoyed them. The pork bun was consistently delicious, with a good balance between the thick sweet skin and juicy filling. I had high hopes for the shumai since the pork bun filling was so tasty, and it did not disappoint. It was also sweet and juicy, similar to the pork bun filling. I enjoyed both with a beer. Thank you for the meal!

Conchita and Wodka at Bahama, Luce at Kalua, Dita at Daiquiri, rum kick your head back, let's get this party started! "ROCK THE PARTY" / DOUBLE [551 Horai JR Kyoto Station] (Number of posts: first time) On this trip, we upgraded to a slightly larger junior suite for our hotel room, so we had a wild night with cousins, friends, and a total of 6 people in "Kyoto Last Night". We bought various things at JR Kyoto Isetan and found "551 Horai" pork buns in the station area... Well, it's not really related to Kyoto, but anyway. I heard that when 551 Horai sets up a booth at events in Tokyo department stores, it gets incredibly crowded (long lines)... Yeah, the pork buns from 551 are delicious after all. Thank you. Items received: Pork buns 6 pieces ¥1,140 - Crazy love for pancreas... ***Miscellaneous Notes***

In February in Kyoto, inside JR Kyoto Station, that shop is... You can buy it in Kyoto too (^o^)丿 551 Horai JR Kyoto Station Store @ Kyoto Station Area. The store is conveniently located inside Kyoto Station, and when I visited, there were about 20 people in line, but I didn't have to wait too long. The pork buns are 760 yen for 4, the dumplings are 420 yen for 6, and the chimaki is 380 yen each (chimaki: pork & chestnut, chicken & quail, seafood). It's been a while since I had 551, and my excitement level is through the roof♪ I'll enjoy it with the Kyoto beer I had earlier from Kizakura (^o^)丿 As expected, 551's pork buns are delicious, especially the skin. The filling is also of course tasty. The dumplings have a hearty flavor and can be a good snack. I don't usually buy chimaki, but I decided to try it again, and it maintains a certain level of quality. I was satisfied and finished everything♪ [Afterword] If you can buy "551" in Kyoto Station, it expands the options for future purchases. It's been a while since I had it, but it's still delicious (^o^)丿 I think the chain of "pork buns" is the best. Thank you for the meal (^o^)丿

I usually buy food at Otsu Service Area when I'm in my car, but when I take the train, I come here. Otsu Service Area has chilled options, so the food lasts longer and doesn't smell in the car. It's a shame that this shop doesn't have chilled items. Since it's a souvenir, I wish they would increase the number of chilled options.

Yes! Let's go to Kyoto ♬ After a quick day trip to Kyoto, we headed straight to Aichi Prefecture by Shinkansen. Oh, but when you come to Kyoto Station, you can't skip this place. Sweet vinegar dumplings (10 pieces) for 350 yen and pork buns 2 for 380 yen. The pork buns are delicious as always ♥ The sweet vinegar dumplings come in a pack of 10 for only 350 yen, which is incredibly cheap. They are very soft and fluffy. The best part is the high cost performance, it's wonderful! However, there was a long line as usual. It took about 30 minutes to place an order. Oh, by the way, starting from January 2020, it's CASH ONLY. Hmm... it seems like they are going backwards in the midst of the pandemic. It might be to reduce waiting time even a little bit. Thank you for the meal.

After finishing a long business trip in Tokyo, I returned to Kyoto by Shinkansen. When I exited the JR Kyoto station gate, I found "551 Horai" there. There was a bit of a line, but I decided to wait in line to buy some pork buns (^^) I also bought some for my family. The people in front of me were all buying "shumai," so I ended up getting some too. When I got home, I had the pork buns for lunch and they were delicious as always. For dinner, I had the shumai and they were bigger than usual with a great meaty texture and also delicious.

Looking at the photo, do you feel something strange? Why is there an ambulance at 551 Horai? Report of food poisoning? Could it be...? When I bought something at 551, I noticed that the shopping bag had this design, so I looked into it. From September 5th to 11th, it is 'Emergency Medical Week,' and 551 Horai is supporting the Osaka City Fire Department in promoting emergency first aid. In line with Emergency Medical Week (from September 5th to September 11th), the shopping bags given when purchasing products have a special design of an ambulance, and the leaflets included with the products encourage learning first aid. The leaflets used the famous commercial jingle "At times~, and at times~." This shopping bag is a limited edition paper bag available from September 1st to September 15th, while supplies last. When it comes to 551 Horai, it's famous for its pork buns, but... by the way, what do you usually buy at the Osaka specialty 551 Horai? The most popular item is the "pork bun (nikuman)." The average daily sales are about 170,000 pieces! Made and sold on the same day! Each one is hand-wrapped with care by artisans. 4 pieces: 760 yen, 2 pieces: 380 yen. However, for an old guy like me, the volume of the dough is a bit too much. I'd be happy if I could just eat the filling. The one that fulfills that wish is actually the "shumai." Pork buns and shumai have almost the same filling, so non-alcoholic beer and shumai go well together and taste great.

This is a time-shifted post. I stopped by Kyoto Station. It can get crowded depending on the time, so I aim for quieter times. I tried the "Butaman" for 190 yen. It's basically a simple combination of onions and pork. I love the sweetness of the skin, the texture and sweetness of the onions, and the richness of the pork. Thank you for the meal.

I visited "551 Horai" located inside JR Kyoto Station. It is a famous dim sum restaurant in the Kansai region. In recent years, it has become well-known not only in Kansai but also nationwide. This time, I bought their pork buns. 551 Horai calls them "butaman" instead of nikuman. These pork buns have a unique smell. They are delicious whether eaten with vinegar soy sauce or with the accompanying hot mustard. They are popular and make a great souvenir to bring back home.

Transfer to the connecting train in 20 minutes. Found a line at the 551 Poppo Lai pork bun shop. It's still 5 minutes before opening time, but the line is already forming. There are 3 groups of 2 people in line, so I should be able to buy as the 5th or 6th person. With 10 minutes left, I should have plenty of time to eat the pork bun. However, unexpectedly, it took a long time to make a purchase and I ended up giving up on the pork bun. Instead, I bought 3 types of "chimaki" for 380 yen each. I hurried onto the train and took out the chimaki, but the smell was too strong to eat on the train. I regretted buying them. I looked up the meaning of "551" and found out it's a clever play on words related to the company's phone number. I enjoyed the chimaki on a bench at the destination station. They were all delicious, but I was too full after eating all three. This ended up being my lunch. Be sure to have at least 2 hand wipes if you plan to bring them as a gift.

I was looking for souvenirs in Kyoto and although there were a lot of sweets, they didn't seem to be popular, so I ended up going to 551. They only accept cash, no electronic payments. It's amazing how there's always a line no matter where you go. As usual, I bought a pack of 4 pork buns. When I have time, I steam them, and when I'm in a hurry, I use the microwave. When I carry the pork buns around, you can smell it even on the train, kind of like the smell of McDonald's fries. I noticed a lot of people using GO TO travel vouchers.