Today, I visited the Omiyage shop near the famous Amanohashidate bridge in Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture. Although it is not directly related to Daimaru, it is the largest souvenir shop in Amanohashidate. The store is spacious with a dining area on the side. I bought some Melon Pan Rusks as a snack for the car ride - 5 for 350 yen each. They were like melon bread but with a crunchy texture like senbei, and had a refreshing taste. Perfect for munching on. I also bought the classic souvenir, Crab Ramen, which is popular in various regions like Sapporo and Niigata. The packaging is fun and would be great for gifting to grandchildren. They had a wide selection of Kyoto souvenirs, especially various types of steamed buns. I will definitely visit again. Thank you for the hospitality.

I used it to choose souvenirs after visiting Amano Tatesu Bridge. They had a variety of products, from Amano Tatesu Bridge beer, ice cream, and cider to national brand products. I bought the limited ice cream from the tourist spot and enjoyed it while looking out the window of the car.

In January 2019, I left Osaka Station at 9:10 a.m. and took the Limited Express Kounotori and then Limited Express Hashidate to arrive at Amanohashidate Station before 11:30 a.m. I visited Amanohashidate View Land and on my way to Chion-ji Temple, I stopped by the Hashidate Daimaru Main Store shop to buy souvenirs. This time, I chose "Asari Yawani" (soft-boiled clams). I always associated soft-boiled clams with Ise, but it seems Amanohashidate is also famous for them. I brought it home and enjoyed it right away. It was seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, and ginger, giving it a sweet and savory flavor that paired perfectly with rice. It was delicious with plenty of clams. Thank you for the meal!

On the first day of January 19, 2019, I toured Amanohashidate while drinking "canned shochu highballs" and "red and white wine". Feeling slightly tipsy, I returned to Amanohashidate Station in a good mood. The "Hashidate Daimaru Main Store" on Chaya Street was bustling with many tourists, and even though it was 15 minutes before departure, I couldn't resist stopping by. This was my last souvenir, and I purchased a set of three items for 1000 yen including "dried herring roe senbei", "grilled rice borrow (mamakari)", and "mountain burdock miso". It was a great deal as buying one item for 380 yen or getting a set of three for 1000 yen with over 10 different options for sake accompaniments or rice condiments. Although there were many other souvenirs unique to Amanohashidate, I was lured by the poster advertising the special deal. The "dried herring roe senbei" that I bought, which came in a fish-shaped plastic pack with cute eyes, consisted of tiny dried sardines carefully opened and combined with a sweet and spicy soy sauce flavor and a spicy cod roe. It may be quite a task to handle these, but they are perfect for sake, especially Japanese sake. The "grilled rice borrow" made from a small fish called "Konoshiro" was equally delicious. In Okayama Prefecture, this fish is pickled in vinegar or grilled with salt, and the vinegar-pickled version is so tasty that people would borrow rice from their neighbors just to eat more, hence the name "mamakari". The "grilled rice borrow" seasoned with salt, sugar, and sesame was full of the fish's umami flavor, making it a great match for Japanese sake. The "mountain burdock miso" that I got as a rice accompaniment was exceptional. It is a side dish miso made by boiling fuki buds briefly in water, then chopping and simmering them with water, sake lees, miso, and walnuts until the liquid evaporates. Unlike sautéing, simmering the fuki buds reduces the bitterness, resulting in a more palatable dish that goes well with freshly cooked rice, ochazuke, or chilled tofu. After finishing the 3-hour tour of Amanohashidate, let's head to Ano Station on the 14:33 departure of the "Limited Express Hashidate 5". Enjoy your meal! (●^o^●)

☆ Amanohashidate Trip in mid-May with my daughter. Lunch at a stone oven restaurant, visit to Chion-ji Temple, snack time, and souvenir shopping at Amanohashidate Station street. There are many souvenir shops around Chion-ji Temple, making it enjoyable to explore. We first visited a large souvenir shop that was very easy to spot. We had snacks at the attached dining area and then headed to the next shop nearby. It is conveniently located near the station, Chion-ji Temple, the sightseeing boat pier, and the rental bicycle area, so it attracts many customers. At this shop, we bought "Chie no Wa Tea for 550 yen tax included" and a "Cat-themed Chocolate Crunch for 540 yen tax included" as a souvenir for my daughter. The Chie no Wa Tea is a tea cup with a small bag of tea inside. When you pour 90cc of hot water and wait a bit, the seaweed opens up to reveal the characters and picture of Chie no Wa. It tasted like plum seaweed tea, and eating the opened seaweed added depth to the flavor, making it delicious and seemingly good for the body. The Cat-themed Chocolate Crunch is in the shape of a cat's paw. It's cute, so we got it as a souvenir. It was a delightful experience. Thank you for the meal!

The end of a trip is all about souvenirs. For work, I usually go for something light, in large quantities, and guaranteed not to disappoint (laughs). Local specialties and classics are for myself. Everyone thinks the same way, so after a long weekend, you might see similar souvenirs lined up at the office. Sometimes there are souvenirs from completely different regions that look the same on the outside but have different contents inside. The souvenir scene is quite diverse.

I bought Amanohashidate Romantic, Black Soybean Senbei, and Tango Washi Miso Polvorones. There were many types of souvenirs to choose from, and it was a fun store where I couldn't decide which one to pick. 😊

At a large souvenir shop on the street leading from Amanohashidate Station to the revolving bridge, which was crowded with tourists, I found two kinds of curry: deer maple curry and wild boar curry. Both curries were made with game meat sourced locally in Kyotango. I was indecisive but ultimately chose the wild boar curry. The package contained 220g of curry, with chunks of wild boar meat mixed in with root vegetables. The curry had a nice aroma and a mild spiciness, although it was slightly lacking in flavor. The meat itself was tender and had a moderate level of firmness, with a low level of fat content similar to pork.