I extended my trip to Mashike on this day. Mashike used to be the terminal station of the Rumoi Main Line that I had taken before, but the section between Rumoi and Mashike has been discontinued. I had been to Rumoi Station before, but this time I took a bus from Rumoi to Mashike. Mashike is a quiet town surrounded by the sea and mountains. After wandering around a bit, I returned to the vicinity of the old Mashike Station. It was past 1 pm. Let's have lunch around here. I went to this restaurant. It's a few minutes' walk from the old Mashike Station. The building has a lot of history. It was a popular sushi restaurant, so I had checked it out beforehand. The interior of the restaurant is not very spacious. The exterior of the building is quite large, but it seemed like there might be seats on the second floor. It didn't have a flashy vibe but rather a calm and adult-oriented sushi restaurant atmosphere. There are counter seats and table seats. I was alone, but because I had a large bag with me, I was directed to a table seat, where I sat down. I looked at the menu. Since I had about an hour until the bus back, I decided to have a light drink. So, I ordered a draft beer and Mashike's specialty, Takozangi. While waiting with my draft beer, the Takozangi arrived. It was a bite-sized Takozangi, but it was quite a substantial amount. The crispy coating was freshly fried. The octopus had a good chewy texture. The seasoning was not too strong, with a light saltiness. The octopus flavor was alive and quite tasty. It went well with the beer. Squeezing a little lemon on it made it even better. For the finale, I had sushi, of course. I ordered the Matsunigiri. The Matsunigiri included tuna, sime saba (marinated mackerel), sweet shrimp, abalone, scallop, salmon roe, sea urchin, and more. The tuna was lean with a tender texture, rich in flavor, and delicious. The sime saba had a moist texture, with a mild vinegar taste that allowed the mackerel's flavor to shine. The scallop was large and had a firm, bouncy texture. It was sweet and flavorful. The most delicious was the sweet shrimp. It had a condensed shrimp flavor, with a perfect balance of sweetness and umami. I also had some sake along the way. When it comes to Mashike, it has to be Kunimare sake. It's a dry sake, but it also has a rich aroma. The restaurant was run by a veteran woman who provided efficient service. It seems to be a popular place, and the deliciousness explained why it had high ratings on Tabelog. I'd like to try going there once to have some appetizers, drink heartily, and finish with sushi.

About 25 years ago, Matsukura was a hidden gem known for its delicious sushi, but as the popularity of sushi increased, the restaurant started to get crowded with customers, and the quality of the food seemed to have changed. I visit about once a year, and today I was able to enter without waiting in line as I arrived right when they opened, which left a good impression on me. This time, I ordered the special chirashi, which I felt was a good deal for 3,000 yen. My companion ordered the sweet shrimp bowl, which was the same price as the special chirashi, indicating a significant price increase compared to before. One noticeable change is the rice - it tastes more vinegary, possibly due to food safety regulations. Additionally, we were not served the miso soup that was supposed to come with our meal. Personally, I didn't mind as it was a hot day, but it was disappointing to see other customers who ordered the same dish not receive all the components.

This year has been unusually busy, and I was starting to give up on going to eat sweet shrimp in Masumae, which I usually do every year. However, this afternoon the appointment I had scheduled was canceled due to COVID-19 just before 10 o'clock. I suddenly had free time until the evening, so I hurried to Masumae. I arrived just before 11:30 and found the restaurant already full with two groups waiting ahead of me. I was the third in line, and I waited for about 15 minutes. I was promptly seated at the counter and decided to order the sweet shrimp bowl. However, since I was there, I also added sea urchin and Masumae's specialty octopus tempura. After waiting about 8 minutes, the dishes arrived. I started with the sweet shrimp, which was incredibly sweet and delicious. Masumae's sweet shrimp is truly amazing. Next, I tried the sea urchin bowl, which had just the right amount of sweetness and tasted great even without soy sauce. Finally, the octopus tempura was as delicious as always. I'm glad I was able to eat Masumae's sweet shrimp again this year.

Last year, I visited this place on a weekday and it was delicious but more affordable than Shakotan, so I decided to go again this year on a holiday. (I lined up from 1 hour before opening) When they opened, there was a long line, and even when I left, there were still many people waiting. The price had increased by a whopping 1,200 yen to 4,500 yen (probably due to market price), but that day they had freshly caught sea urchin, so it was incredibly fresh and flavorful, just delicious. When you think of Motomoe, you think of sweet shrimp! So I had a sweet shrimp and sea urchin bowl. The sweet shrimp was firm and had a great sweetness! The sea urchin was piled up so high that you would think it would be quite expensive if you bought it at a supermarket. Taste-wise, it's a 5-star rating without complaints, but the downside is that you have to wait in line to eat it, and it's not a price you can easily afford to pay.

Orolon Line is great for a drive, especially coming from the Sapporo area with mountains on the right and the sea on the left. It's a biker's dream come true, or so I've heard, and I can see why. However, today was a rare occasion when my husband and I both had a day off, but it was raining. And to make matters worse, the restaurant we were aiming for, Yuto, was unexpectedly closed. What a bummer! But fear not, we quickly headed to our second choice, Matsukura. We were lucky to get a spot as they were almost full. The staff, including a lively female owner or maybe a part-timer, and two young chefs, were working efficiently at the counter. When in Mombetsu, you must try the sweet shrimp! My husband had the sweet shrimp bowl for 3000 yen, which was a bit pricey, and I had the medium-sized chirashi for 2400 yen. The sweet shrimp was plump and sweet, while the chirashi included sweet shrimp, tuna, surf clam, salmon roe, flying fish roe, scallop, sea bream, and some other ingredients I can't remember. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal.

After seeing the cherry blossoms, I went to Matsukura, a restaurant I visit several times a year. My goal is always to eat the sea urchin bowl. When I arrived at the restaurant, they said they were closing for the day for those who had just arrived. I made it just in time! However, I was surprised to see that the menu had higher prices than usual due to Golden Week. So, I had to give up on the sea urchin bowl and ordered the sea urchin and shrimp bowl instead. It was also more expensive than usual, but oh well. Sea urchin and shrimp bowl - ¥4,500. We started with a bottle of beer for everyone except the driver. Then, my friend said, "It's rude to eat sea urchin without drinking sake," so we decided to have sake next. It was a happy time enjoying delicious food and drinks in the middle of the day. We savored the flavors while still feeling a bit of the upcoming summer.

The popular restaurant in Sapporo. Since there is still snow on the roadside, there are few tourists and only locals, so we were able to enter without waiting. Fresh seafood was beautifully arranged in a crowded dish and tasted delicious. The water and second cup of tea were self-service, which was efficient.

I visited the restaurant with the purpose of eating Jumbo Namachirashi Sushi within walking distance from the old Masumige Station. I knew beforehand that it was quite large from watching TV. When it arrived and I started eating, I began with the seafood, but there was a separate plate to transfer the seafood onto. The slightly warm vinegar rice was surprisingly delicious, and I felt like I could understand why a woman could finish it alone. It was my first time experiencing such delicious vinegar rice, thanks to which I was able to finish the meal. Next time, I want to try the Octopus Tempura.

It had been many years since I last visited Matsukura-san's restaurant, and I was really looking forward to it. I thought it would be easy to get a seat since it was well past lunchtime, but it turned out to be perfect timing as I was seated just in time before several other customers arrived. It was clear that this was a popular restaurant. The special premium chirashi I ordered was served promptly, with a beautiful presentation of the toppings drizzled with a rich sauce. The toppings were all perfectly aged and full of flavor, with the abalone being tender and crunchy, and the tuna being rich and delicious with a hint of bitterness. I noticed that the chef was a young person, carrying on the tradition of Matsukura's flavors, which made me look forward to my next visit. I had a wonderful time.

Seafood bowl is the best here, my son brought me here ^^ It's delicious!! Everything is great ^^ I wouldn't have ordered the octopus tempura if I was alone, but it's seasoned well and goes well with beer. I refrained from drinking in front of the driver, of course (;￢_￢)

I had a fresh sea urchin rice bowl in Wakkanai, then headed south along the Japan Sea Trench Orolon Road. There were some hiccups along the way, but I made it to Rumoi, passing by the herring mansion on the left and continuing on to Mashike. It took longer than expected, and the limited 20 servings of jumbo raw seafood bowl were sold out. I ordered the premium raw seafood bowl instead. I might have covered half the distance to Otaru in this hot weather. I refreshed myself with hot tea. After a while, the seafood bowl arrived. The portion was average, but the size and freshness of the seafood were truly Hokkaido quality. The sea urchin and abalone were a bit scarce, but the taste was good. The other ingredients, such as tuna and scallops, were large and delicious. The price seemed reasonable for the deliciousness. However, the restaurant seemed to be run by a family, and during lunchtime, they seemed a bit cold and business-like as everyone ordered seafood bowls. The cluttered notices at the entrance also gave off a somewhat unwelcoming vibe. It's not a place I pass by often, so I may not return next time...

I finally visited the hair-thickening salon "Matsukura" that I've always wanted to try. I had the premium raw liver and octopus tempura. It was delicious!! However, looking at old reviews, the price range has increased significantly. I arrived 20 minutes before opening and was the third group in line. I was able to enter smoothly right at opening time. By the time I left, the waiting time had gotten longer, so I recommend going right at opening time.

While driving during this season, I enjoyed a meal at Matsukura Sushi with an "Ebi Uni Don" bowl. I was debating between getting a Uni Don bowl at Misaki in Shakotan, but ultimately chose this place because the sweet shrimp was also delicious. We arrived close to 2 p.m. and luckily there was no line. It was a good decision to avoid the lunch rush. As always, the sweet shrimp was tasty and the sea urchin was delicious. Since it's a sushi restaurant, the vinegared rice was excellent. However, I was disappointed to find out that the prices had increased and the amount of sea urchin was halved compared to before.

Today's weather is perfect for a drive, and the Oronron Line along the beautiful Japan Sea is just lovely! The seafood bowl was fresh and delicious, just as expected from this popular restaurant. There was already a line before opening. The sweet shrimp was especially delicious! It was a great town at the northernmost station in Japan, Esashi.

I went there for the first time in 6 years. The restaurant was still packed, the lady was energetic as always! The head chef seems to be not feeling well. I hope for a speedy recovery. The Super Jumbo Chirashi Sushi was really delicious. However, it was disappointing to see a sign at the entrance saying "For those with no time, please come back another time" from the beginning. It made me lose my excitement even though I had time.

JR Former Mashike Station is about a 5-minute walk away. After entering the entrance and disinfecting with alcohol, I was guided to an available seat. I looked at the menu on the table. In addition to set meals, there is also a wide variety of sushi menus. I ordered the "Nama Chirashi" from the menu. I looked around. There are about 8 four-person table seats. It was brought to me in less than 10 minutes. Various seafood toppings were piled on the sushi plate. Tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab, squid, flying fish roe, scallop, and more. Among them, the tuna and salmon were particularly flavorful. The vinegared rice had just the right amount of acidity. There was so much vinegared rice that I ended up with half left over. "Nama Chirashi" costs 2,350 yen including tax. The miso soup had a delicious shrimp flavor.

If the parking lot is full, head to the parking lot at the former train station. Surprisingly, the restaurant was not crowded inside. When I asked how much jumbo sushi there was, I didn't quite understand the answer, but I ordered thinking it would be about this much ○○○○... It turned out to be double the usual amount! The sushi was piled high, and I started to lose my appetite. But as I started eating, the sushi was delicious and I kept going. I almost gave up halfway, but managed to finish it all. I received a 600 yen discount coupon.

I was told by a senior that there is a sushi restaurant called "Matsukura" that serves huge sushi, and it had been on my mind for a while. So when I came all the way to Rumoi, there was no choice but to go. I went around 5 o'clock in the evening. The exterior of the store looks old-fashioned, like a local sushi restaurant, but the interior has been renovated and looks clean. You can feel that it is prosperous. There are autographs of celebrities on the walls, and especially the autograph of Sakana-kun is lovely and perfect for a sushi restaurant. I looked at the menu thinking of ordering the "huge sushi" as recommended by the senior, and found... Oh no! The "Jumbo Nama Chirashi" in the photo is huge! The toppings are mountainous and I'm not confident that I can finish it. It would be uncool for an old man like me to leave food uneaten, so reluctantly, I ordered the "Tokujou Nama Chirashi" for ¥2900. The Tokujou Nama Chirashi that was brought out was really just a normal size. It's a step below jumbo, so it's not really that much, but it's definitely not disappointing. It's filled with a variety of toppings such as tuna, sweet shrimp, scallop, yellowtail, salmon, squid, shirako, surf clam, squid, abalone, salmon roe, flying fish roe, and sea urchin, all lined up densely without the vinegar rice being visible at all. The toppings are all thickly sliced and full of volume. The sweet shrimp is naturally sweet and delicious, and the sea urchin and scallop are also sweet and rich in flavor. The abalone has a crispy texture and is excellent. The tuna was also delicious. The vinegar rice was just right, making it a very good Nama Chirashi. Even though it wasn't jumbo, I was quite satisfied. But next time I visit, I will prepare myself and challenge the jumbo. Thank you for the meal.

Today on my way back from Wakkanai area, I tried to visit some restaurants in Kotobuki Rumoi but they were all closed... everyone seemed to be on a temporary break. So, I decided to come to Mashike because I couldn't leave without having some seafood. The restaurant I was aiming for in Mashike was also closed. So, I ended up at Matsukura, where I haven't been in a while. When in Mashike, you have to have sweet shrimp, so I was torn between having a sweet shrimp bowl or the deluxe sashimi. I went with the deluxe sashimi for 2900 yen. It's a bit on the pricier side compared to the local places where you can get it for 2000 yen, but it was worth it. It arrived in about 20 minutes and was packed with toppings. The toppings included surf clam, scallops, sea urchin, salmon roe, kelp, sweet shrimp, tuna, crab, salmon, yellowtail, squid, and a huge abalone. Each topping was thick and had a nice texture, but the sweet shrimp was definitely the highlight (even though it was mentioned that they were frozen due to the fishing break during Obon, it didn't bother me at all. They were big, sweet, and delicious). It would have been perfect if it was a bit cheaper, but overall, it was a satisfying meal.

On a regular holiday, we went on a drive to Mozuku. We visited Matsukura-san for their Jumbo Chirashi, but it was already full with a line outside. We waited for a seat and eventually got seated on the second floor. We ordered the Chirashi and sushi, as the Jumbo Chirashi was already sold out. The rice portion was a bit small, as mentioned by my companion who had been there before. Nevertheless, the food was delicious as always. Thank you for the meal!

This year, I went with the intention of having a sea urchin bowl (^ｰ^), but ended up also ordering some octopus tempura. I should have taken a picture - the octopus was surprisingly more delicious than the sea urchin (lol). I couldn't help but notice a slight lack of cleanliness at the counter, though (lol).