I visited the restaurant a little earlier than usual for lunch. I was able to get in easily, but by 11:30, it was almost full. I recommend going early. There were plenty of options on the menu, so I had the tempura and soba set. It was decent, not bad.

The restaurant is nice, but on a sunny day, eating onigiri from the farmers market on a bench outside is exceptional! The onigiri here is delicious, with tasty rice and just the right amount of salt. There is a microwave inside the shop, so warming it up for about 20 seconds to a warm temperature really enhances the flavors of the filling and rice. Popular flavors like salmon soy sauce may sell out by noon, but other fillings are also satisfyingly delicious. The same onigiri is sold in the retail area as well, so even if they're sold out at the onigiri shop, you might find them there!

I regret not going there before... Surprisingly, the rating is low, but I was very satisfied. The onigiri was delicious! It had a subtle saltiness with a good seaweed flavor, and the rice was tasty. As someone who grew up by the sea, I am quite particular about salmon roe... But it wasn't fishy at all, and the color, seasoning, and texture were all delicious! The onigiri was on the larger side, which may explain the price, but it felt a bit expensive. They also have side dishes and the salmon was cheap. I will definitely go back!

I visited "Sato Suisan Salmon Factory Store" on March 18th, my first visit this year. Usually, I stop by when visiting the nearby "Tanino Shoten". I didn't notice at first, but the salmon and crab monument in front of the store seems to be gone? It must have been removed during the renovation. I actually visited with the intention of trying the seasonal menu item "Snow-aged Salmon Set Meal" for 1380 yen at the restaurant Old River on the 2nd floor, but to my surprise, it was closed at 3 pm. The onigiri shop at the entrance was also closed and sold out, offering onigiri ranging from 330 yen to 580 yen with 10 varieties. I quite like their onigiri as well. Well, there's nothing you can do when they're sold out. One new item I discovered this time was the "Salmon Fatty Kipper" for 500 yen, a smoked salmon. It is labeled as hot-smoked on the package. It looks like "toba" at first glance. However, 500 yen for 150g is quite cheap in my opinion. "Toba" usually costs more than double that price. When I tried it, it was softer compared to "toba". It seems to be the fatty part of the salmon, maybe the belly. It's quite oily, so be prepared for some grease on your hands. It's labeled as spicy on the price card, and indeed, it contains chili peppers. Although the chili peppers were not visible on the surface, so I was a bit surprised. It's quite flavorful, maybe a bit too strong for some, but it goes well as a side for drinks. The only downside is that it doesn't last long like "toba", with a shelf life of one week. I haven't visited other Sato Suisan stores, but it seems like this item is only available at this store. Other items available are "Sakeppi" for 350 yen and "Hotateppi" for 350 yen, which are reasonably priced junk food items at Sato Suisan. Once you start eating them, it's hard to stop, so I had to seal them after just one bite! It's like the "can't stop won't stop" situation. They are as addictive as shrimp chips. Watch out for the high calories. Unfortunately, the "Hotateppi" was gone before I could try it... This one lasts longer, but be careful not to finish it all at once (laughs). That's it for the review.

In the past, this shop used to buy too much during the Obon period. I bring a cooler box, so I'm more determined (laughs). I was able to sample hand-rolled salmon roe, but it was too salty in the sample size! Maybe it's because it's from last year? I avoided popular items like ikura and luebe. I think timing is important. However, this time I purchased the following: ◆ Autumn salmon Sazanami kama (250 yen) - marinated in koji. The saltiness was just right, and the fat content was good, very delicious. ◆ Scallop cheese (842 yen) - 19 pieces, a good deal. The famous Ka◯chi comes in a pack of 7. The taste is of course delicious. There was also squid cheese at the same price. I didn't purchase it this time, but the side dishes are also cheap and delicious, so I recommend it. It will be appreciated as a souvenir. I will visit again.

I enjoyed the Otaru Line from Otaru and arrived in Ishikari City. Let's buy some souvenirs at Sato Suisan. I'm hungry, so I bought the famous mixed rice ball and scallop mixed rice ball here. They are delicious but too big, now my stomach is full.

Sea urchin and salmon roe bowl for 1950 yen. For lunch today, I went to Sato Suisan Salmon Factory. The restaurant is spacious, but it was quite crowded during lunchtime even on weekdays. The menu offers various seafood bowl options, making it hard to decide. They had both Bafun uni and Murasaki uni, but only Murasaki uni was available that day. Bafun uni is tastier, but it's also more expensive. I ordered a bowl with my favorite uni and salmon roe. It arrived in less than 10 minutes. I always think that for seafood bowls or sashimi, it's better not to pour soy sauce directly onto the rice so it doesn't get too soaked, but to dip the toppings in soy sauce before eating. However, with uni being a bit troublesome and salmon roe being tricky, I ended up pouring soy sauce directly onto them. Both the uni and salmon roe were sweet and delicious. Personally, I felt the bowl was a bit small. I now crave a bowl full of Bafun uni!

On this day, I went to the Hello Work in the morning and then headed to Hamamatsu Onsen. It had been a while since I last stopped by here, and I bought some seafood tamagoyaki from the onigiri shop at the entrance, making it my breakfast. I enjoyed it while looking out at the sea from the beachside parking lot. It was thick and fluffy, with the flavor of shrimp and crab, and a slightly sweet taste. It may be irresistible for those who like sweet tamagoyaki. Along the way, I bought a snack from Fujimiya and finally arrived at Hamamatsu Onsen. But, what a surprise! There was a sign saying "Closed until September 30th." What a day!

"Sato Suisan, a salmon specialty store that gathers original gourmet dishes that can only be found here in the world, offers freshly made processed products. Located about 3km before the Ishikari Ohashi on National Route 231 (from Ishikari to Osatsu to Rumoi). They also sell many original products from the Salmon Factory workshop. You can enjoy seasonal flavors at the seafood restaurant "Old River" on the second floor. The factory's popular gourmet onigiri is also highly recommended. If you are a Hokkaido resident, you must know Sato Suisan. It is a direct sales shop connected to their own factory. I, who usually do not eat rice at home, tend to buy sake snacks that can be eaten as they are without any preparation. My current favorite is the 'Sakeppi Mayonnaise Flavor,' which is made by frying the skin of Hokkaido natural Atka mackerel until crispy. I am addicted to it and have repeatedly purchased it just for this item. However, when I brought it to work and let my colleagues try it, the reviews were not good... They just don't appreciate good things, huh (-_-)"

On the way to Iwanai area by car, we made a stop for a toilet break. It was around 11:05 on a holiday. The store is located north of Ishikari City, along Route 231. You can easily spot it with a large signboard featuring salmon. The large triangular-roofed building gives off a vibe of a typical tourist souvenir shop. There was a spacious parking lot in front of the building. Inside the store, various seafood and processed marine products, mainly focusing on salmon, were being sold. When we visited, customers were coming in one after another. The age group seemed to be on the older side. Right after entering from the left (north) entrance, there was a corner selling rice balls and soft-serve ice cream. "Sato Suisan's rice balls" are famous for their generous portions. There were about 10 different types available, and the prices were on the higher side. Two of us purchased "Mixed Rice Ball - 550 yen" x 2 and "Scallop Mixed Rice Ball - 360 yen" (excluding tax). We had these rice balls during our drive, and both were about 1.5 to 2 times larger than those sold in convenience stores, with a substantial weight and volume. They were packed in moisture-absorbing bags, so there was no sense of moisture. The "Mixed Rice Ball" contained salmon roe and grilled salmon in the rice, wrapped in seaweed. It had a classic taste, with fluffy and chewy rice complemented by the savory saltiness of the ingredients. The "Scallop Mixed Rice Ball" felt more like a mixed rice than a risotto. It had two whole baby scallops, wrapped in seaweed, with a soy-based sweet and savory flavor and a balanced saltiness. The scallop flavor and umami were a bit subtle. Overall, the rice balls were delicious, but the feeling of being a bit overpriced was undeniable.

After playing in Ishikari in the morning on Saturday, we drove to Otaru for lunch. Feeling a bit hungry, we made a little detour to Sato Suisan, a shop known for its high-quality seafood. Inside the shop, there was a variety of delicious items such as ikura, sujiko, salmon, crab, sea urchin, and more on display! I noticed that they offer a service where they turn fresh sujiko into ikura right in front of you. The sight of the large sujiko turning into fluffy ikura was mesmerizing. When we visited around noon, the shop was quite busy with customers, especially flocking to the takeout onigiri corner. The onigiri with tempting ingredients like ikura, sujiko, and salmon looked very appealing, but we resisted and headed to the soft serve ice cream corner. The menu offered salt soft serve, prunes, and a mix of salt soft serve and prunes. I ordered the salt soft serve for 300 yen. The generous portion of soft serve came in a waffle cone. Let's dig in! The first bite immediately brought out the saltiness, although it was not overpowering. The creamy and smooth texture was delightful, and the cone was crispy and tasty. The saltiness faded as I continued eating, which was a nice touch. Overall, it was a delicious soft serve that would appeal to many. Thank you for the meal!

I tried jumping on the Demon Slayer bandwagon even though I haven't watched it, but I wonder if other Sato Suisan stores don't have Salmon Factory's famous onigiri. I don't dislike it, but I usually only buy Ekiben. The rice is Naganuma's Hoshino Yume red salmon mix (with hand-rolled salmon roe and autumn flavor), deliciously spicy cod roe salmon soy sauce (which I can't confirm from the photo). It's big in size and undeniably delicious onigiri, but the most delicious thing was not the onigiri, but the fresh salmon roe.

Before, there was a TV show that verified the difference between "onigiri" and "omusubi". The result was that regardless of the shape or regional differences, both terms mean the same thing. Well, it doesn't really matter whether you call it "onigiri" or "omusubi" (^^). Here, they use the term "omusubi". When they first started serving "omusubi" here, I was delighted. Due to the new coronavirus measures, there are separate aisles for dine-in and takeout. Social distancing, right? There are divider lines drawn on the aisles, but some customers completely ignore them and rush towards you as if to say, "I'm in more of a hurry than you! Hurry up!" The staff can't even remind them. Scary, scary. I bought red salmon, masu salmon roe, and a mix. I should have chosen something different. I ended up buying similar items (laughs). It costs around 1500 yen for 3 pieces. Oh? Isn't that a bad deal? Well, in the past, the onigiri used to be big, so I didn't think about cost-effectiveness. But even if they're big, this is just too expensive. Even if two people share 3 "omusubi," it's not cost-effective (´・ω・`). That's right, in the past, it wasn't a hassle to come all the way to Ishikari. But ever since Chitose Airport and Sato Suisan's direct sales store increased, the appreciation for "omusubi" here has diminished. Also, Seicomart's "Big Onigiri" in Hokkaido's convenience stores is a strong competitor, so it feels like the role of "omusubi" here has ended (^^). Oh right, "onigiri" and "omusubi." And there's also the term "nigirimeshi." But I don't think they say "nigirimeshi" in Hokkaido, right? Well, maybe it's just the people around me. Maybe in some parts of Hokkaido, "nigirimeshi" is the common term. I'm not going to research it though. Ah, my beloved reviewer, Koyonaku...san, uses "nigirimeshi" ♫

After having lunch at the Michi-no-Eki in Atsuma, we headed to "Sato Suisan Salmon Factory Store" for dessert. Located on National Route 231 (from Ishikari to Otoineppu), about 3km before Ishikari Ohashi, this store is easily recognizable by its large sign. They offer a wide range of seafood products, a restaurant on the second floor, take-out options for soft serve ice cream and onigiri, as well as deli items not found in other stores. Our target this time was the soft serve ice cream. We decided to enjoy the end of our drive by relaxing at the spacious bench seats by the Ishidoro River. Although eating inside the store was not allowed, there were benches at the back for customers to sit and enjoy their treats. Upon entering, a strict disinfection system was in place. The soft serve and onigiri section was on the left, while customers lined up on the right. We lined up on the left, placed our order with the staff, and then paid at the machine. This style of ordering may become more common in the future. Here is what we ordered: - Double (Prune & Salt) Soft Serve Ice Cream in a Cone - 300 yen - Salt Soft Serve Ice Cream in a Cone - 300 yen The double flavor combination of prune and salt enhanced the creamy sweetness of the soft serve. The prune flavor had a slight acidity and refreshing taste, while the waffle cone was just sweet enough to complement the ice cream. My partner ordered the salt soft serve ice cream, which was consistently delicious with a refreshing aftertaste. After dessert, we also patrolled the store and purchased some deli items for our home dinner: - Salmon Fry (2 pieces) - 380 yen The salmon fry made for an easy and delicious dinner for my partner. The salt seasoning on the salmon was just right, allowing us to enjoy the natural flavor without needing any sauce. They also had miso-flavored items and croquettes, so it's worth checking out their deli items for a convenient dinner after a drive. It was a satisfying meal.

I moved from Otaru to Ishikari and stopped by the Salmon Factory. We decided to try some seafood, so we went to the restaurant on the second floor. The building is located by the riverside, and you can see the Ishikari River from the second floor, giving it an open and airy atmosphere. We ordered the Salmon Ikura Don Set and the Live Shellfish Don Set, and they were served in just a few minutes. The ordering process to serving time was incredibly fast. You can choose between cold soba or udon, and the portions are quite filling.

Today, I had work in Ishikari. My job starts in the afternoon, but I arrived earlier than 11 o'clock. I thought about finding a cafe, but couldn't find one. I was about to make a U-turn and head to the roadside station I saw earlier, but then I stumbled upon Sato Suisan. There was even a soft serve ice cream sculpture outside, so I decided to go in. I was actually planning to get a rice ball as well, but as soon as I entered, I saw the rice ball corner. I browsed around the store, and although there were many things I wanted, I knew I was leaving tomorrow, and my companion was leaving today, so I decided to just get a "salmon rice ball" and a "soft serve ice cream." The soft serve ice cream came with salt on top, making it a salted soft serve. It had a nice crunch and smooth texture, not too sweet, and overall delicious. I saved the rice ball to eat later at home. It was huge, definitely too big for one person to eat alone. The rice was delicious, not sticky like some rice balls these days that become dry the next day. The salmon was top quality, a truly delicious rice ball.

Today, my plans for working on my day off were canceled! It's the start of a two-day weekend now. My wife requested to go to "Sato Suisan Salmon Factory" with our second daughter. We go there every year. My wife wants to buy fresh salmon roe, while I plan to have ramen at "Old River" on the second floor. It's about an hour away from our home. When we arrived, the parking lot was already crowded, even though it was only 11 am. The place is popular! Inside, we were warmly welcomed. Thank you! The visual presentation was average. After eating, I didn't feel particularly impressed. It seems like the staff has changed in the past six months. The ramen wasn't bad, but it didn't leave a lasting impact. On weekdays, you can get free rice with your ramen (in large, medium, or small portions). I didn't want any rice, which was a bit disappointing.

There is no other tourist spot in Ishikari City like this one. The famous Sato Suisan Salmon Factory. Sato Suisan is a shop that has branches at New Chitose Airport and Haneda Airport, offering high-priced but reliable products. This shop allows you to see the primary processing of autumn salmon and the process of making ikura from salmon roe. Reservation required. Today, I stopped by to buy souvenirs as I didn't have much time. You can find unique souvenirs that you can only buy here. I had two purposes: one was to buy a high-end seafood rice ball, which costs around 500 yen depending on the filling, and the other was to buy "Ruibé-zuke," soy sauce-marinated autumn salmon and ikura for 585 yen including tax. Unfortunately, I visited late and the rice balls were sold out, but I was able to buy the Ruibé-zuke. I also bought "sakeppi," crispy fried salmon skin with mayonnaise flavor, for 350 yen including tax. I quickly returned to the hotel and tried the Ruibé-zuke on rice! Wow, delicious! This flavor is irresistible. The salmon and ikura burst on top of the rice! The sakeppi also has a unique taste, like a snack. It's perfect as a snack with alcohol. When I come to Ishikari City again, I want to visit the factory tour as well.

This time, it was super crowded due to the Bon Festival, but surprisingly the orders came out really fast, which was a relief! I ordered the shellfish bowl set and sea urchin battleship sushi. The shellfish included scallops, clams, and surf clams, topped with salmon roe. To put it mildly, it was amazing! The sea urchin battleship sushi set came with 3 pieces, miso soup, and pickles for around 1200 yen before tax. The sea urchin was plentiful and the battleship sushi was generously sized, making it possibly the best. And of course, the classic dessert of salted soft serve ice cream. Needless to say, it was fantastic. That's all from the beloved Berry. Cheers!

I was planning to have delicious ramen for lunch and then drive towards Atsuta, but the Bon holiday traffic was insane! That's right! There is a Ishikari Reien cemetery on the way (*ﾉωﾉ) So we turned back and decided to stop by here on the way and have soft serve ice cream on the way back♪ - Salt Soft Serve Ice Cream 300 yen The cream served from the Carpigiani machine has a slightly crunchy yet smooth texture. It has a rich milk flavor with a subtle hint of salt that enhances the sweetness. The slightly sweet waffle cone pairs perfectly with the saltiness♪ As expected, salt soft serve is delicious (*´▽｀*) Previously, it used to be sold at the store on the 1st floor of the restaurant along with onigiri, but when I visited after about a year, I found out that the location had moved outside! Whether it's only for the summer period or if it changed to a separate management from the restaurant is a mystery, but the two flavors "Homemade Prune" and "Mix" that were available before are gone, and now only salt soft serve is available. Also, the system has changed to purchasing food tickets from a ticket machine before ordering. There were buttons to purchase multiple items at once, like 2 or 3, which might be convenient during busy times. This time we shared one, but next time I'll get one for myself (*^^*) Thank you for the meal♪ *Previously, I reviewed it as part of the restaurant's store as it was sold there, but this time it was sold outside, so I reviewed it as part of the store.