On August 6, 2023, at 13:00, I visited Morinoyado Biei for the first time after enjoying a day trip bath. I have visited Shirogane Onsen many times and was aware of the presence of Hayashimichi-san, but today was my first visit. Surprisingly, this shop was introduced on TV Tokyo's "Can I Charge Up?" broadcast on September 21, 2019 (Biei and Furano edition). I noticed Suzuki Nana-san and Degawa-san's signatures at the shop, and also learned about it from everyone's reviews. I ordered the same curry rice as Degawa-san (800 yen). Based on the recommendations of trusted followers, such as "quite authentic" and "there's a reason Degawa-san said it's amazing," I decided to try it. The shop was full when I sat at the table. I was lucky. There seemed to be many tourists inside, including a group of four inbound tourists, one mountain climber, and a group of four young men who seemed like tourists, and a family of three generations. The curry arrived four minutes after ordering. It looked like homemade curry rice. What impressed me was that in addition to regular water, a spoon was placed in a 9-tan filled with ice water. This kind of thoughtfulness is touching. When I took a bite, the flavor surpassed the image of homemade curry, with another level of umami hitting me. I see why it's considered "quite authentic" and why Degawa-san was amazed. Towards the end, the strong flavor made me a bit thirsty, perhaps to cater to tired mountain climbers coming down from the mountains. As I finished eating, the lady in the hall brought a server with ice water. Another touching gesture. The taste was quite ordinary, but it's a valuable dining option in Shirogane Onsen, and the thoughtfulness of the staff is commendable. I'll visit again when I go for a day trip bath in Shirogane Onsen. I'm curious about the katsudon and ramen too. Thank you for the meal!

Rindo Shokudo is a restaurant that also operates a souvenir shop in Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun. Inside the restaurant, there is a raised tatami seating for 4 people, 4 table seats for 4 people each, and on the right side after entering the entrance is the souvenir shop, while on the left is the dining area. They serve Shirogane (mountain vegetable) Ramen for 800 yen, which has a light soup with lard on the surface, and includes mountain vegetables and ground meat instead of chashu and menma. The noodles are from Kato Ramen, located right behind the restaurant. Just behind the restaurant is Shirohige Falls, which has the same composition as the Blue Pond, giving the basin of the waterfall a blue color.

As we reached the halfway point of summer, we stopped by here for a meal before heading to the mountain hot springs. There were no customers inside, but the wonderful hostess prepared a curry for us. This curry, which a certain Degawa-san has also tried and said was "dangerous," is truly something else. It's so nostalgic and comforting that if you eat it when your heart is feeling down, you might just end up in tears. It tastes just like home, even better than the curry we make at home (lol). There's a forest road in Shirogane, and we had a delicious meal.

There is only one accommodation facility in the Platinum District, called Morinoyado Inn, and it seems deserted but not dull. I had a specific dish in mind that I wanted to eat, so I requested in advance for a "sesame oil-free" salt char siu ramen. The owner seemed apologetic but fulfilled my request. The soup was generous, and ginger was added instead of sesame oil. I enjoyed the soup, slurped the noodles, ate rice with the broth, and had pickles on the side. The taste was appropriately described as "pure." I apologized for my demanding request and thanked the owner before leaving. This is truly a great restaurant, and perhaps I have reached an age where I can appreciate that. (Actually, the owner is a distant relative.)

I think I went there a long time ago... I don't remember what I had, but I think the exterior of the restaurant is still the same as before. I didn't come all the way here because of the recent TV show "Charging..." (laughs). Since I was in the Biei area, I decided to stop by for a bit. I have plans for lunch later on, so maybe I'll just have some ramen? Oh, what's that? There seem to be tourists inside the premises, but the dining area was still empty at that time. When I looked at the menu, I found something intriguing! White Gold (Mountain Vegetable) Ramen for 800 yen. Both white gold and mountain vegetables caught my interest... This kind of naming is probably unique to this place only. I like mountain vegetables... but in ramen? I've had mountain vegetable soba and udon at various places before, but never in ramen. In about 10 minutes, it arrived with a pleasant aroma. Taste test! It's much more delicious than it looks. What is this? It's incredibly tasty! The soup itself is well-made, and the flavor of the mountain vegetables surprisingly complements it perfectly. It's a taste I've never experienced before. The salt ramen (750 yen) is also delicious. It might be even better without the sesame oil, which I like but prefer not to have in a simple salt ramen. I think the other menu items at this restaurant would also be delicious. I'm curious about the curry rice as well. I'm sure I'll visit again just for this White Gold Mountain Vegetable Ramen. Thank you for the meal.

When I came here before, I had the oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl). I thought it was ramen! This time, I decided to keep it simple and ordered a tamagodon (egg rice bowl). There were two men in front of me, working on something. An older couple who seemed to have aged a bit were also there, but they still seemed lively. They get along so well, always chatting with each other. The tamagodon was just right - tasty and the portion size was appropriate. The miso soup, pickles, and tea were a simple but satisfying menu. After me, three people - two men and an older woman - came in. Even those who don't stay at hotels or ryokans still come to the hot springs. This restaurant is essential.

I went around 3:00 pm and it wasn't crowded. The customer service was really good. The taste was homely and had a homemade feel to it.

The tatami room in the back was very helpful for families with children. The atmosphere was very cozy and welcoming.

In many ways, there are few options for dining around Shirakawa Onsen, as most visitors are staying for the hot springs or just visiting for the day. This restaurant is a rare find in the area.

I was exhausted after climbing Mt. Tokachi and couldn't find a place to eat, so I was recommended to visit this place. When I asked the owner for recommendations, he bluntly said "ramen" only. So, I ordered the Shiragane Ramen (mountain vegetable ramen). It was a ramen with mushrooms and mountain vegetables in a thick sauce. It warmed me up after soaking in the hot spring. When I mentioned this to the owner, he became kind, which was impressive. The landlady was also lovely. I would love to visit this place again when I have a rematch with Mt. Tokachi. Highly recommended. Thank you for the meal.

On the third day of Golden Week, we headed to Biei to see the Blue Pond and Shirahige Waterfall. Starting from Sapporo, we entered Asahikawa and took Route 237 to Biei City. Then, we continued on Route 966 towards Shirogane Onsen. Just like yesterday in Jozankei, we encountered traffic again. Initially, we faced some congestion while entering Biei City from Route 237, but we managed to smoothly transition onto Route 966. However, after a few minutes of driving, we hit a major traffic jam. Despite the traffic, we finally arrived at the Blue Pond, but I'll save my thoughts on the Blue Pond for later. Let's talk about food first. We were starving, and even though Shirahige Waterfall was just ahead, we decided to grab lunch in the Shirogane Onsen area first. After some deliberation, we settled on dining at the Lin-Do Shokudo restaurant, a place with a prominent red curtain. It was already past lunchtime when we arrived around 13:40, but the restaurant was still packed with customers. I opted for the Katsudon (pork cutlet rice bowl) for 800 yen including tax, while my wife chose the Curry Rice for 650 yen including tax. The dishes arrived in about 10 minutes. My wife was pleasantly surprised by the curry, noting its homemade taste and authentic flavors. As for my Katsudon, it was a hearty meal with a thick pork cutlet, topped with slightly firm scrambled eggs and green peas. The retro presentation and flavor of both dishes made for a satisfying and enjoyable lunch experience.

This is a guesthouse where you can relax with an overnight stay and two meals. The hot spring bath with flowing natural spring water is said to be very soothing. It's perfect for those looking for a cozy little getaway. I took a half-day drive through the mountains and stopped here for lunch as it was already noon. There is a restaurant in the hotel as well, but this place, loved by locals including construction workers, is worth a visit. Many people here enjoy ramen, but this time I tried a rice bowl dish. The taste was just right, with a nice balance of sweetness and saltiness that was comforting. While you may not expect a special culinary experience during your travels, the feeling of peace and comfort is just right here. The atmosphere is also very nice. The landlady has a wonderful personality. While nearby upscale traditional Japanese inns also focus on hospitality, I believe it's worth revisiting this dining room just to meet the landlady. It may sound a bit exaggerated, but the conversations between the staff and the customers about welcoming guests next summer were warm and friendly. I recommend this place to those who want to spend a homely moment, and even if you don't stay overnight, you can still enjoy lunch here. Give it a try if you're interested! ★

"Lin-do Shokudo" in Biei, just the two of us. It's been a while since we came here. Last year we were able to go mountain climbing, but coming for mountain climbing feels like visiting individual mountains rather than the town. To top it off, we stayed at an inn at the trailhead, and last night we drank in Kitami and tonight we're celebrating my wife's birthday in Asahikawa, so she wanted to stop by Biei. She was looking forward to the contrast between the Blue Pond and the autumn leaves, but was a bit disappointed. Feeling disheartened, my wife's spirits lifted a bit at Shirahige Waterfall. I found a shop and went in. It seems to also serve as a dining hall, with the husband cleaning outside. He didn't even crack a smile and just said, "Welcome." Scary!! Did she think I was using the dining hall? The wife in the dining hall said "Welcome" to me as I headed towards the shop, and my disappointment was palpable. But there's no way she could have known that. I didn't show an ounce of disappointment from my voice. It seems they also run an inn here. They sell Biei potato chips, should I buy some? Back in the car, my wife said, "It's not on Tabelog!" "No way, it's too much trouble to register." There are places where they're happy not to be on there and places where they're not happy. But... there it was. Let's have some beer with our snacks. It looks healthy without any greasiness. But even after eating, it doesn't feel that way. Taste is what matters to me, at least. It's not my thing if it's healthy. Even after eating, that feeling doesn't go away. The taste is good though. It doesn't have that burnt taste I dislike, and if it had a bit more greasiness, it would be to my liking.

Char siu ramen soy sauce flavor