I wanted to pass through Lake Shikotsu on my car journey from Hakodate to Sapporo, but unfortunately it was still closed due to disaster risks. With no other options, I took the Niseko Michi no Eki route via Nakayama Pass. I made a pit stop at "Don Don Ichiba (Tsujichikusan Chokubaijo)" where they had a wide selection of meats including beef, pork, chicken, and deer, both fresh and frozen. They also stocked local specialties like "Rusutsu pork" and "Toyako Wagyu", as well as various imported products. The variety was impressive, and it's rare to find such a well-stocked retail store in Sapporo. They also sold seafood and local produce during the harvest season. Due to work constraints, I couldn't buy any meat, so I looked for something else. After browsing the store, I bought a "Menchi Katsu @ 300 yen" from the hot snack corner. The staff, who looked like a petite version of Hiroshi Abe, handed me the product. The Menchi Katsu was round like an egg and had a substantial weight to it. Although it wasn't freshly fried, it was still warm from the hot corner. I enjoyed it in the car. The crispy coating was perfect, and the meat filling had a firm yet tender texture. It seemed to be a blend of minced beef and pork, but even if it was, it was in small amounts. The cooking was just right, capturing the moment when the red meat disappeared smoothly. The subtle seasoning allowed the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine through. It was really delicious, despite initially thinking that 300 yen for one Menchi Katsu was expensive. I'm now curious about the other items in the hot snack corner and would like to visit again for a proper meat shopping trip. Thank you for the meal!

There is an abundance of meat options for buying groceries for camping.

You can buy pork at a cheap price at Don Don Market Tsuji Livestock Direct Sales Store! I visited this place after having pizza at the Michi-no-Eki. It is located right next to the Michi-no-Eki, so you can easily reach it without going out to the national road. I was told by the owner of a bar I visited the night before that he always stops by here to buy Rusutsu pork, which is grown on his farm in Makari. There is also a large processing plant next to the store where pork is sold at a low price, including Rusutsu pork. The store is not very big, but they offer various rare cuts of meat at affordable prices. They have a meat buffet corner where you can choose from over 20 different types of beef, pork, and chicken. It's self-service, so you can pack your desired amount, which is great for single people like me. I was originally thinking of buying the tender meat of Rusutsu pork, but this time I opted for the cheaper cuts (laughs). In any case, they have a wide variety of meats, so it's recommended to stop by when you're in Rusutsu. By the way, I bought some meat in small portions this time planning to cook and eat it over 3 days, but I ended up eating it all in one day due to it being so delicious. [Tabelog rating: 3.02, Tanuki rating (lunch): Overall 36 points, Atmosphere 5 points, Food 7 points, Menu variety 8 points, Value for money 9 points, Likelihood to revisit 7 points]

I had to go to Rusutsu for work and was looking for something delicious for my accompanying client. I found out online that there is a place called "Don Don Market" at a roadside station near Sapporo, which sells various deli items. This place is run by "Tsujichikusan" and they sell Rusutsu pork for BBQ, marinated meat, sauce, and fresh meat. As you enter, there is a fried deli corner on the left side before the cashier. I ordered ham and egg fry, two loin cutlets for two people, and added two fillet cutlets. The cashier seemed to have entered the wrong amount and crumpled the receipt and threw it away, saying "It's 1260 yen." I paid by splitting the bill in two, but the cashier remained expressionless. The three fillet cutlets (150 yen) were eaten on the way home and were delicious, with fresh and soft frying oil. The loin cutlets cost 380 yen, a bit on the expensive side, but they were lean and slightly seasoned, making them tasty. The ham and egg fry for 100 yen had a raw egg on top of the ham, giving it a half-boiled egg yolk and a nice touch to the fry. If it weren't for the unpleasant customer service, I might have enjoyed the food even more.

In front of the station in Rumoi, there is a butcher shop. I found out about it on Jalan and have visited it several times because I like their original flavored meat. The BBQ flavored meat includes a mix of Rumoi pork belly and loin, with a strong garlic taste similar to Genghis Khan. The meat is tender and has no strong taste. This is my favorite, while the other meats are just average. They also sell snacks like croquettes at the register. Today, I bought the ham and egg fry. The half-cooked egg is perfect! Thank you for the meal.

Recently, I had no business to go to the Rusutsu area, so I visited after a long time. Today, I bought quite a bit again. I always ask, "What's good today?" but the employees here are honest (laughs) They recommend the products they want to push! And there is no mistake in their recommendations. Of course, tonight is yakiniku (laughs) It was delicious! Among them, the Rusutsu pork is delicious! With beef, pork, and chicken, the total was around 3500 yen. An elderly couple? The two of us can't even eat half of it (^_^;) Next to the Michi-no-Eki 230 Rusutsu, there is now a butcher shop instead of a yakiniku restaurant. The raw beef and raw pork here are cheap and delicious. Especially the Rusutsu pork is the best! It's rude to compare, but when you eat the meat here, supermarket meat is... It's always the same, but my wife brings a full cooler box every time she goes. "It's definitely cheap and delicious, but how much are you going to buy? (laughs)" When you visit the Rusutsu area, please be sure to stop by. Note: Free service of frozen PET bottles for cooling.

I like pork. Whenever I go to Date, I buy golden pork at Ooya Meat. I always noticed a sign for "Rusutsu Pork Direct Sales" on Route 230, so this time I decided to stop by. It is located next to the roadside station 230 Rusutsu. There is a factory-like building, and further inside, there is a proper shop. It is quite spacious inside, with various cuts of meat lined up, which is enjoyable. They also sell special sauces and other items, and I regret not buying more. I will definitely stop by here every time I pass by. I bought pork shoulder at 168 yen per 100 grams, so it's not expensive. Since I often eat Rusutsu pork at various restaurants, I knew it would be delicious, so I cooked it when I got home. I made pork ginger stir-fry, and the meat was tender with a good amount of fat, and I was glad I bought the shoulder. Next time, I will bring a cooler box and buy more variety! You can also try Rusutsu pork skewers and other dishes at the roadside station Rusutsu 230, so it might be worth a visit.

It's more like a supermarket than a traditional market, selling everything. They do sell locally produced pork from Rusutsu, but it doesn't feel like a great deal compared to what you can find in Sapporo. The parking lot is not as crowded as the one at the Rusutsu Road Station next door. It might be a good place to shop for a Sunday barbecue. It's relatively easy to find just before entering the town of Rusutsu, but you might miss it because your eyes are drawn to the Road Station.

Family gathering for a meal. It's been 3 months since we last visited Don Don Market... Last time was when we went to Toyako Taisetsu Campsite. This time, we are going to Niseko Sahina Campsite, so my wife didn't buy any meat because she plans to buy it here. We had Sagari (300g), Tongue (300g), Chicken Cartilage (200g), Pork Hormone (200g), Bone-in Sausage (3 pcs), Beef Steak (300g), followed by Yakitori and Ajillo. We are now full and the beer was so good. Thank you for the delicious meal! We will definitely come back next year when we go camping.

Family tried it together. It was my first time visiting and my wife forgot to buy hormone for the camp trip. I suggested going to the butcher shop nearby. We bought beef hormone, pork salted hormone, and bone-in sausages. The photo of the grilled meat didn't turn out well because I was a bit drunk. But it was delicious! My wife liked it too. We're planning to camp at Sahina soon, so we'll come back to buy more. Thank you for the meal!

In the town of Rankoshi, we had a delicious onigiri lunch at a tea house. After sourcing ingredients in Rusutsu, Niseko, and Rankoshi, we arrived at our cottage for the day. The wife made a perfect fire and we started the barbecue with meat purchased from the Don Don Market. The barbecue sauce was also purchased from the market and was made by Sorachi, and it was so delicious that we decided to buy it again. The meats we bought included premium beef tongue, Tōyako Wagyu kalbi, Rusutsu pork skirt, nodogashira (a part of pork tongue), and Rusutsu pork salt hormone. The meats were all delicious, with the Don Don Market meat having a taste comparable to a barbecue restaurant.

I forgot to post this series of photos from when I went to Rusutsu in March 2022. I bought various side dishes here (^-^)/ It's a direct sales store run by a butcher, so the store is packed with all kinds of "meat"! They also sell fried side dishes using that meat. The "seasoned minced cutlet" (300 yen) was super juicy and delicious! The "beef croquette" (100 yen) had sweet and savory stewed minced beef in a fluffy potato. It was also very delicious! The "fried potato boy" (100 yen) had fluffy potatoes with skin on, and it was delicious! The "zangi" (100 yen) was a moist zangi with a strong soy sauce flavor. It was delicious! I also bought salted hormone here in 2021, so I'll include a photo of that too. I will continue to use this place frequently in the future! Thank you, "Don Don Ichiba"♪