During my first visit in October 2021, it seems that the "Michi-no-Eki Jukai Road Hidaka" rest stop, which was always bustling, has seen a drastic decrease in passing cars due to the new highway. In the summer, if you're not in a hurry, it might be nice to take a break in Hidaka after driving through the Jukai Road from Yubari before tackling the Nissho Pass, but be aware that the road has steep gradients and winding paths, so you need to stay focused. I definitely wouldn't want to drive through here in the winter. I used to drive here a lot during New Year's in the past. I think this place used to be an A-Coop, but now it seems to be just a store selling local vegetables. They have "Boribori Sansho-zuke," a type of mountain vegetable pickled in a large jar. There was "boribori," "udo," "nametake," and "ochiba," if I remember correctly. This is one of my favorite foods, perfect as a side dish with rice. "Perilla seeds" are another item I bought. I lightly wash them and pickle them in salt. They are great for mixing in with pickles. It's been a while since I visited Hidaka, and it seems quite lonely now.

I made a stop on my way back from Obihiro. I parked my car in front of the shop at 2pm, went inside, and headed straight to the register. Oh! Oh~! The lady who usually works here is not here. Well, I'm here for the croquettes anyway, so I'm not disappointed. Oh!! There's only one meat croquette left. I bought the last meat croquette and headed back to my car. Since it's just one, I took my time and savored it (laughs). Well, there will be another Obihiro job next week or the week after, so I'm looking forward to that. Oh! Don't get me wrong...

I came to get a stamp at Michi-no-Eki Jukai Road Hidaka. There are various shops here including a hair salon, pharmacy, sushi restaurant, and café. One of them, "Sarukuru," sells local products, souvenirs, groceries, goods, and alcohol. They also offer hot snacks on Saturdays and Sundays, and cake sets on Sundays. I bought vegetables here - komatsuna, spinach, and my favorite purple sweet potatoes called Shadow Queen. Everything was fresh and reasonably priced. When I got home, I enjoyed them all. I would like to try the cake set if I have the chance. Thank you, "Sarukuru."

I drove to the Obihiro site early in the morning. At 9 am, I took a toilet break and snack time at this roadside station. I parked my car in front of the store, took a look inside, and headed straight to the counter where they had hot snacks like croquettes. I bought a "pumpkin croquette" for the return journey and headed back to the car. It was delicious! I've decided to stop by on the way back too (laughs). I finished checking the Obihiro site in 3 minutes, declined a lunch invitation, and immediately made a U-turn. At 1 pm, I parked my car in front of the store, went inside, and headed straight to the counter. Oh! There was a different lady standing right in front of me v(ﾟДﾟ)v. Was she here earlier? I didn't notice (;^ω^). I bought a "pumpkin croquette," "vegetable croquette," "meat croquette," and a "curry bun." When the different lady asked, "Shall I wrap them individually?" I replied, "It's okay to wrap them together." Then, the different lady wrote the names of the croquettes in the order they were in the bag. How thoughtful! How kind! I'm thrilled. I met two older sisters who are also members of the food review app. We'll definitely stop by next week when we're in Obihiro again (laughs).

I wonder if I should have some soft serve ice cream? I stopped by a roadside station for a toilet break and saw another shop at the back... I wondered if it was registered as a roadside station? I looked around and found vegetables from Hidaka, seafood from Monbetsu Maehama, and canned cheesecake that seemed to be made here. I was also interested in the Kinoko Sansho-zuke (pickled mushrooms), but I didn't take any photos because of the registration issue. There were hot snacks at the register, so I bought a light lunch to go. - Vegetable-packed croquette for 100 yen (excluding tax) Crispy! It's not packed with vegetables as the name suggests, but the sweet potatoes are smooth and sweet, so you don't need sauce. The croquette with beef has more onions than meat, with a slightly salty taste and a hint of meat smell. The vegetable croquette was tastier! They disinfect their hands with alcohol every time they put the croquettes in a paper bag. They used color-coded tape to distinguish the types of croquettes. It was in the afternoon and many items were sold out, but I wanted to try the Yamabe Mabushi onigiri...

After eating soba at the Michinoeki in Hidaka Town, I will buy dinner to take home ☆ Yamae Tempura Rice Ball for 351 yen. They also sell souvenirs and vegetables in the shop, which has a clean and spacious eat-in area. There is also a hot snack corner which somehow reminds me of Hidaka's Yamae. When you think of Hidaka, you think of Yamae. The luxurious rice ball with a one-year-old Yamae in it is delicious with its sweet sauce and rich flavor. It has a crunchy texture from the bones sometimes, so you can get your calcium intake. The girls working there are energetic and the bright atmosphere inside the store. Thank you for the meal.

Hidaka Town in Hokkaido is a town that was created through the merger of the coastal town of Monbetsu and the mountainous area of Hidaka Town. The main industries in the mountainous Hidaka district are agriculture and forestry. In the past, it served as a key point for the food and accommodation industry as it was located midway between Sapporo, Tomakomai, Furano, and Obihiro areas. However, with the opening of the Doto Expressway, its function has significantly declined, and the traffic on the main artery, Nissho Pass, has drastically decreased, with mainly large trucks operating now. Around the roadside station in Hidaka Town, there are still several restaurants operating, and it seems to attract customers on weekends and holidays in the summer. The roadside station includes a shop selling souvenirs as well as a shop selling vegetables produced by local farmers, which is "Sarukuru". Particularly recommended are the various fresh vegetables that make use of the temperature difference. The prices are reasonable, making it suitable for both personal use and souvenirs. Near the checkout, there were also items like "okowa" being sold, which I didn't try this time but definitely want to try in the future.