Located in the area near the Higashi Ward Office, this small chocolate specialty store, Cocoa Lab Hokkaido, is only open on Fridays and Saturdays from 2-4 pm. They use organic cocoa beans sourced directly from overseas and carefully roast them to bring out the unique flavors of each bean in their handmade chocolates. I had the pleasure of visiting after a long time and chose my favorites - white chocolate and milk chocolate. The Hokkaido Natural White Chocolate had a light buttery milk flavor with a floral natural cocoa butter finish, leaving a refreshing aftertaste. The Hokkaido Milk Chocolate, made with organic cocoa and Hokkaido buttermilk, had a gentle sweetness and a clean finish. I'm curious about their natural cocoa too!

On a certain weekday, while browsing through Tabelog, I suddenly remembered that I had been bookmarking this particular shop for a long time and thought, "I can go today!" So I finally visited this chocolate shop in Higashi Ward, which is only open twice a week. It is a shop with a strong focus on chocolate, located in a small corner of a shopping street where you wouldn't notice it if it wasn't open. Inside, there are compact display shelves with information and samples of chocolates. Since I am not particularly knowledgeable about chocolates, I found it difficult to decide from the menu. Also, each product was quite expensive, which made it a bit of a dilemma. I ended up choosing a "White Chocolate (900 yen)" which was smaller in size compared to the chocolate bars sold in convenience stores, but when I took a bite, it melted smoothly in my mouth. It had a unique quality of melting instantly on the tongue and a slight oiliness that was not unpleasant, making it truly a high-quality product. I also bought a "Tarapoto 80 (1200 yen)" even though I originally planned to stick to a budget. This one also had a small size, and when I tasted it, I was surprised by its uniqueness. It had a slightly red hue, and unlike regular chocolate, it had a wine-like fermented taste with a hint of acidity and astringency. I wondered if it would be good to enjoy it with alcohol. Overall, if you are looking for some unique and gourmet chocolates, I recommend this shop that is only open twice a week. Thank you for the meal.

This is a very high-quality bean-to-bar chocolate. You can smell the fruity and nutty aromas after eating it.

Cacao nibs & dark chocolate, among others.

A chocolate shop on Fighters Street that is only open on Fridays and Saturdays. I happened to visit this time as my schedule allowed. The shop is very small, and the owner recommended some chocolates for me to try. I ended up buying a dark chocolate with organic cacao nibs for 1100 yen. I love chocolates with cacao nibs, and this one was around 70% cacao, with a great texture and a pure taste. Although the price was within my expectations, the chocolate was smaller than I thought. It wasn't suitable as a gift for my friend, but perfect as a treat for myself. This chocolate is not for those who don't appreciate its value! The chocolate is made using the "bean to bar" method, where the owner makes the chocolate from cacao beans alone. The price may seem high, but considering the quality and effort put into making it, it's worth it. I would definitely visit this shop again if I have the chance.

As a chocolate lover, I had been eyeing this shop for a while, but it was difficult to visit because it only operates on Fridays and Saturdays, from 2pm to 6pm. However, I finally had the chance to visit on a day off when I had some errands nearby. The shop, Kakao Lab Hokkaido, was located on Fighters Street Shopping Arcade, and most of the other shops were closed, probably due to it being a holiday. When I entered the shop, there was one customer already inside, making the small space feel quite cramped. The owner kindly explained the various products and even let me sample some chocolate made with rare cocoa. The samples were small, but the flavor of the cocoa was amazing and delicious. Although the prices were a bit high due to fair trade practices and the production process, I wanted to try more. I ended up purchasing a few varieties and was advised to store them in the refrigerator due to the lack of additives. I savored each piece slowly: Papua New Guinea had a smoky aroma with initial bitterness followed by a refreshing acidity, Grand Cru (Trinidad) had a nutty and bitter taste with a fruity scent of dried fruits, and Peru Tarapoto had a clean bitterness with a hint of acidity. All of them were quite delicious, and I felt like treating myself to more despite the higher prices. Thank you for the meal.

The shop has been featured in the media several times, but due to various circumstances, I haven't been able to visit until now. The store is small, with only enough space for two people. They offer about 10 types of chocolates ranging from 800 to 1,300 yen each. I wanted to buy them all, but considering the prices, I ended up purchasing four items for a total of 4,200 yen. Each chocolate has a subtle sweetness with clear hints of acidity, fruitiness, bitterness, and a pleasant cocoa flavor. The portions are slightly smaller than those at Saturdays, Capsule Monster, but overall, it's now one of my favorite chocolate shops. I wonder when I'll be able to enjoy them again.

I recently discovered a chocolate specialty store that only opens twice a week for 4 hours each time. A friend gave me a gift from this store, wrapped in simple packaging. The chocolate had a unique texture, like biting into a crispy milk chocolate bar. It had a rich buttery flavor at first, followed by a lingering hint of cocoa bitterness. It was a completely new taste experience for me! I'm curious to try other flavors as well. The store is located on Fighters Street in Higashi-ku, Kitaku 9-jo Higashi 7-chome. Open only on Fridays and Saturdays.

I had heard rumors about this shop for a while and finally got the chance to visit. It is only open on Fridays and Saturdays from 2 to 6 pm. The owner, who runs the shop alone, makes chocolate from cocoa beans in the factory behind the store during the weekdays and sells them on weekends. The owner is a wonderful person who let me taste different chocolates and talked to me about fair trade. The working conditions for cocoa bean farmers are not good, so a portion of the sales from these chocolates is donated to them. The chocolates are priced around 700 yen each, but considering the effort and fair trade aspect, it's worth it. The most surprising thing was the taste. These chocolates are made with a ratio of 7:3 cocoa beans to sugar, with no other ingredients added, and the taste varies depending on the origin of the beans. I also tried roasted cocoa beans, which had a delicious chocolate flavor with a nutty taste. They would go well with alcohol. Since I can't come here often, I bought all the varieties available today. - Dark Chocolate with Organic Cocoa Nibs - Milk Chocolate with Organic Hazelnuts - Dark Chocolate from Ghana - Dark Chocolate from Madagascar - Chocolate from Papua New Guinea - Chocolate from Colombia/Tumaco - Milk Chocolate from Ghana (Hokkaido Milk Chocolate) The Hokkaido Milk Chocolate is a bit sweet, like soft serve ice cream. Artisan chocolates like these are amazing, and I was surprised by how delicious cocoa beans can be.

Today, I came to the East Ward again to get some delicious lamb from "Shiohara Seikin-ten" and on my way back, I visited a place that I had been curious about nearby. This is a place where I definitely wouldn't have been able to come without looking at Tabelog (a restaurant review website). ★ Date and Time of Visit ★ July 26, 2014 (Saturday) / Evening ★ Purpose ★ Purchase for home use ★ Order Details ★ Hokkaido Milk Chocolate (500 yen) / Papua New Guinea (700 yen) ★ Order to Service Time ★ Immediately ★ Food Impressions ★ The owner let me try various samples, each with a different taste. Among them, I chose the ones I liked. The size was quite thin and small, so I was surprised by the price, but after hearing the owner's explanation, I understood that it was a precious gem that they were very particular about. I have only tried the milk chocolate so far, but it was completely different from the usual chocolate bars you can buy in stores. The texture, sweetness, and bitterness were all new flavors for me. I couldn't stop once I opened the package and ended up finishing one piece in no time. ★ Recommended Points!! ★ Since the shop is small, it might be best to visit alone. The shop is really tiny and surprising. The owner, who kindly and patiently explained things to a complete novice like me, was very friendly. I would like to stop by again when I am in the area. Temperature control is important, so it is safer to bring a cooler box in the summer. I was planning to get lamb and chocolate on this day, so I brought a cooler box with me (^_^)v

Sapporo. Higashi-ku, Kita 9-jo Higashi 7-chome. It's on a street called Fighters Street, even though it's actually a diagonal street. The shop is located on the 1st floor of a public housing building on the left. It doesn't have much decoration and the sign is small, so it looks like any other store from the outside. I read about this place in a newspaper article and made a note of it, but it's only open on Fridays and Saturdays. And it's only open from 2pm to 6pm, so it's quite a challenge to visit. After six months, I finally made it there on my bike. If you're driving, there's no parking nearby, so you'll have to use a nearby coin parking lot. Look for the small sign and the standing sign as landmarks. Even if you drive by regularly, you probably wouldn't notice it. After 2pm, when you open the sliding door and step inside, the products are right in front of your eyes, and on the left is the stylish shop owner (chocolatier) with white hair and glasses welcoming you. The shop is so small that if three customers enter, it becomes crowded. The reason for its small size is that the back wall is the factory. I took a photo inside the shop with my iPhone, trying hard to capture everything. The shop owner introduced me to the chocolate and offered a taste. The chocolate, made with no additives, is roasted and refined according to the origin of the cocoa beans to enhance the flavor and aroma. The taste and aroma vary depending on the beans, and it's a skill that amateurs like me can't replicate. I couldn't help but be amazed. There's a story behind each product that you can't find in mass-produced chocolates. Of course, it contains no additives (emulsifiers or fats), only organic sugar and cocoa butter. When you put it in your mouth, the aroma is amazing. You can directly taste the flavor of the cocoa. It's fun to see how the taste varies depending on the origin of the beans, and it's like a mini trip in your imagination. I ended up buying a few chocolates for over 2000 yen. Expensive? Well, there's fair trade involved and the concept of manufacture. Considering the time and effort put into making them, it's reasonable. I brought them to my favorite Italian restaurant and shared them with the staff and customers. According to the staff, the taste and aroma of the cocoa spread in your mouth! That's exactly right. It was a great accompaniment to red wine. Since the production volume is low, they don't sell them anywhere else except in the shop, so they make a perfect rare souvenir. But it's sensitive to heat, so there's another hurdle. If you can't go to buy it yourself, ask a friend in Hokkaido to buy it for you, or use a cool delivery service from a convenience store, but that's also a challenge. It's worth trying something different from the chocolate you usually eat. The short opening hours are due to the long time spent on production, as I learned. Ah, so it's not easy to make chocolate, as I was told. I heard it was featured on NHK's "Tameshite Gatten" recently. The researchers are doing a great job.

This is the world's smallest chocolate factory where handmade chocolates are made from organic fair trade cocoa beans. I found out about it in the newspaper and decided to visit right away. The shop is very small, so you might easily miss it as you walk by. It's recommended to check the appearance on the website beforehand! The interior of the shop is so small that it can feel cramped with just three people. Since the chocolates are made without any additives, they are prone to melting easily, and there is no heating inside the shop (sad face). Well, it's not a place to linger anyway. They sell tablet chocolates and chocolate jam. The chocolates vary depending on the origin and each has a unique taste. They are advertised as simple chocolates that enhance the natural aroma and taste of cocoa without adding cocoa butter. I purchased chocolate from Ecuador this time (40g for 600 yen). It has a crispy texture and melts smoothly in your mouth. The cocoa flavor gently spreads and makes you feel happy. The shop's opening hours seem to be irregular, so it's better to confirm by email or phone before visiting.

It is a rare shop that is only open on Fridays and Saturdays from 14:00 to 18:00. I don't usually eat sweet things, but after seeing information about this shop on MyRebi, I finally got a chance to visit. The shop is always closed with shutters, so I had passed by many times without noticing where the shop was. There is a small signboard on the road that helped me find the location. The interior of the shop is small and can only fit 2-3 people at a time. There was one customer already inside, and the space was so cramped that I hesitated to enter. The shop offers 6 types of chocolate bars and bite-sized chocolates. The owner greeted me and asked if it was my first time there. When I said yes, they offered me a sample and explained each type in detail. I found that I preferred chocolate with a fruity flavor, so I ended up buying two bars priced at 1200 yen each. The first one was "San Birano (Madagascar)" with a fruity and nutty aroma. The taste started with a mild cocoa flavor and then expanded into a fruity taste with a hint of spiciness in the aftertaste. The second one was "Gran Couva (Trinidad)" with a nutty and dried fruit aroma. It had a mix of fruitiness and bitterness that developed in the mouth, leaving a bitter finish. The chocolates are free from additives and should be stored in the refrigerator due to their sensitivity to temperature changes. They would pair well with bourbon or champagne, adding to the enjoyment of home drinking. The owner makes the chocolates from scratch and sells them only on Fridays and Saturdays after preparing them from Monday to Thursday. The chocolates have a deep and unique flavor that reflects the owner's dedication to their craft.

I received a souvenir from Hokkaido. It seems to be becoming a famous shop known to those in the know. - Milk Chocolate Ingredients: Organic cocoa, organic cocoa butter, organic sugar, Hokkaido whole milk Milky. It's on a different level from any milk chocolate I've had before. - Dark Chocolate Ingredients: Cocoa, fair trade sugar Variety: Sambirano (Madagascar) "It has a fruity and nutty aroma. Initially, there is a gentle cocoa flavor. Then the fruity taste spreads." It's not sticky. It feels smooth and slightly rough. This is what it means to not have any additives. When you put it in your mouth, a red wine-like acidity and flavor spread smoothly. There are lines on the bar, but it was quite difficult to break it along the lines with just my fingers.