In Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido, there is a famous brand of beef called Shiraoi beef. I visited a sweets shop that resembled sweet potatoes, where I had a Shiraoi beef shabu-shabu lunch at the restaurant in the back. The meal was served in an individual pot, allowing me to enjoy it at my own pace. The lean meat was a bit dry, but the marbled pieces were quite delicious with a rich flavor. For dessert, I had a sweet potato dish with finely sliced kelp that added depth to the flavor. The soy sauce coating on the surface was reminiscent of grilled corn or rice cakes. I fell for the shop's strategy and bought some as souvenirs from the store. I purchased a box of 10 pieces instead of the simpler packaging, which cost around 1150 yen. The store offers a variety of products, and I also bought an "Anpote to Chocola" from another shop later, which was a rich and gooey chocolate-flavored cake that I absolutely loved! I will definitely buy it again if I see it!

On August 2018, we went on a day trip to the power spot of Setana with four women in one car, driving from morning till evening. On our way back, we were looking for a place to have dinner but the roadside stations were already closed. Finally, we ended up at a place where we wanted to buy "wakasaimo" as a souvenir, but the restaurant was also closed. We decided to do some shopping instead, as the restaurant was a bit pricey. The reason for our trip to Setana was to visit the fields of the unique farmer who produces the vegetables we regularly purchase. Delicious vegetables are better than meat. We also bought some tasty cream puffs for 130 yen each. The driver was not tired, so we decided to have our meal in Jozankei Onsen town.

The Rusutsu pork loin cutlet set meal was delicious‼️ It was really tasty.

Just a minute's drive from Rusutsu Resort! While the guys were out having a blast, us girls relaxed here. The place has a cake shop and a restaurant, but since the restaurant had no desserts, we bought some cakes and enjoyed them at a resting area. It's not exactly an eat-in place, but you can buy drinks in bottles and they serve the cakes and jellies on plates, so I think some customers eat at the resting area. The goldfish bowl jelly was cool and delicious, a lovely summer treat. Thank you for the meal!

Reviewer chibira was checking out the sweet potato snack from Wakasaimo, in azuki sesame flavor. I thought my wife would definitely like it, so I decided to buy it. Even though it's Wakasaimo, the combination of white bean paste and azuki bean paste is super delicious! The crunchy texture of the sesame goes well with the azuki. My wife was also very pleased, saying, "I don't need regular sweet potatoes anymore." Unfortunately, it's only available for a limited time.

During a small trip in Date, on the way back passing through Toyako and Nakayama Pass, I planned to eat rum raisin in Toyako but somehow missed the shop and ended up in Kimobetsu town. I had to give up on the sausage and bacon from that shop and just continue my journey back home. However, in Rusutsu, I found "wakasaimo" and couldn't resist stopping by. It was a clean and nice-looking shop, although a bit old-fashioned up close. The shop was quite spacious, with a restaurant or cafe in the back. I felt like I had to buy the "wakasaimo" after seeing it. I found a "Shinkansen commemorative wakasaimo" and bought it instead of the regular one. When I tried it at home, it didn't seem to make me faster, as I had hoped. It felt like there was a hint of ginger in it, but I couldn't be sure. The relationship between ginger and the Shinkansen is still unclear, so maybe if I figure it out, a Nobel Prize might not be out of reach. But for now, I'm too busy with eating to focus on that. The "wakasaimo" seemed to have evolved, with less seaweed and smoother red bean paste. It's still very delicious though. I also had a bean daifuku, which was soft and overly sweet for my taste. Overall, I prefer smooth red bean paste over chunky ones.

I went on a drive to buy fresh vegetables and traveled from Date to Rusutsu. When I left the road station in Rusutsu, the beautiful yellow leaves of the larch trees caught my eye, so I decided to head a bit further north. My husband started to feel sleepy, and I was craving something sweet, so I thought of going into the cafe here. However, when I peeked inside, the lights were off and it was unclear whether they were open or not. Perhaps they were conserving electricity? Or maybe it was their break time? I lost interest in going in and instead bought some sweets to eat in the car. (The sweets section was well lit) As I was choosing, a staff member A came right next to me and started rearranging the products silently, following me wherever I went. I tried going to a different aisle, but they followed me there too. (laughs) They seemed so worried, but I'm not a child, I won't eat and hide before paying~ In this uneasy situation, I bought 5 pieces of sweet potato tempura for 567 yen, a jumbo cream puff for 119 yen, and a cake for 259 yen, totaling 945 yen. The staff B at the register seemed extremely drowsy. Well, maybe half asleep. (laughs) Hmm, with this kind of situation, the lights might stay off ahead too... The sweet potato tempura is not satisfying once you've had it freshly fried, but it's nostalgic and tasty. My husband already took a bite of the cream puff before I could take a picture. The cake, well, it's cheap. That's all from Rusutsu! (^_^)v

As I was driving, I spotted the stylish exterior of Wakasaimo Honpo Rusutsu store. I was drawn in by its charm and decided to go inside. I tried some samples like Jagacky, Wakasaimo, and Imoten, which were all delicious. However, after eating so many samples, I lost my appetite to buy anything. The Jagacky was crispy and savory, more like a potato cookie than a sweet treat. The Wakasaimo had a familiar taste that I'm sure most locals have tried before. Finally, I bought a white baked cheesecake, which I think cheese lovers would enjoy. Honestly, I found the cheesecake to be even tastier than the iconic Wakasaimo products. I also tried the Oni Densetsu beer from Noboribetsu, which was delightful with its fruity aroma and rich flavor. I wish it was a bit cheaper so I could buy more. Next to the product sales area, there is a cafe and restaurant that I would like to try next time. The autumn foliage on the premises was beautiful during my visit. Can't wait to buy more local beer next time!

I bought two souvenirs, "Wakasaimo" (100 pieces) and "Jagakki", but both were disappointing. Wakasaimo was a soy sauce-flavored steamed bun with a subtle taste. Jagakki is a cookie made with potatoes, but it lacked the flavor of potatoes. It was a failed souvenir purchase.

On the way to Rusutsu Resort, I made a detour to a hotel and bought a snack from here, the popular "Wakasaimo Honpo 4-piece set" (550 yen) which includes sweet potatoes, sweet red bean paste, sweet red bean paste with mochi, and delicious steamed buns. I also bought two pieces of "Sweet Potato Chocolate"! I originally planned to eat the 4-piece set at the hotel, but ended up taking it back home as a souvenir for my mother. However, I did eat the "Sweet Potato Chocolate"! It was surprisingly rich in chocolate flavor, even though the ingredients list shows that sweet potatoes and red beans are the main components. The smoothness and richness of the chocolate made it really delicious. I would definitely want to buy this again at another branch! Thank you, Rusutsu Store!

The delicious manju from Wakasaimo Honpo was placed on the table. It seems okay to eat one piece per person. Yes, let's take a photo. Let's also take a photo of it split in half to show the filling. And let's ask where it was purchased and write a review. Just like always. I'm not trying to fill up the word count (lol). The delicious manju from Wakasaimo Honpo lives up to its name. The moist red bean paste and light brown skin. The deliciousness of the red bean paste spreads in your mouth. Thank you for the meal. The red bean flavor lingered in my mouth for a long time.