I used to occasionally buy octopus rice porridge at the Michi-no-Eki in Morimachi, and I really liked it. I always wondered what kind of store it was as I passed by. There were dried octopuses at the entrance, and inside the store, they sold various octopus delicacies. This time, I bought "Takokun" and "Octopus Rice Porridge." Both had a nice texture of octopus and were delicious. I will definitely buy octopus rice porridge again.

The shop is located about a 6-minute drive from the gelato shop "Pikata no Mori Ice Studio" in Morimachi, heading towards Oshamanbe. You can see it on the right side of National Route 5. I had passed by many times and was curious, so I decided to stop by. As soon as I entered, the smell of fish welcomed me. I was greeted by ladies who seemed like beach aunties, saying, "Try as many samples as you want!" Sure! I tried various smoked octopus products, including whole smoked octopus legs, shaved octopus legs, and parts like the "tonbi" (mouth) and head skin. There were different flavors to sample, which was nice to find out which one suited my taste. However, I couldn't find one that I really liked, so I ended up buying the shaved dried octopus and plain dried octopus. When I got home and opened them with some alcohol, the shaved dried octopus had more acidity and sweetness than I expected, which turned out to be a bit too much for me. I ended up eating it with some chili mayo to balance the flavors. On the other hand, the plain dried octopus was very delicious! It was seasoned with salt, but the natural flavor of the octopus stood out with each bite. It had a simple and tasty flavor that I really enjoyed. While I love smoked octopus, the "tonbi" from this shop didn't suit my taste. It's all about personal preference, so it's understandable. Different shops have different methods of smoking, so it's fun to explore and find your favorite smoked octopus. As a pit stop during a drive, I found this shop to be quite interesting.

I stopped by this shop that I had always been curious about. Today, there are no octopuses drying outside. Inside, there are various rare octopus delicacies. I tried several types of octopus delicacies, but I ate too much and couldn't taste the flavors anymore. So, I decided to buy the two types I tried first. When I asked for the bill, they gave me Takotonbi (dried octopus legs) as a service and asked, "Would you like to try this?" Takotonbi has a big bite and a rich flavor. Takokun has a bit of a chewy texture but is delicious. Takofugashi is sweetly seasoned and tender.

In May 2013, during the second half of Golden Week, while on my way to the next filming spot in the Rausu area after finishing train photography in Hakodate, I noticed a sign for a "octopus specialty store." Octopus is a favorite of my companion, so we were drawn to stop at this store. It was around 1:40 pm on a holiday. The store is located near JR Komagatake Station along Route 5. The building has a stall-like appearance with cute octopus drawings on the walls. There was a large parking space in front of the building. Under the entrance roof on the left side, there were plenty of dried octopus legs and heads, which got us excited. Additionally, there were quirky octopus figurines placed by the entrance, which caught our attention. The interior of the store was a bit dark, giving off a vibe of a seaside seafood shop in a remote area. Shelves, refrigerators, and freezers were filled with various octopus processed products like dried octopus, smoked octopus, boiled octopus, eggs, pickled octopus, and more. When we visited, we were the only customers, but as soon as we entered, a lady working in the back approached us and started chatting enthusiastically while offering us samples. After trying different products, I purchased "smoked octopus head 100g" and "smoked octopus legs 80g," each priced at 600 yen per bag. If you buy two bags, you get a small discount. My companion, who loves octopus, ended up buying various products and even got some dried octopus legs as a gift, which made them very happy. When I returned to Niigata, I tried the smoked octopus I bought. The head and legs were thinly sliced, making it easy to eat by hand. They were tender with a good chewy texture, and the umami flavor spread as you chewed. The smoky flavor was mild and enjoyable. However, personally, I found the seasoning to be a bit too sweet, especially in the legs. This store is quite interesting in terms of atmosphere, product variety, and customer service, making it a recommended stop for a drive.

A delicious restaurant worth stopping by every time. It may be intimidating if you're not familiar, but they have a variety of options and I recommend trying the dried squid.