Thank you for the meal!

During Golden Week in 2016, I visited Asami Shoten's mother in Matsumae. She was very happy to see me, but they only had small packets of Matsumae pickles. She mentioned that they would be exhibiting at Sapporo Mitsukoshi from May 25th, so I should buy them there. I usually visit in February and September, but this was the first time in May. I visited her on Saturday, May 28th, and she was there as usual. I told her I came to buy as promised, and she was delighted. I bought 300g of regular pickles and 100g of wasabi leaf pickles, and she generously gave me more than usual. My wife gave her a handmade purse as a gift, and she was very happy. It was a short visit, but talking to her made me very happy. The pickles were mostly squid, and at 401 yen for 100g, it's definitely a great deal. Compared to big brands like Takeda Shokuhin and Nunome, it's incomparable. Finally, I said goodbye, looking forward to seeing the lively mother in September. On April 30, my main purpose for visiting Matsumae this time was to visit the mother at Asami Shoten, located at the site of the former Matsumae clan residence. I used to buy from Ryono-ya, but now I think Asami Shoten is the best. Nowadays, Matsumae pickles come with various ingredients like roe, crab, and whelk. I don't like fish roe, so I look for the traditional pickles with just kombu and dried squid, but I can no longer find them even in Hakodate. About three years ago, I found Asami Shoten's traditional pickles at the Mitsukoshi event during the Sapporo Snow Festival. I heard that the mother and father run the shop, and they come to Mitsukoshi in February and September. I always make sure to buy from them. When I visited in February this year, the mother mentioned that she might not come anymore because sales were not good due to the high prices. It seems that people don't understand the value of authentic products. The natural flavor and quality of dried squid and kombu can be clearly tasted even with light seasoning. Their traditional pickles contain over twice the amount of dried squid compared to kombu. It is not expensive at all. When I visited the shop this time, the mother was the only one attending to customers. She was very happy to see me again and remembered me. She made coffee for me to taste while we chatted. Unfortunately, they only had small packets of the pickles, and no loose selling like usual. She mentioned that small packets sell well during the tourist season. She told me to buy at Mitsukoshi since she would be there from May 25th. I bought two for souvenirs and promised to buy the rest at Mitsukoshi. When I asked about dried squid, she said they didn't have any for sale but gave me some as a service. Matsumae dried squid is also very delicious. She said the deliciousness of Matsumae pickles comes from the quality of the ingredients in Matsumae. I gave some to a colleague from mainland Japan as a souvenir, and they were surprised by how delicious it was. I believe the quality ingredients from Matsumae and the careful work of the mother and father contribute to the taste. When I asked about the father, I heard he was making yakisoba at the square's food stall, so I stopped by on my way back. I had the yakisoba for lunch, and it was delicious. She said she would be the only one going to Mitsukoshi next time. It was a very enjoyable interaction and made for a memorable trip.

During the long weekend in March, I visited the Matsumae Clan Residence, which usually opens in early April. However, on March 26th, it was open to coincide with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen. Despite the slightly strong north wind making it cold, I decided to explore the replica of the Edo-period town of Matsumae at the "Matsumae Clan Residence." I paid the entrance fee of 360 yen for adults and wandered through the recreated townscape of Japan's northernmost castle town. The buildings, such as the magistrate's office, shipping agent, merchant houses, and inns, were quite realistically recreated with dolls and other items. As I walked along the route from the entrance, I turned left and found a shop called "Asami Shoten," a store specializing in Matsumae pickles. The shop owner, known as Asami-san, greeted me warmly and offered me coffee while we chatted. She explained that she and her husband originally moved to Matsumae due to a job transfer, but her husband fell in love with the town and they decided to settle there after retirement. The couple handcraft Matsumae pickles, which are available for purchase during the opening period of the clan residence and through online sales during the closure period. While waiting for my coffee, I sampled the Matsumae pickles in the refrigerated case. The "shirozukuri" was a Matsumae pickle made with white soy sauce, featuring thinly sliced, tender squid with luxurious salmon roe. The "hon-zukuri" was another Matsumae pickle made with a secret soy sauce-based marinade, resulting in tender squid with a different texture from the others. My wife and I agreed that we had to buy some. After enjoying my coffee and engaging in pleasant conversation, I promised to visit again the next time I come to Matsumae!

I had never bought the Matsue pickles from Asami Shoten before. Inside the shop, I saw a few people trying out samples. I also tried some. I could tell that it wasn't sticky and didn't have any additives. The lady at the shop also mentioned that there were no additives. However, she was honest in saying that they do use salt in the pickles. I understand, it's inevitable that the taste would be light. You can choose three small bags of your favorite Matsue pickles for souvenirs and they will pack them in a box for you (box costs 100 yen). It looks very nice. The ones with abalone cost twice as much as the regular pickles, but it's rare. (Although it looks like there are only about two pieces of abalone in it). The lady mentioned that abalone is expensive.