When it comes to Matsumae pickles in Matsumae, Yokohama-so's are definitely delicious. Their pickles are additive-free, using locally sourced thin kelp from Matsumae Kojima, and they include carrots, ginger, giving it a more traditional pickle taste without the addition of fish roe. The flavor is so good that you could eat it endlessly, with a refreshing touch of ginger. It may be a bit difficult to enter as it is a ryokan, but there is a shop-like area near the entrance with products on display. Matsumae seaweed was priced at around 2700 yen, possibly cheaper than at the Michi-no-Eki, although the items may vary. The Matsumae pickles are brought out from the back, as they are frozen, making it easy to carry home with ice packs. It's important to eat them soon after thawing. A 155g pack costs 700 yen, and the Matsumae pickles available at the Michi-no-Eki are slightly cheaper here. This place was selected as a high-grade food product in the north in 2011. They also produce good quality items here.

In November 2014, I came to Matsumae and thought about buying Matsumae pickles. I remembered this place as the best one without shiokara. It's additive-free and I like that it doesn't have a sticky taste. I ended up buying it at a roadside station because Yokohama-so was too far. It was 630 yen there, but the owner's place should be about 50 yen cheaper. I missed the chance to meet the owner and get it cheaper. In March 2013, there was a banquet where Noriben was served. Yesterday, they had a 4000 yen course with a lot of food, and a bonus grilled tuna collar. If this place had hot springs, it would be even better, but just for the food, staying overnight might be nice. I wonder if they also prepare lunch. Today's Noriben didn't come with Matsumae pickles. In December 2012, my husband brought back Noriben from Yokohama-so where there was a banquet. The food here seems to be good, as they even provide containers for taking home leftovers. The owner seems confident. The dishes included cod, squid, and tuna. I wish I could have gone too. The next day's Noriben had two layers of seaweed. Even with just a little Matsumae pickles, I'm satisfied. In May 2012, I also like the Matsumae pickles here. I wanted to buy some to share with others. The owner came out. Oh, it's the sticker guy. He makes them. I'll take three small ones. Have you tried them before? Yes, they're delicious. I bought some at a roadside station before because they were not available here. The roadside station was 600 yen, but here it's 550 yen. I wonder if the products at the roadside station are a bit more expensive than other shops. The owner is also kind. Today, I bought from Asami Shokuhin, Yoneta, Yokohama-so, and everyone was kind. In October 2011, I heard on TV that the most popular Matsumae pickles in Matsumae were being sold here, so I went to buy some. It's a bit of a walk from the castle area. There's a sign on the inn's wall saying "Handmade Matsumae pickles highly praised by the novel 'Kasei no Umi ni te Asami Mitsuhiko'." So this is where it was set. When I opened the door, an old lady came out and said they didn't have enough to sell due to a large order. I guess it's really popular. But I couldn't give up, so I went to the roadside station. There it was. I tried the samples and tasted them. The taste of Yokohama-so was different from what I had before, so I chose it. It's 1200 yen in a box, 600 yen in a bag. The wrapping paper has a map of Matsumae and a seal with the owner's face and his commitment written on it. His commitment is that he uses hand-cut Matsumae dried squid, Matsumae Kojima kelp, carrots, ginger, and chili peppers, and he doesn't use any preservatives or food additives. The taste was different because of the ginger. The natural sweetness of kelp and carrots blends well with soy sauce. The good aftertaste is probably due to the lack of additives. There are many shops selling Matsumae pickles in Matsumae, but I tried four without additives. Ryuno-ya: They also have barrel packs and the packaging is the cutest. The taste is good too. Yoneta: A large shop with easy tasting and buying. They have a wide variety. The taste is average. Takigawa Sengyo-ten: They use rock seaweed. The homemade feeling from the old lady is nice. In terms of cost performance, they are the best among these. Yokohama-so: Refreshing taste from the ginger. I feel like they are preserving the taste by making it by hand. I'm a little worried that they might be too busy making Matsumae pickles than running the inn.

The food was delicious during the two-night stay, with different meals prepared for breakfast and dinner each day. The breakfast portion was large with many side dishes, making it feel like more rice would be needed, so it could be a bit smaller overall or one dish could be removed. The service seemed to equate to quantity. The futon had two thin mattresses, but my body was sore, so I added three or four more to sleep comfortably. The pillows were low and uncomfortable to sleep on. Considering the price and food quality, it may be acceptable.

This is a guesthouse located on the coast of Matsumae Town in southern Hokkaido. The entrance has the atmosphere of a typical respectable house from around 1965. Upon entering the double doors, you are greeted by the owner in a spacious concrete entrance. Since there is no front desk, the key is handed to you at the entrance, and after confirming the meal time, the check-in process is completed. With some time before dinner, I take a stroll around town before enjoying a bath. The bath, although not a hot spring, is a spacious cypress bath that can fit two people if one stretches their body. Now, it's time for dinner. I start with a draft beer for 400 yen and some seafood, followed by sashimi. The sashimi includes fresh squid and Matsumae tuna and flounder caught in Matsumae. The tuna has both fatty and lean parts, with a bit of sinew but still delicious. The squid is simple but tasty. The grilled dish features scallops marinated in soy sauce served in their shells. It is delicious. Then, the highlight – a lively abalone is placed on a ceramic plate for cooking on a hot plate. The owner lights the fire, adds sake and soy sauce, covers it briefly, and then uncovers it. The abalone is removed from the shell and served. It is tender and flavorful. Next, a special menu item of grilled tuna collar is brought out. It is a substantial tuna (about 60kg) and tastes great. The owner, who has lived in Egypt and Turkey during his salaryman days, has a unique face and strong personality that may be off-putting to some, but overall, he is a friendly host. After a soy soup with tofu skin and Matsumae's famous nori-dandan rice, I am full. The guesthouse is known for its Matsumae pickles, and the nori-dandan rice has a layer of Matsumae pickles in the middle. It is tasty but may overpower the nori flavor. I can't eat anymore. The owner reminds me to look forward to breakfast. The breakfast includes squid sashimi and grilled miso-marinated saffron cod, which are both delicious. The miso soup with natural enoki mushrooms is also tasty. The Matsumae pickles and other dishes are good, but there is significant overlap with the dinner menu. It seems the owner couldn't resist showing off his specialties again. The guesthouse's atmosphere and the owner's personality can greatly affect the overall experience, but the food is undeniably delicious. It's worth noting that the area still does not have flush toilets due to sewerage issues. Rooms do not have attached bath/toilet facilities.

I found Matsue Tsukemono from Yokohama-so at the Yuno-kawa Co-op's Dosanko Plaza. The Matsue Tsukemono here is of course additive-free, with wonderful ingredients including dried squid, thin kelp (from Matsue), soy sauce, sugar, mirin, carrots, ginger, salt, agar kelp, and chili peppers. You might feel a bit lonely without the addition of mushrooms, but the refreshing taste of ginger makes this pickle very delicious. Perhaps the best thing about living in Matsue is encountering such delicious Matsue Tsukemono. I hope you give it a try, it's a must-try dish.