On March 1, 2019 (Fri) during my winter trip to Hokkaido, on the 3rd day, while exploring and shopping in Otaru, I stopped by "Rishiriya Minoya" at the request of my friend. The title "Look in the mirror after eating for seven days!" is the catchphrase of this shop. I was impressed by the variety of kelp displayed everywhere in the store! After trying out a couple of samples, I ended up buying souvenirs. I didn't expect to buy kelp here, but since kelp is commonly used for making dashi, I thought it would make a good souvenir. I chose the popular "Yudofu Kombu" product, which can be eaten directly after making dashi. It is a softer kelp that cooks faster than regular kelp. As recommended, I added it to yudofu with tofu and it was delicious. Practical souvenirs like this might be the most appreciated. Although I just stopped by, it's a shop I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal.

During my previous visit to Otaru, my daughter wanted to visit various souvenir shops and glassware stores, so I stopped at a store with a sign and bench outside. I didn't think much about the store at that time, I just rested there. This time, while walking through Otaru, I found the same sign in a different location and decided to check out the store. To my surprise, it was a kelp store! There are four branches with similar signs on this street, and some even say "Mom will also take care of you." This particular store is the main branch and offers interesting kelp products like "Kelp Tea" and "Aladdin's Secret (Grated Kelp)" for tasting. They have a variety of kelp displayed on the walls, including expensive Rishiri kelp, Man kelp, Rausu kelp, and Hidakakelp. I ended up buying several products after trying them out. At home, my family was amazed by the luxurious taste of Rishiri kelp dashi in oden, and ever since then, we have been using Rishiri kelp extensively. It's worth the price. In the summer in Hokkaido (Japan Sea side), you often see Ezo Bafun sea urchins attached to the surface of kelp, and some cheaper kelp even have sea urchin tooth marks on them. It must be delicious.

Emzou took me to a port town called Otaru. I was wondering where we were going, but our first stop in Otaru was not a seafood bowl restaurant, but a kelp store run by a father. Here, I got to enjoy various types of kelp. It was delicious. For souvenirs, I bought Rishiri kelp, kelp tea, and something else made with kelp. They were also delicious!

I received a souvenir from Hokkaido. I like vinegar seaweed, but I'm not a big fan of dishes like simmered seaweed or seaweed rolls. However, since I received it as a gift, I decided to try it. The thin seaweed was crispy and had a nice texture, and the seasoning made it easy to eat. Surprisingly, I found it quite delicious. My children especially liked it and were fighting over it while eating. It came in handy when they said they were hungry before dinner. Along with small fish, it became a snack that I actively wanted to give to my children.

While strolling along the Otaru Canal, I came across a peculiar sign that said "Dad, I'll take care of it!" Intrigued, I entered the shop, which turned out to be a kelp store. Inside, there were various interesting catchphrases like "Look in the mirror after eating for seven days." They sold a variety of kelp products. My family loves kelp, and we always have plenty of kelp tea in the kitchen as a seasoning. So, I asked if they had kelp tea, and they offered me a taste of kelp tea and miso soup with grated kelp. The kelp tea was in sheet form, not powder, and when I added it to hot water, the broth slowly seeped out. It was delicious, so I bought some for myself to enjoy with my work lunch. I definitely want to come back for more! Highly recommended as a souvenir!

Kombu-ya is true to its name, the kombu was very delicious. I went there wanting to try their kombu sukiyaki. I ordered the course meal with all-you-can-drink option for a worry-free drinking experience. We had sashimi, small dishes, and a few other items. The portion sizes were just right, especially with the sukiyaki coming up. I thought the sukiyaki would be mainly about the meat, but the kombu was equally important. You can also purchase the kombu to take home. It might be too thin for simmering, but it was perfect for sukiyaki. I would also like to try it in shabu-shabu. The tako kama was served as sashimi and had a chewy texture that was delicious. When we have a larger group, I would like to come back for the course meal. However, they might have a limited variety of drinks.

While walking along the tourist street in Otaru, I came across a sign that read, "Look in the mirror after eating for seven days" and "Dad is waiting." I wasn't sure what it meant, but it seemed interesting (laughs). I thought it looked a bit suspicious, maybe because I was a tourist... As I was about to pass by thinking it might be a souvenir shop, I saw the words "Rishiriya Minoya." Since I happened to stay overnight in Rishiri during this trip to Hokkaido, I thought it might be fate and decided to enter the shop. Despite being a bit wary due to the sign outside, the inside of the shop was quite normal (laughs). There were countless pieces of kelp used for making dashi. In addition, they had a wide variety of products such as natto kelp and tororo kelp. Just describing this makes it sound like a regular dried goods store, but the shop had very creatively named products. "Sprinkle that makes you look 150 years younger," "Aladdin's secret," "Oden Denden" - I wonder what kind of products these are, right? As I leisurely browsed around the shop, I eventually started a conversation with the shop's mother. It's quite common for souvenir shops to have these kinds of interactions, but the mother at "Rishiriya Minoya" was full of hospitality. When I mentioned that I had eaten Ezo Bafun Uni in Rishiri, she told me that the Uni was very expensive this year and some fishmongers had stopped handling it. She even guided me to the adjacent room connected to the building, showing me tools used for kelp fishing, making my travel memories even more vivid. After enjoying the conversation, I decided to buy some souvenirs. They had a lot of dried snacks that were perfect for drinking, as they wanted to promote "eating kelp." The shop mother kept offering me one tasting after another, and I felt like I was going to get full soon (laughs). Among them, I particularly liked the "Red and Black Blues with bones and seeds." It's an appetizer seasoned with slightly sweet soy sauce, containing kelp, black soybeans, shrimp, and walnuts. Perhaps the bones are calcium from the shrimp, and the seeds are from the black soybeans and walnuts. It's a clever naming that seems straightforward but is twisted. With this in front of me, I kept eating kelp, soybeans, kelp, shrimp, kelp, walnuts... and before I knew it, I had finished it in less than two days. This is what they mean by getting hooked on a taste, right? 110g was gone in no time. This is delicious! Now that I've finished eating, I'll write a review. When I looked at the website, I finally understood the breakdown of the sign that said "Dad is waiting." It meant, "Good news for dads who are dragged along on long shopping trips by their moms. Relax and have some kelp tea at our shop. Meanwhile, mom can enjoy shopping!" It seemed like the intention of the sign was finally clear. How could anyone understand that just from the sign! I felt like teasing a bit (laughs). This shop is full of service spirit, trying to make everyone enjoy themselves. Not just for dads and moms, but for everyone who visits, it's definitely a fun shop. I love these kinds of shops!

The main ingredient in Yudofu (tofu hot pot) is tofu, but when using the kombu from Misoya Rishiriya, the kombu quickly becomes the star of the dish. Unlike regular dashi kombu, this kombu has a slightly milder taste, making it a great partner for simmered dishes as well. The kombu from Misoya Rishiriya is perfect for simmering, as it is very tender and can be eaten along with the tofu. Not only for Yudofu, but this kombu also shines in hot pot dishes. When making Yudofu, dashi is often prepared using kombu. Once it boils, the kombu is removed immediately. While most dashi kombu is not meant to be eaten, the kombu from Misoya Rishiriya is edible. It retains the unique flavor of kombu and becomes creamy when simmered. When added to hot pot dishes, combining the five basic tastes with kombu creates a unique and delicious flavor. The mysterious kombu from Misoya Rishiriya enhances the taste of the dish effortlessly. Additionally, the tororo kombu from Misoya Rishiriya is also delicious.

I stopped by this shop in between my food tour in Otaru on February 11th. This is a shop that I always visit when I come to Otaru. It used to have only one store, but now it has expanded to three stores. The shop specializes in selling high-quality kelp, with catchy slogans like "Become Yang Guifei" and "Look in the mirror after eating for 7 days." When you enter the shop, they will somewhat forcefully offer you a taste of miso soup with "Kelp Tea Blower" and "Aladdin's Secret (Tororo Kelp)." The "Kelp Tea Blower" is delicious, and I always end up buying it. You just need to put a piece in a teacup and pour hot water over it to enjoy. I once bought it as a souvenir for my company, and it was so popular that it quickly disappeared. It's also great when sliced thinly and added to rice porridge. They also sell pre-sliced kelp, which I prefer for convenience. Mixing shredded salted kelp with cabbage and sesame oil makes a delicious salad. It's our favorite dish at home. This time, I also bought the most popular "Yudofu Kelp." I'm excited to try using it for dashi and eating it as is.

When I go to Otaru, I always make sure to stop by here. During the cold season, I drink kelp tea to warm up and take a break on my journey. The kelp tea here has a strong flavor and thickness, so I always buy it. In addition, there are many other kelp snacks available, but personally, I recommend the seasoned mekabu called "Mekabu no Chikara." The slightly acidic white powder is delicious. It goes well with alcohol or tea. You can enjoy shopping while waiting for your partner to shop, or just relax. When I visited Otaru for a family trip that also doubled as a wedding, my grandmother and I stopped by here. It was my grandmother's first time visiting Otaru, and we stopped by here as soon as we arrived. My grandmother loves kelp, so I thought she would be pleased, and indeed she was very satisfied after tasting the kelp tea and kelp snacks that we purchased. She was so happy that she said she could go home now. Even though my wedding hadn't taken place yet! My mother, grandmother, and I bought multiple bags of kelp snacks and my favorite "Mekabu no Chikara." The catchphrase is "Look in the mirror after eating for seven days," but we couldn't resist and the snacks didn't last for seven days. My grandmother liked the "Kombu Ame Soft," my mother liked the yuzu-flavored kelp snack, and I liked the simple kelp snack that is individually wrapped and twisted in the package.

I received this item recommended as well. At first, I was puzzled by the writing on the "Yudofu Konbu" that said, "Look in the mirror after eating for seven days!" It seemed too suspicious, but I still decided to put it in my hot tofu. And after looking in the mirror seven days later... of course, nothing dramatic happened. I was curious about what was supposed to happen, but I have been eating it in my hot tofu occasionally this winter, and I have not felt any effects yet. However, the thinly sliced konbu is said to be a carefully crafted delicacy, very tender and delicious.

When I went to Otaru, there was a shop I really wanted to visit. The staff kindly explained everything and even let us taste the products. The kelp tea was delicious. The shelves were filled with various types of kelp, and I was amazed at how different they were depending on the type and purpose. The name of the product, Blown Kelp Tea, sounded a bit suspicious, but the taste was amazing. Even though my husband doesn't like kelp tea, he enjoyed drinking it here. The children also enjoyed it, especially the crispy kelp. It seems like you can also buy it online, so I will order some when we run out of kelp.

I ended up buying a lot because of the sales pitch from the salesperson. They had a variety of original products made from Rishiri kelp, Hidaka kelp, and Rausu kelp. Kelp is good for the body, and all the products seemed delicious and useful. The product names and descriptions were interesting, making them great souvenirs. Of course, they are also recommended for your own health. Oh, are you still under the spell of the sales talk? Even if you are, it's all good if it's for your health, right?

A friend who loves kelp went inside a shop, so I followed. From the ceiling, kelp! As I was planning to buy some, I was recommended to try a sample. The magical kelp is in tea. When mixed, it becomes a sticky and thick kelp tea. Interesting! The plum kelp tea has square kelp in it. I also enjoyed this one. Familiar shops can have new discoveries when you look at them again. I bought some too, but my friend bought a lot and sent it. Kelp is definitely best in Hokkaido!

I watched it on YouTube and went to the store. They had a table set up in the back where they offered samples of miso soup with kelp tea and kelp powder. The kelp powder, called "Aladdin's Secret," thickened the miso soup with just a spoonful. They also had various snacks for sampling. The wasabi-flavored kelp was delicious, and my friend loved it when I gave it to them as a souvenir. I used to think kelp was a difficult ingredient to use, but I was surprised to learn that you can simply sprinkle it over rice or easily soften it. Now, I eat some form of kelp every day. Thank you for the meal.