Blowfish included !? The Authentic Japanese cuisine !

Itamae Kunibe

A long-established store in the pleasure quarter of Sanroku, in Asahikawa. Well-known to connoisseur, the store is run by a two-generation family.
The dignified taste of their traditional Japanese cuisine is popular.

There is a wide variety of single dishes but if you are on a budget, the "7 dishes for 3,000 yen” course is recommended.
Liquor and drinks are not included in the course so be careful if you're on budget.

Our reporter went to this restaurant during spring, few months ago. This course is the one served during spring 2020 and will be used as an example.

▼ First of all, the appetizers assortment and sashimi
This is perfect to drink alcohol with. But this is Kota's, an somewhat heavy drinker, point of view.

▼ The cooked vegetable assortment
A boiled young taboo shoot (Wakatake). As mentioned earlier, it was spring at this time. This is why spring seasonal vegetables and sashimi are served.
The food is full of seasonality. This is Japanese food.

▼ The grilled fish dish.
The fish was delicious, but the vegetables served were excellent too. The eggplant was fried and seasonned yolk vinegar. Truly delicious.

▼ Meat dish
A Wagyu steak for two.
The meat was generous. If you eat this alone, you will have your stomach full in no time.

▼ The Fried dish

▼ Lastly, the rice-based dish to finish the meal.
At that time, a plum rice porridge was served. This is our reporter’s favourite, on days he’s out to drink with friends or coworkers, he often stops by on his way home just to eat this rice porridge.

This was a brief introduction Itamae Kokubu but we guarantee its high quality.

As mentioned above, drinks are not included. It depends drink, but if you drink 2 or 3 glasses, the course meal and the drinks’ total price will be around 5,000 yen (~48$)

This might get a little pricey but there are various courses such as the 7-dishes course and an all-you-can-drink course.

Name: Itamae Kokubu
Address: Hokkaidō, Asahikawa-shi, 4-jōdori 6-chōme migi 1-gō
Phone: 0166-25-7800
Business hours: 17: 00-0: 00
Regular holiday: Sunday and December 31st to January 4th
Parking: None

Tamagawa

This is a restaurant well-known by many foodies, this is where you should go if you want to get a taste of Asahikawa's fugu.
You can enjoy various seafood dishes like blowfish, crab, and local dishes throughout the seasons.

If you look at the menu, the prices have no limit: a lot of seafood courses cost more than 10,000 yen (~97$) per person.
However, there is also a reasonable course that costs 5,000 yen (tax included) including the all-you-can-drink.
A luxurious course where you can also enjoy Tessa (blowfish sashimi).

The name is "Omakase Cooking Special Course". The following is an example of cooking.

▼ First of all, the appetizer

The paper mat is specially made for Tamagawa.
This luxurious atmosphere makes our reporter kinda nervous.

▼ The Tessa (the blowfish/fugu sashimi)

This is a good amount of tessa considering the price. The skin is also still attached to the meat.
Blowfish isn’t something you eat to fill-up your stomach with. Our writer likes the skin, so this was more than enough for him.
The plate is, as expected, beautiful presented.

▼ Below, the course meal continues with the seasonal simmered dishes (nimono), the seasonal grilled dishes, and the seasonal fried dishes.

▼ A Hairy crab marinated in vinegar

Just shell out the crab and eat!
Our writer was already very satisfied with his blowfish and, the cherry on the top, a hairy crab comes out!

Don’t tell me that after all of this the final rice dish is still served ?

▼ Miso Taimeshi (Seasoned Rice Cooked with Red Sea Bream)

Tamagawa’s taimeshi is always delicious.
Our reporter’s stomach was already full but he can’t stop eating.
This time is the end of the course meal, our writer is more than satisfied.

▼ Bonus information
The hot sake with grilled fish fins is fantastic, especially during winter.

The aroma of the roasted blowfish fin is irresistible. This hot fin liquor is Kota’s favourite.
It's Tamagawa, the fins used are excellent.

However, this is optional.
If you add 330 yen to the course fee, you can enjoy the all-you-can-drink beer and the hot fin sake.

Name: Tamagawa
Address: Asahikawa-shi 3 Jodori 5-chome
Phone: 0166-22-0865
Business hours: 11:30 - 14:00 / 17:00 - 23:00
Regular holiday: Irregular holiday
Parking: None

Saiki Wakou

Looking like a bar, Wakou opened in 2018. The experienced owner is wielding his skills every day.

The affordable and recommended course is at 5,000 yen (tax included) per person. Originally at 6,000 yen, the course is discounted for a limited-time.

But let’s see the dishes.

▼ Appetizer

An elegant and fancy plate.
The cube-shaped cheese on the right is the owner’s pride. It's a popular dish at the restaurant. Seasonal ingredients such as asparagus are mixed together with the cheese, which is delicious.
A masterpiece that goes well with alcohol drinks.

▼ The sashimi
The seasonal sashimi looked like this on the day our writer went. The arrangement is wonderful.

▼ Flame-boiled dishes
Eggplant Miso Dengaku and roasted chicken were served on the day.
This is more voluminous than our writer expected, and he is gradually getting full as he drinks alcohol altogether.

▼ The fried dish
This is fried tofu. Every dish arrangement look wonderful. This is the Japanese expertise.

▼ The rice-based dish
Sushi were served. Thanks God, this will not make our reporter’s stomach explode.

▼ The dessert
Usually, in Japanese restaurants, desserts are raindrop cakes or some other water-based sweets.
But this restaurant served a French sweet. Happy of his dessert, our writer’s mood greatly changed and felt like drinking a little more.

Since it's a new shop, we will talk about the inside of the restaurant.
It has a cool atmosphere going well with the exterior. In addition to the counter seats where you can relax, table seats are also partitioned, making you feel at home.

Name: Ayaki Wako
Address: 6-chome, 4 Jodori, Asahikawa
Phone: 0166-73-5662
Business hours: 17:00 - 0:00
Regular holiday: Sunday
Parking: None

Relaxing is important too!

A lively izakaya is fine, but sometimes a calm restaurant where you can enjoy high-quality food is also good.
From now on, the ingredients will gradually taste better and better. Winter is the season for fish-based food so be sure to not miss it!