I’ve been wondering for a long time
Iwamizawa city in the daytime. There aren’t many people in the shopping street that stretches from the station to Shijo-dori. You can even see a group of elderly people at the commercial facility “Deer”. Was it like this from old days? When I asked an acquaintance who was born and raised in Iwamizawa and still lives, he said, “Oh, there were many people around here in the past”. I looked up statistical data online, the population doesn’t change much from 40 years ago. Did the residents lose their vitality because they were old and could not go out or shut down the stores?
When I came to Iwamizawa, I didn’t know where anything was, so I walked around the city. The streets of Hokkaido are like a grid, so you won’t get lost. You can make various discoveries just by walking around. There are buildings and signs that stand out in every town. I had a interested shop here, too.
「街の小さな天ぷら家」(“Small tempura house in town”)
The restaurant is located in the back alley, in the drinking area, off the grid. Perhaps because the location is hard to find, there are signboards for restaurants in the shopping district. Business hours are only daytime. Menu is tempura and tempura only. I found it many years ago, but I have few chances to go. I went there only once, but it was a holiday.
The opportunity has finally arrived!
An unscheduled meeting suddenly entered from the morning on that day. The meeting last night ended at midnight.I slept twice and thrice this morning, but I could get up. Usually, my breakfast is Japanese food such as roe, but this morning I had curry. I managed to reach the venue by time. The meeting ended before noon. There is about an hour to the return train that I plan to board. Besides, it’s lunch now.
Oh, is this an opportunity?
When will you eat without eating now?
I have no choice but to go
I left my luggage at the conference hall and went outside. Walk towards the shopping district. Go along Shijo-dori and you will see a signboard. As soon as you turn right, it’s a restaurant area. There are many shops lined up. Curry shop, tavern. Actually, I was also interested in this curry shop. I wasn’t interested in the tavern. This kind of small restaurant has a lot to lose, but my intuition was that it was a hit. When I opened the door, I was surprised at the brighter and fuller restaurant than I expected.
There were about two seats available at the counter. The landlady asked me.
“Can I share a seat?”
When I answered, “I don’t mind,” she led me to the table where the female group guests sat. There are 3 types of menu instead of 2. “Ebi Tendon,” which was not written outside, was written inside the shop.
I ordered a tempura set meal. After a while, the landlady brought tea, pickles, and boiled beans with a taste like natto. The inside of the restaurant, which was full, calmed down a little, leaving one counter seat open. The landlady stops the new customers from trying to sit there. Mysteriously looking, the landlady brought guests from the restaurant next door to the seat. Yes, this store was connected to the curry shop next door, and the name was “next curry shop.”
Satisfied with my favorite tempura
The Chef in the kitchen carried tempura bowl on the counter. Soon after, the landlady brought my set meal. I like the crisp and detailed clothes. Okura, eryngii, pumpkin, eggplant, and two shrimp on a sardine. The arrangement also makes me feel like a craftsman. Tentsuyu is neither sweet nor spicy, and the moderate amount of salt is entwined with the oil and enhances the taste of the ingredients. I won’t say anything. delicious. That’s it. Pickles are also lighter than they look. I can’t stop eating.
The train time is approaching. I eat in a hurry. I stood up and saw the customer sitting at the counter. He was eating curry. I thought that the curry shop next door was also popular. I vowed to eat curry next time.
Several people entered the restaurant as soon as I left the shop. This restaurant is really popular. Even though there were few restaurants, it didn’t hurt my eyes that customers were coming all the time.
Looking for this restaurant in the eating log has a low rating of 3.15, but it is usually delicious. This is good. I vowed to eat Tendon next time.
I’m overly sworn in my heart.
Tempura-Ya
Iwamizawa-city, Hokkaido
https://tabelog.com/hokkaido/A0107/A010708/1038232/dtlmap/
I ate at more than 1,000 restaurants in 3 years!!
I am a Japanese middle-aged man living in Okinawa. I was an office worker until the corona shock. I went on a business trip all over Japan, and sometimes abroad. I visited more than a thousand restaurants in three years. (more info…)
