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An overnight in Kushiro, from spakatsu to a friend's favourite tables

The first challenge in Kushiro was making room for the next meal. After breakfast at Haneda and a generous plate of spakatsu, Haruru walked beside the snowy river before meeting a friend for an evening of food and conversation.

A personal overnight food trip shared in February 2025.

Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu

Haruru started at Haneda with udon and a small tendon, rice topped with tempura. She knew there was plenty of eating ahead, but found herself choosing the set meal anyway. A little over an hour in the air brought her to Kushiro.

Lunch was at Izumiya, whose name appears above the food models in her photographs. She had come for spakatsu, the pasta-and-cutlet dish named in her account. The regular portion was hot and much larger than she had expected. By the end, finishing it had become more of an effort than a chance to appreciate every bite.

Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph
Breakfast at Haneda, then a hot plate of spakatsu — Haruru’s photograph

Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River

With drinks and dinner still to come, she walked along the bank of the Kushiro River to work up an appetite. Her photographs show snow beside the water, a line of lamps and clouds opening around the evening light.

The forecast had suggested clouds, so seeing the sunset felt like a happy surprise. The warm light changed as the sun dropped behind the far bank. Even after that walk, she was still waiting for her appetite to return.

Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph
Walking off lunch beside the Kushiro River — Haruru’s photograph

Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley

She happened upon an event with illuminated snow huts and a skating rink. The photographs preserve lights among the trees and a warm glow inside a snow hut. It made a lovely pause between a substantial lunch and the evening's next plans.

Another set of photographs shows the entrance to Kushiro Akachochin Yokocho and its narrow passage beneath red and white lanterns. The street scenes are part of the evening's memories; dinner was still ahead with the friend who would guide her around.

Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph
Snow, small lights and a lantern-lined alley — Haruru’s photograph

Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend

A friend who had moved to Hokkaido took her to a favourite restaurant. The wooden sign in Haruru's photograph reads ちくぜん, Chikuzen. Her table soon held a chef's selection of seven kinds of sashimi, Hanasaki crab and shirako with ponzu, which her photo calls tarapon.

She especially liked the smooth texture of the shirako and the gentle ponzu. Other photographs name salmon mefun, ika-goro ruibe and grilled scallop skewers. The mefun's salty taste went well with sake, while the scallops were simple and delicious. Uni was her favourite of the evening; she wrote that she wanted to keep it in her mouth.

There were burdock chips too, and a blue drink mixed with soda. The food gave her plenty to enjoy over sake and conversation. She was already thinking about returning to Kushiro before the journey was over.

Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph
Seafood at Chikuzen, recommended by a friend — Haruru’s photograph

Homemade quiche, an apple dessert and an extra hour of karaoke

The second stop was a cafe her friend regularly visited. Haruru names it 柿の木坂カフェ in her photo. Its retro atmosphere felt like stepping back in time, and the welcoming owner made the first meeting feel easy.

The homemade quiche had zucchini that day. An apple dessert followed, and Haruru's account mentions more handmade dishes than she remembered to photograph. Afterwards came karaoke. The hour they had planned became two, and she returned to the hotel for a natural hot-spring bath before bed.

Homemade quiche, an apple dessert and an extra hour of karaoke — Haruru’s photograph
Homemade quiche, an apple dessert and an extra hour of karaoke — Haruru’s photograph
Homemade quiche, an apple dessert and an extra hour of karaoke — Haruru’s photograph
Homemade quiche, an apple dessert and an extra hour of karaoke — Haruru’s photograph

A generous breakfast and one last pork bowl

The next morning's hotel buffet brought another full table. Her photographs show a bowl topped with seafood, several small dishes and dessert. She enjoyed it, but was so full afterwards that she gave up on a morning bath.

She walked to look for souvenirs, and a photograph of the Uomasa counter is marked with sanmanma and a note about a souvenir. Still too full for a regular lunch, she chose a terrine set before taking a bus to the airport.

There was a little time before leaving, and she decided she still wanted a Hokkaido pork bowl. The final photograph shows the bowl that closed her Kushiro journey. She finished the account with thanks to the friend who had planned so much of their time together, and a wish to come back.

A generous breakfast and one last pork bowl — Haruru’s photograph
A generous breakfast and one last pork bowl — Haruru’s photograph
A generous breakfast and one last pork bowl — Haruru’s photograph
A generous breakfast and one last pork bowl — Haruru’s photograph

Sources for this account

Haruru's personal Kushiro accounts shared in February 2025, edited and shared with her permission.