Kanjudo has been in business since the beginning of the Taisho era in Suttsu Town. Their signature product, Ebitaro, is like a side dish. You'll want to eat it with rice, but it's actually a snack. We visited Kanjudo and asked them about it. Kanjudo was originally a rice cracker shop that catered to fishermen, and has been a beloved shop among locals for a long time.

The signature product "Ebi Taro" (1 piece / 135 yen including tax) was created in 1962, so it is also a long-selling product. Apparently, the idea for it came from seeing fried shrimp being fried in the kitchen.

I see, that's why it looks like fried food. The crispy batter is deep-fried by hand one by one, and it contains white bean paste. It might be easier to understand if you think of it as a crispy batter and white bean paste version of an anko donut. Since it's bite-sized, you might end up eating too many!

By the way, as time passes, the batter becomes moister, and some people prefer it this way to when it's freshly fried. Another popular product at Kanjudo is the "Kitaguni no Kuma-san Monaka" (150 yen each, tax included).

The adorable design is reminiscent of a wooden carved bear. It almost seems a shame to eat it, but inside it is filled with smooth white bean paste and has a gentle flavor.

It's a very Hokkaido-esque product and would make a great souvenir. Furthermore, the "Sakuramochi" (cherry blossom rice cakes) that are sold for a limited time every year from February to April are also popular among locals.

This is a rare Kanto-style sakura mochi in Hokkaido, made by wrapping bean paste in dough made from dissolved wheat flour and baking each piece individually. It is usually sold for 570 yen including tax for a pack of 5, but when there are leftovers, a pack of 3 is also sold for 342 yen including tax. It is also sold at the nearby hot spring facility "Yubetsunoyu" only on weekends, and is said to be very popular with hot spring visitors.

The shop is located along National Route 229 and is marked by a yellow Ebitaro sign. If you are visiting Suttsu, be sure to stop by. You will be greeted by mysteriously charming sweets that will make you want to eat them again and again.

<Kanjudo> Location: 56-3 Shinei-cho, Suttsu-cho, Suttsu-gun, Hokkaido Phone: 0136-62-2113 Business hours: 9:00-19:00 Closed: Every Sunday, irregular holidays (Photo by Laufen Katsu)