[Hanamaru Head Office in Nemuro] One of 3 Major Conveyor Belt Sushi Chain Stores in Hokkaido

Hanamaru

Kaitenzushi Nemuro Hanamaru (回転寿司 根室花まる) is a popular conveyor belt sushi chain store (回転寿司チェーン店) founded in 1982, and the head office is in Nemuro city. The Hanamaru is one of the 3 major conveyor belt sushi chain restraunts together with Toriton (トリトン) and Nagoyakatei (なごやか亭) in Hokkaido, and is well-known for serving reasonable fresh sushi. Hanamaru corp. (株式会社 はなまる) runs it, and Mr. Tetsushi Shimizu (清水 鉄志) is a company president, and sometimes appears on TV programs. A lot of branches open a business in Sapporo, Nakashibetsu, Hakodate, Marunouchi and Ginza at present.

My visited place is the Nemuro Head Office along National Route 44, and it is near Hakuryo Junior High School (柏陵中学校). The appearance looks like just a typical Japanese restaurant chain. The building is large, and the interior decoration has an atmosphere such as a typical conveyor belt sushi chain store. Counter seats and table seats are provided, so I guess that even family customers enjoy meals.

By the way, Express Aurora-go (オーロラ号), an express bus, runs between Sapporo and the Nemuro, and Limited Express Nemuro-go (特急ねむろ号), an express bus, runs between the Kushiro and the Nemuro. Unfortunately, the express bus does not run between New Chitose Airport and the Nemuro. Besides, Rent-a-car can be rented around Nemuro Station.

List of Means of Transportation

Highway buses run between the Nemuro and the Sapporo or the Kushiro. Refer to following the means of the transportation in the Hakodate. As for car rental comparison websites, you can compare vehicle rental prices on Tabi-Plaza Rental Car Reservation (旅ぷらざレンタカー予約), Jalan Rental Car (じゃらんレンタカー) and Rakutem Travel Rental Car (楽天トラベルレンタカー).

Hokuto Kotsu(北都交通)	From Sapporo to Nemuro	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Hokuto Kotsu(北都交通)	From Nemuro to Sapporo	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Kushiro Kotsu(くしろ交通)	From Kushiro to Nemuro	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Kushiro Kotsu(くしろ交通)	From Nemuro to Kushiro	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyota Rental Lease(トヨタレンタリース)	Their office is in Nishihama-cho.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nico Nico Rent-a-car(ニコニコレンタカー)	Their office is in Nishihama-cho.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Choinori Rent-a-car(ちょいのりレンタカー)	Their office is near the Nemuro Station.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

NEMURO

Nemuro (根室) that about 26,000 people live in is the 26th largest fishery city in Hokkaido, and one of regional hub cities of the East Hokkaido area, and is the easternmost port town in Japan. The Nemuro has 4 ports, Nemuro Port (根室港), Hanasaki Port (花咲港), Ochiishi Fishing Port (落石漁港) and Habomai Fishing Port (歯舞漁港), and it is famous for catching Hanasaki Crab (花咲ガニ) and Saury, and a catch of the saury is the largest in the Japan. As for a climate, the Nemuro faces the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pcific Ocean, so a wind blows hard. Average annual temperature is 6 degrees, and it is chilly in a summer, and it does not snow hard in a winter. Various things such as Cape Nosappu (納沙布岬) is the easternmost in the Japan, so visitors know the joy of the easternmost things in the Japan. It is a good point to see the earliest sunrise in the Japan, too. In addition, It is said that the Nemuro is famous for coming the last Cherry Blossom Front, and is one of latest cherry blossoming places in the Japan. Read More

Sushi of Hokkaido

Sushi is a rice dish using various types of ingredients such as raw seafood, and Hand-rolled Sushi (握り寿司) is most famous, and others are Rolled Sushi (巻きずし), Sushi Pocket (いなり寿司 * Inarizushi), Scattered Sushi (バラ寿司・ちらし寿司), Pressed Sushi (押し寿司), Izushi Fermented Sushi (飯寿し) and so on. In Japan, Fermented Sushi (なれずし) has been eaten since Nara Period, and old Japanese made sushi as a fermented food. In Edo Period, the Hand-rolled Sushi was born, and was popular with Edo people in Edo Castle Town. It was not a dish but a snack in those days. Since Meiji peropd, sushi using sashimi has become widespread in the Japan, and a bite-sized vinegared rice has become common. So the sushi refers to the Hand-rolled Sushi in a large number of cases. Read More

Conveyor Belt Sushi

Although I could eat Hanamaru's sushi in the Sapporo, I would eat their sushi at the birthplace, so I visted here around 11:00 on a weekday. 3 groups of customers came to the restraunt at this early hour. They looked local people and tourists. I guessed that the tourists wanted to eat the Hamaru's sushi at the head office, too.

I sat at a counter seat, and read a menu. Since I was already there, I wanted to eat sushi items caught in the Nemuro, so I ordered a dish of Sea Peach Caught around Nemuro (根室産赤ほや), a dish of Raw Octopus Caught around Ochiishi (落石産活きだこ) and a dish of Raw Gosogarei Flatfish (Caught around Nemuro) Served with Kelp (根室産ごそがれいの昆布〆). I was interested in Raw Scallop Caught in Notsuke (野付産の生ホタテ), King Crab Roe (たらば蟹外子), Abdomen of Crab (かにのふんどし) and Raw Squid with Grating Horseradish (真いか山わさび), and ordered those. The prices were the Sea Peach (JPY 320), the King Crab Roe (JPY 320), the Raw Octopus (JPY 230), the Gosogarei Flatfish Served with Kelp (JPY 230), Raw Scallop (JPY 420), the Abdomen of Crab (JPY 270) and the Raw Squid with Grating Horseradish (JPY 230).

After a short while, the Sea Peach Caught in the Nemuro was served. The appearance was very unordinary. Red sushi item reminded me of salomn, but its shape was not the salmon. I ate it immediately. The taste was just sea squirt, and was a little bitter. I guessed that it went well with sake. Then the King Crab Roe and Raw Scallop were served. Black roe was cool, and I got hooked on the pop texture. As for the Raw Scallop, it was very large! That was chewy, and was tasty.

After eating the King Crab Roe and Raw Scallop, the Raw Gosogarei Flatfish Served with Kelp and Raw Octopus were served. Both the sushi items were very chewy. I thought that those were very fresh. Last I ate the Abdomen of Crab and the Raw Squid with Grating Horseradish. Those were tasy, too. The horseradish irritated my nose very much. The Hanamru is famous for large sushi items, and I think so, too. It is just a confidential of the popularity. Thanks for the tasty sushi!

Conveyor Belt Sushi and Atmosphere of Restaurant Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Conveyor Belt Sushi

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Nemuro. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Nemuro Grand Hotel(根室グランドホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Nemuro Kaiyotei(ホテル ねむろ海陽亭)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryokan Nibiki(旅館 二美喜)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Shogetsu Ryokan(照月旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Oyado Ekuhashi(お宿 エクハシ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Guest House TOMAYA(ゲストハウス TOMAYA)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Sanyokan(ビジネスホテル 三洋館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Restaurant Hotel Lupinus(レストラン ホテル ルピナス)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
East Habor Hotel(イーストハーバーホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nemuro Green Hotel(根室グリーンホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel New Nemuro(ホテルニューねむろ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Matsuya Ryokan(まつや旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryokan Nanae(旅館 七重)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ekimae Ryokan Ebisuya(駅前民宿 えびすや)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Yonto-no-Ie(民宿 四島の家)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minsyuku Takano(民宿 たかの)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Tokiwa(民宿 ときわ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Field Inn Furo-so(フィールドイン風露荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Restraunt and Cottage Lake Sunset(レストラン＆コテージ レイクサンセット)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Furen(民宿 風蓮)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kajika-no-Yado(カジカの宿)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Yasumibanya Shiokaze(休み番屋しおかぜ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Iwasaki(民宿岩さき)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kurumaishi Hanasakitei(車石花咲亭)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Ippuku(民宿一福)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Indian Summer Company Rider House(インディアンサマーカンパニー)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Rider House Suzuki(ライダーハウス鈴木)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Misaki-no-Eki Rider House(岬の駅)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Chikutaku Campsite(築拓キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten