[Shofukuya in Otaru] Panjyu That Succeeded to Traditional Taste

Shofukuya

Shofukuya (正福屋) is a popular panjyu store in Inaho, Otaru city, and is near Otaru Station and Otaru Canal. Mr. Shoichi Sato is a shop owner. They succeeded to recipes of "Tanaka-no-Panjyu (田中のぱんじゅう)", a famous panjyu store, in the Otaru and "18ban (十八番)", a famous panjyu store, in Sapporo, and opened a business in the Sapporo in 2007, and moved to the Otaru in 2014. The panjyu is a muffin as if to combine Japanese muffin containing bean jam (今川焼き) with an octopus dumpling (たこ焼き). Bean jam or custard cream and so on are at baked wheat flour dough. In Hokkaido as well as Ise in Mie prefecture and Ashikaga in Tochigi prefecture, the panju is well-known as a famous sweets, and panju stores open a business in the Otaru, the Sapporo and Yubari.

Except the panju, they Serve Mini Japanese Sponge Cakes (ベビーカステラ), Soft Serve Ice Cream, Shaved Ice, Variety Goods and so on. The apperance of the building is lively, and the store is not large. Only a sales place is provided, so a place for custmers to enjoy foods and drinks is not provided at the building. By the way, a photography is prohibited inside.

Otaru Canal

Otaru Canal (小樽運河) is a canal in the center of Otaru city, and is located in the east part of the Otaru Station, and the distance between the Otaru Canal and the station is about 700 m. It takes about 10 minutes through Chuo Street (中央通り) on foot. It is well-known as one of most famous tourist attractions in the Otaru, and is an established spot that almost all 8 million tourists that visit the otaru go to see. At Ironai area once called Northern Wall Street (北のウォール街) beside the canal, historical buildings of the Bank of Japan (日本銀行), Former Nippon Yusen (旧日本郵船), Former Mitsubishi Bank (旧三菱銀行), Former Yasuda Bank (旧安田銀行) and Former Hokkaido Takushoku Bank (旧北海道拓殖銀行) make poeple feel a splendid atmosphere of Meiji period. The stone canal goes well with the Ironai area, and the tourists feel Taisho Roman (大正浪漫). Admission free. There are toll parking lots around here. Read More

Sakaimachidori Shopping Street and Marchen Crossroads

Sakaimachidori Shopping Street (堺町通り) and Marchen Crossroads (メルヘン交差点) are tourist attractions between Otaru Station (小樽駅) and Minami-Otaru Station (南小樽駅), and is located in the east part of the Otaru Station, and the distance between the Sakaimachidori Shopping Street and the station is about 900 m. It takes about 15 minutes through Chuo Street (中央通り) on foot. The street with atomosphere of Taisho Period and Medieval Europe is one of most popular tourist attractions in the Otaru along with Otaru Canal, and is an established spot that almost all 8 million tourists that visit the otaru go to see. Otaru Sakaimachi Yukata Wind Chime (小樽堺町ゆかた風鈴まつり) is held between 2days in early August. Admission free. There are toll parking lots around here. Read More

A highway bus "Otaru-go (おたる号)" runs between the Otaru and the Sapporo. Unfortunately, the express bus does not run between New Chitose Airport and the Otaru. Besides, Rent-a-car can be rented around Otaru Station.

List of Means of Transportation

Highway buses run between the Otaru and the Sapporo. 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).

(Chuo Bus)中央バス	From Sapporo to Otaru	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
(Chuo Bus)中央バス	From Otaru to Sapporo	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Times Car Rental(タイムズカーレンタル)	Their office is near the Otaru Canal.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyota Rental Lease(トヨタレンタリース)	Their offices are near the Otaru Station.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Station Rent-a-car(駅レンタカー)	Their office is near the Otaru Station.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nico Nico Rent-a-car(ニコニコレンタカー)	Their office is near the Otaru Station.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

OTARU

Otaru (小樽) that 120,000 people live is the 9th largest port city in Hokkaido, and is located in the located in the northwestern part of Sapporo city. It takes about 30 minutes from the Sapporo to the Otaru by a train. The Otaru is one of most popular tourist cities in the Hokkaido, and about 8 million people visit here. It is also well-known as a city with a lot of slopes, and there are 30 slopes with its name, so the Otaru has a lot of slope lands, and has a lot of narrow roads. It is famous as a city with a lot of sushi restaurants, too, and more than 100 sushi restaurants open their businesses. Fresh seafood caught in the Sea of Japan facing the Otaru or caought in various places of the Hokkaido can be enjoyed. As for a climate, the Otaru has calm climate, it is cold in a summer, and it snow hard. The Otaru was called an inaccessible land in the old days because all transportation facilities paralyzed by a heavy snow. Read More

Panjyu

I visited here around 15:00 on a weekday. There was no customer. They serve 6 types of panjyu, Green Tea Bean Paste Flavor (抹茶味), Chocolate Flavor (チョコレート味), Custard Cream Flavor (クリーム味), Smooth Bean Paste Flavor (こしあん味), Mashed Bean Paste Flavor (つぶあん味) and Sesame and Walnuts Bean Paste Flavor (ごまくるみ味). The price was JPY 70 per one. Since I was here, might as well ordered all types of the panju. The price was JPY 420 in total.

Because the place for custmers to enjoy foods and drinks was not provided, I decided to eat my panjyu on a street. The height of the panju was about 3 cm and, its size was about 3-4 cm in diameter. Its shape resembled the octopus dumpling, and crispy outside and chewy inside. Inside ingredients were very sweet, so it was hard to eat all the panju at a time, but I savored their traditional taste. Thanks for the tasty panju!

List of Accommodations

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

Ginrinso(銀鱗荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Former Okagawa Pharmacy(（旧）岡川薬局)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Uomatsu Ryokan(魚松旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Sonia Otaru(ホテルソニア小樽)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Unga-no-Yado Otaru Furukawa(運河の宿 小樽 ふる川)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Nord Otaru(ホテルノルド小樽)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Dormy Inn Premium Otaru(ドーミーインPREMIUM小樽)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Authent Hotel Otaru(オーセントホテル小樽)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Inaho(ホテル稲穂)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tabino Sanpoyado Otaru Ekimae Guest House Ito(小樽駅前ゲストハウスIto)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
THE GREEN OTARU(ザ グリーン オタル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Oyado Sakurai(御宿 櫻井)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Etchuya Ryokan(越中屋旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
The Otarunai Backpacker's Hostel Morinoki(おたるないバックパッカーズホステル杜の樹)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
DORMITORY L(ドミトリー L)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otarukitaunga Kamomeya(おたる北運河かもめや)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Life House IPPO(Life House IPPO)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Nupuri Hostel (Female Only)(小樽ヌプリホステル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Guest House(小樽ゲストハウス)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Villa Mount Tengu(小樽ヴィラマウンテング)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Tenguyama Honkan(小樽天狗山 本館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Tenguyama Sanrokukan(小樽天狗山 山麓館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
emina backpackers(えみな バックパッカーズ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Neu Schloss Otaru(ホテルノイシュロス小樽)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tabi-no-Ie Sha Tomaya(旅人の家 舎 とまや)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Nature Village(おたる自然の村)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Musashitei(ホテル武蔵亭)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Korakuen(宏楽園)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Asari Classe Hotel(小樽朝里 クラッセホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Ryotei Kuramure(小樽旅亭 蔵群)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Winkel Village(ウィンケルビレッジ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Pine House(パインハウス)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Pension Shadow Classe(ペンション・シャドウクラッセ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Pension Puti Hotel Roman(ペンション プチホテルろーまん)	Only Tel:+81-134-52-2118
Ryobo Hanaemi(旅房はなえみ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Otaru Boyo Schanze Automobile Campsite(小樽望洋シャンツェオートキャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Asarigawa Onsen Automobile Campsite(朝里川温泉オートキャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten