One day in March, I went on a business trip to Okhotsk for two days and one night.
It took about five hours by highway bus from Sapporo.
I slept for about four and a half hours, and when I woke up, I was in Kitami City.
I rented a car and drove around Abashiri and Kitami to attend a meeting.
On the way, we were impressed by the white surface of Lake Abashiri, which was frozen even though it was the end of March, and the clear blue sky of the northern region.
However, due to our overcrowded schedule, we did not take any pictures and soon moved on to Kitami.
As lunch was approaching and my stomach was growling, I went to a noodle shop recommended by my boss.
TUMUGU Labo（Tsumura Noodle Factory）
We visited TUMUGU Labo, a noodle shop under the direct management of Tsumura Noodle Factory. we entered the restaurant a little after midnight, and the seats were already almost full, but we were able to sit down just in time.
I got the “Tsumugu Set (1) Hiyamugi,” the first item on the menu.
Although the weather has warmed up, it is still a town in Okhotsk.
Spring in Kitami is still a ways off. Although the sun warms the body slightly, two digits of temperature are still rare.
However, since it was recommended, we eat a set of cold noodles!
The price is ¥1,100- (may have been ¥1,000)
Five pieces of chicken tempura, grated radish and ginger on a bed of shiso leaves. There were also several condiments, such as green onions and wasabi, which were sometimes popped into the mouth together.
The noodles were flavorful and firm. In addition, there were two homemade inari and one small bowl (the one in the photo is carrots and chicken dumplings with sesame paste?) These two small bowls filled me up.
Tsumura Seimenjo’s noodles we ate this time were fresh noodles (hiyamugi) developed with an emphasis on using wheat produced in Hokkaido, especially in Okhotsk.
The area is a factory zone and there are no convenience stores nearby, so TUMUGU Labo must be filling the stomachs of local workers on a daily basis.
By the time we left the restaurant, there were about three groups of customers waiting for a table, so if you are interested, it would be better to visit a little later in the day.
Tsumura Noodle Factory produces a type of noodle called “Rider Noodle,” which is a must-have for riders who come to Hokkaido in the summer to enjoy as an accompaniment to camping. (But I missed out on buying it this time.)
Tsumura Noodle Factory Online Shop (Rider Noodles)
On my way home, I stopped by the food section of Kitami Parabo, a commercial facility in front of Kitami Station, to inspect the noodle section.
About one-third of the noodle section was occupied by noodles made by Tsumura, which again made us feel that the noodles are loved by the local people.
TUMUGU Labo（Tsumura Noodle Factory）
26-26 Toyoji, Kitami-shi, Hokkaido, 099-1587 Japan
It was quite crowded at lunch time. There are several parking spaces in front of the restaurant. If the parking lot is full, there is a visitor parking lot on the side of the noodle factory to the left of the restaurant, where there is a sign saying that parking is OK. (Please note that parking in front of the shutters for loading and unloading is not allowed.)
