Kushiage Taro

The specialty kinki is highly regarded both steamed in sake and simmered, boasting such a level of perfection that repeat customers are often torn between the two. The menu features carefully prepared dishes using Hokkaido’s seasonal ingredients, such as Akkeshi oysters, Saikyo-style grilled hakkaku, the signature dish “kani koura age” that concentrates the savory crab flavor, and tuna sashimi. Hokkaido specialties like zangi (Hokkaido-style fried chicken) and kushikatsu (skewered deep-fried items) are reliably delicious, and the wide-ranging menu is well suited as accompaniments to drinks.

Although the exterior standing in the back alley of 3-jo 6-chome might not suggest it, the interior is surprisingly spacious, with 9 counter seats, a first-floor sunken kotatsu area, and six private rooms on the second floor, totaling 75 seats. It accommodates everything from solo drinks at the counter while watching the display case of seasonal fish to large group banquets. The calm, entirely non-smoking space and the friendly service of the staff create a very comfortable atmosphere.

Founded on February 10, 1976, in a corner of Asahikawa’s entertainment district, Sanroku-gai, it has long been supported for its unique style: while advertising kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), it is renowned for the quality of its seafood dishes. Its listing in the Michelin Guide brought nationwide attention. For about 50 years since its founding, it has supported Asahikawa’s food culture as a long-established restaurant, continuing to be loved widely by local regulars, business travelers, and tourists.

Mr. Aida, a chef from Hokkaido, manages the kitchen. The restaurant was founded in 1976 by his father, Susumu Aida, and he joined the kitchen as a chef at 18, honing his skills mainly in seafood and Japanese cuisine. While preserving classic flavors, he continually explores new dishes, and now, together with his father and brother, the three of them create the restaurant’s taste. Valuing a friendly, homelike atmosphere, they are passing on a half-century tradition in Asahikawa to the next generation.