April 2023

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Shokunin.com has been doing free shipping nationwide from a single item ever since its inception in 2004, with the exception of a few months in 2012.

Why do we, such an online store, also focus on showrooms? The biggest reason is that we love buildings. We want to savor the wonderful spaces created by our predecessors every day and share their charm with our customers.

For this reason, we keep the number of exhibits and fixtures to a minimum so that the beauty of the architecture can be conveyed to the maximum extent possible. We hope you will take a look at our representative products in a spacious and relaxing environment.

Please stop by our showroom when you are in the neighborhood. The photo shows our Otaru Showroom.

Showroom Information
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/
Social activities of Shokunin.com (Why our headquarters is in a Japanese house)
https://www.shokunin.com/jp/etc/shakai.html (Japanese)

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[Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden]

The Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden is a botanical garden commemorating the achievements of Dr. Tomitaro Makino, a botanist born in Kochi. Tomitaro Makino is known as the "father of Japanese plant taxonomy" and has recently attracted attention as the model for NHK's TV series "Ranman," which began airing in April of this year.

Makino, who grew up surrounded by the rich nature of Kochi, developed an interest in plants at an early age and taught himself the knowledge of plants. He was allowed to join the Department of Botany in the Faculty of Science at the University of Tokyo, where he devoted himself to the study of plant taxonomy, naming more than 1,500 plant species, collecting 400,000 specimens, and publishing "Makino's Japan Botanical Atlas," a collection of meticulously drawn "Makino style" botanical drawings, among other achievements. He was so passionate about plants that he called himself "the spirit of plants and trees."

Located on Mt. Godaisan in Kochi City, the Makino Botanical Garden covers an area of approximately 8 hectares, where visitors can come into contact with more than 3,000 varieties of wild plants. The buildings are designed to blend in with the natural surroundings, and the plants have been reproduced in their actual natural habitat, giving visitors the feeling of walking in the mountains. The memorial hall where you can learn about the plants planted by Makino himself and his life, the greenhouse where you can feel as if you are in the tropics, and the observatory that takes advantage of the undulating topography, there are many things to see and do, no matter how many times you visit.

Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden
https://www.makino.or.jp/

References
https://www.makino.or.jp/multilingual/?lang=en
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%89%A7%E9%87%8E%E5%AF%8C%E5%A4%AA%E9%83%8E

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[Otaru's Ankake Yakisoba]

Did you know that ankake yakisoba is secretly a specialty of Otaru City?

In fact, in Otaru City, ankake yakisoba is served at various places such as Chinese restaurants, cafeterias, coffee shops, ski resorts, and so on. If you have ever visited Otaru as a tourist, you may have wondered why ankake yakisoba is everywhere.

At first glance, it may seem like an un-Hokkaido specialty, but it has its roots in a Chinese restaurant called "Baigetsu," which was established in 1957. The dish became popular among housewives on their way home from shopping, and it has since become a popular gourmet dish among Otaru residents. Since then, through participation in the B-1 Grand Prix, an event to promote inexpensive and delicious local gourmet food loved by locals, and joint development with convenience stores, it is now becoming famous as Otaru's local gourmet.

Otaru's ankake yakisoba has become a new specialty, but its flavor varies from store to store. Not only the seasoning of the ingredients and bean paste, but also the way the noodles are cooked and arranged, etc., really vary, so please try to find your favorite ankake yakisoba.

I was born and raised in Otaru, and I recommend "Chinese Restaurant Keien" in the Otaru Miyako-dori Shopping Street, a popular Chinese restaurant that has been loved by locals for over 50 years. Miso ramen, handmade gyoza (dumplings), and fried rice are delicious, but the signature dish is fried noodles with starchy sauce. Pork and shrimp are mixed with a generous amount of red bean paste, and the fried noodles are grilled to a savory aroma. It is a classic dish, but one that makes you want to eat it over and over again. The uniquely fragrant Chinese soup served together is also a delight. Since Keien is located within walking distance from Otaru Station, why not go eat there while strolling through the arcade?

Chinese Restaurant Keien
https://goo.gl/maps/BaTa4vqPpJWE1JwE9
Otaru Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/otaru.html

Reference
https://travel.spot-app.jp/otaru_annkake/