This morning, we moved to Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, on a day trip from Itoshima. We visited historical buildings and sweets. First, we walked around the area around Karatsu Station, then went to a cake shop in Niji no Matsubara (pine forest). We headed to Niji no Matsubara Station to eat fluffy roll cakes and colorful shaved ice.
Walking around Karatsu town. Starting from in front of the station, stroll through the shopping district.
This morning, we departed Chikuzen-Maebaru Station and headed for Saga by train. The view from the train window as it ran along the coast was beautiful. It was a clear day as well.
In front of the station in Karatsu, there is a shopping street that spans several towns. The area in front of the station is very quiet, but it is lined with time-honored shops, restaurants that are popular even in Tokyo, and sushi shops.
Karatsu's famous festival, "Karatsu Kunchi," has its own float in each neighborhood, most of which are concentrated in the shopping arcade area in front of the station. On festival day, each neighborhood parades its proud float.
A train journey to Karatsu, Saga. No transfers required.
The beautiful ocean spreads out before your eyes from the train window, raising your expectations!
Arrived at Karatsu Station. Karatsu ware was on the door of the station.
There are shopping streets and arcades in front of the station. The famous "Kawashima Tofu Shop" requires a reservation.
Products are lined up in front of the stores, creating a scene similar to a morning market.
Karatsu cat. Getting some food.
There was a fish market. There are a lot of fish shops in general.
Fresh seafood was on offer. I really felt the abundance of Saga's ingredients!
The sweet shaved ice "Yume Shaved Ice" and egg-colored "Roll Cake" that I came across at Niji-no-Matsubara Station.
This time, I was really hoping to visit the egg-colored cake shop at Karatsu Niji-no-Matsubara Station.
This store, run by Minori Farm, a poultry farm in Karatsu, offers a wide range of products that use eggs.
The "Dream Shaved Ice" is a summer-only treat offered here. It is a hearty shaved ice topped with five kinds of sauce made from fresh fruit. The ice is made using pure water, and the Anglaise sauce is soaked into it. It is a dessert full of originality, befitting a cake shop.
The restaurant is housed in a 90-year-old traditional house that was renovated from a home that has been passed down for three generations, creating a relaxing atmosphere that makes you feel like you are visiting a relative's house.
Karatsu's Rainbow Pine Grove. The pine forest is soothing.
Niji-no-Matsubara Station is a small wooden station building.
From here, we head to our destination, the sweets spot! We pass through a peaceful residential area.
I found the sign. "Egg-colored cake shop." The chicken farm "Minori Farm" is about 10 minutes away.
It feels more like home than I expected! A 93-year-old traditional Japanese house has been converted into a cake shop, workshop and cafe. It's a very relaxing shop.
Relax while looking at the Japanese garden. It's far from the city center, but there are many customers.
I was glad that they had cold tea available. The menu was egg-colored.
The shop's most popular item is the roll cake. The balance of cream and dough, and the beauty of the cut. They use eggs laid by healthy free-range chickens.
Eggs raised without stress contain just under twice the amount of amino acids as regular eggs, allowing you to taste the gentle richness of the eggs in this finely textured batter.
And this is what I was looking for. "Dream Shaved Ice". The syrup is made from five kinds of fresh fruit, and it really is like a dream!
The ice is made from pure water and carefully shaved, then soaked in anglaise sauce that goes perfectly with the fruit. The syrup contains dekopon, plum, Sachinoka strawberry, kiwi, pineapple and adzuki beans, all of which are grown at my parents' house.
There was also an egg vending machine near the cafe.
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