Buckwheat Noodle with Curry Soup in Yubari City

by Kazu
On January 3(Tue.), nobody is on the rice field covered with snow. But the trace of crosscountry skiiing can be found on the surface of the white field. On our way from Iwamizawa City to Yubari City, sometimes deers were eating agriculturl produce such as buds of wheat and other crops.
Absolutely deers got under farmer's skin. Every municipality want to reduce the number of deers in their area but the number of registered hunters is not enough and going down.  Now that well-trained hunters are very few, municipalities in Hokkaido can not control the number of deers and make the most of the meat. 

 Hokkaido Prefectural Government has a plan to make the use of venison as pet food with high protein and low fat. Venison is not so popular in Hokkaido and other part of Japan. Some well-known French restaurnt in Tokyo want venison of high quality and actually purchase that but we have to consume more venison to control the number of deers.
    Yubari City that flourished before as part of the  coalmine area in Hokkaido has its shrine on the side of mountain. Yubari City bankrupted five years ago
and is struggling to recover under the young new mayor Mr.Suzuki.

 This shrine was refurbished before the coalmine industry in this area had nosedived, so the building is still splendid. It was on Jan.3(Tue.). Very few people worshipped. The population is still decreasing. The new leader can call the shot but the budget and his discretionary powers are so limited. Most of the budget is under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the young leader can make the most of 10 million Japanese yen to take initiative. 

Nowadays it may be difficult to find residents walking in downtown of Yubari City but in front of the Mt.Reisui Hotel , a small food court is providing  delicious food and drink for tourists and the residents. Japanese bar and bistro, BBQ grill restaurant are inside the building as well as noodle soup diners. For 3,500 Japanese Yen, you can have five or six dishes of meal and drink  as mush as you like.
   Narrow space inside the building  may be easy to warm up with portable stove.  The theme is Japanese community festival "Matsuri".                  

Today's Japanese special is buckwheat curry noodle soup that is so-called rendezvous point of India and Japan. Turmeric fits well to Japanese soy sauce and  soup stock. Buckwheat noodle or Japanese thick wheat noodle makes the best match with this curry taste soup.
  Have you ever tried that ?
  Sweet melons produced in Yubari City are very famous and make the top brand in Japan. Besides, international movie film festival is held every year in Yubari City. This year it will be held on February 23(Thu.)-27(Mon.). It will be still very cold in Yubai City.

So buckwheat noodle with curry soup is nice to keep your body warm and vigorous even in the cold weather. It costs 680 - 800 Japanese yen in this small food court "Bari Yatai(Booth)". It is next to the Yubari Railway Station and in front of the Mt.Reisui Hotel which has wonderful ski run on its backside.
   The young leader and his staff are exerting their incredible effort to revitalize the city and adjacent area that flourished with coalmine before.
   Please visit and try the museum of coalmine in Yubari.
  Thank you in advance;)