Mushroom Kingdom in Niki Town!

 by Kazu

   Going on the Route 5 from Yoichi Town to Kutchan Town, you can find the large scale shop named "KINOKO OUKOKU" which means the mushroom kingdom on your left in Niki Town that is filled with orchard and grapevines. 

   The sign on the right means the festival of mushroom with slime called NAMEKO in Japanese.

  It is not the actual festival but a kind of sales promotions. The shop always sells various kinds of flavoured mushroom and the tourists can try a bit of mushrooms  from each kind. 

Fruit vinegar is another draw in this shop because the ladies in Japan are crazy for such kinds of vinegar to stay fit. Small cup of vinegars can be tried from each sample bottle. 
"Get over the summer with the vinegar stamina drink!" is on the sign. 
I am not sure how much does it cost to provide sample vinegar per day, but it seems that the shop is making it, considering other shops in Kimobetsu town and Otaki Village in full flourish.
All the mushrooms sold in this shop are produced in Otaki Village near the area. The flavoured mushrooms in bottles are worthwhile. A veggie and fruit shop that sells materials sourced locally is next to this shop. Thousands of tourists drop by this shop with huge parking lots. Before winter comes, hit the road and romp around in Hokkaido!