[Hokkaido, Shiriuchi Town] The “Town of Chives and Oysters” is actually amazing. Serious return gifts found through Furusato Nozei

Shiriuchi Town is a small town with a population of about 4,000, located in southern Hokkaido, about an hour's drive from Hakodate.

Honestly, many people outside of Hokkaido might wonder, “Where is that?” But once you start looking into their Furusato Nozei (hometown tax) program, you will be surprised by the town’s “seriousness.”

It is not a flashy tourist destination. However, it is close to the sea, has mountains, and is strong in both agriculture and fishing. And above all, the “ingredients are exceptionally delicious.”

It is particularly famous for its “chives” and “oysters.”

Shiriuchi Town’s chives boast one of the highest production volumes in Hokkaido and are characterized by their thick leaves and strong sweetness. Furthermore, the oysters, raised in the rough waves of the Tsugaru Strait, are described as having a rich umami flavor with very little bitterness.

When it comes to Furusato Nozei, people tend to choose based on “return rate” or “quantity,” but Shiriuchi Town is a little different.

It feels like they are sending you “the town’s food culture itself.”

For example, soy sauce and yakiniku sauce made with chives. Handmade miso using locally grown soybeans. Specially cultivated rice. There is even a disaster prevention stockpile set.

It doesn't feel like they simply “lined up luxurious return gifts,” but rather that the wisdom and industries of the people who have lived in Shiriuchi Town have become the return gifts themselves.

What’s more, it’s interesting that because it isn’t nationally famous, it has a “hidden gem” feel to it.

Popular municipalities for Furusato Nozei face fierce competition, and it is not rare to have to wait for shipping or find items out of stock. However, Shiriuchi Town still retains the atmosphere of a “great municipality known only to those in the know.”

That is exactly why you want to know about it now.

In this article, I will take a deep dive into Shiriuchi Town’s Furusato Nozei, covering: - The town’s charm - Recommended return gifts - Which ones to choose if you are actually selecting them.

People who love Hokkaido food. People looking for a “hidden gem municipality.” People who want to prioritize quality over quantity.

I think this will really resonate with those kinds of people.

Please note that the content introduced here has been verified based on Shiriuchi Town’s official Furusato Nozei information. I have avoided ambiguous information and only introduced return gifts and features that I have actually been able to verify.

Why Shiriuchi Town’s Furusato Nozei is strong

First, as a major premise, Shiriuchi Town is a “town of ingredients.”

It is not a town that is only strong in seafood. It is not a town that is only strong in agriculture.

Both are strong.

This balance is quite rare.

In Hokkaido municipalities, they are often divided into “seafood-focused,” “meat-focused,” or “rice-focused,” but Shiriuchi Town has high overall strength.

Furthermore, looking at the return gifts, the “level of perfection of the processed products” is high.

It’s not just the raw ingredients, but “flavors that have been eaten in the town for a long time” that have been turned into return gifts.

This is quite good.

Especially for people outside of Hokkaido, I think you can enjoy “Hokkaido-style food culture.”

First, you want to aim for this. Shiriuchi Town-produced oysters

The first thing to pay attention to among Shiriuchi Town’s return gifts is the oysters.

Even officially, Shiriuchi-produced oysters raised in the currents of the Tsugaru Strait are introduced as “having little bitterness, being easy to eat, and large.”

When it comes to Hokkaido oysters, Akkeshi and Senposhi are famous, but Shiriuchi oysters are a little different.

They have a relatively clear umami, and are a type that is not too rich and easy to eat.

That’s why I have the impression that even people who are not good with raw food can get into them relatively easily.

Moreover, many municipalities that send oysters through Furusato Nozei focus on “quantity,” but Shiriuchi Town has a sense of prioritizing quality.

I feel an atmosphere of “we want to deliver truly delicious oysters.”

If you are an oyster lover, this is a municipality you should put on your list at least once.

Hokkaido’s top-class ability. “Shiriuchi Chives” are truly amazing

You cannot talk about Shiriuchi Town without mentioning chives.

In fact, Shiriuchi Town boasts one of the highest production volumes of chives in all of Hokkaido. They are characterized by their wide leaves, thickness, and strong sweetness.

Usually, chives are just a supporting role.

But the chives from Shiriuchi Town are star-quality.

Just stir-frying them releases a wonderful aroma, and they have a natural sweetness. The umami when cooked is quite intense.

Moreover, the return gifts that make use of these chives are interesting.

"Chive Soy Sauce" is more versatile than you'd imagine

Among the return gifts from Shiriuchi Town, the one that really caught my eye was the "Chive Soy Sauce."

Looking at the name, it might seem like a novelty item, but in reality, it seems highly practical.

Because it contains fresh, crushed chives, it is said to have a very strong flavor. It is introduced as being widely usable for stir-fries, chilled tofu, fried rice, and more.

Once you use these kinds of "local seasonings," you sometimes can't go back to regular soy sauce.

It seems like it would go especially well with fried rice.

The aroma of chives transforms the moment it hits the oil, so it would definitely go well with any kind of fried rice dish.

Furthermore, there is also a return gift set that includes yakiniku sauce, which is introduced as being a great match for yakisoba and yaki-udon as well.

Hokkaido municipalities that have these kinds of "strong household flavors" are truly attractive.

Municipalities that offer "flavors that have been normally loved by locals" rather than things aimed at tourists are strong.

I'm strangely curious about the handmade miso

Personally, I thought the handmade miso made with soybeans and non-glutinous rice from Shiriuchi Town was quite good.

It is a return gift produced by the "Wakuwaku Kobo" of the JA Shinhakodate Shiriuchi Branch Women's Division, and it is described as having a simple, handmade flavor.

These kinds of return gifts aren't flashy.

But they are the type that bring high satisfaction when they actually arrive.

Since you use miso every day, the value of it being "properly delicious" is significant.

Moreover, with the background of it being made by the local women's division, it is a return gift that really feels like it belongs to the region.

It has a "taste of the town" feel that is different from mass-produced items.

I think these kinds of return gifts are the real thrill of Furusato Nozei.

The rice is also strong. And it's "made with serious intent"

You can't overlook the rice in Shiriuchi Town either.

On the official website, the following is introduced regarding the rice from Kariyama Farm: - All first-grade rice - Special cultivation agricultural product certification - JGAP certified farm, etc.

Furthermore, Sugimoto Farm is introduced as a farm that has won the Gold Prize at the National Rice and Taste Evaluation Contest.

In other words, it's not just "ordinary Hokkaido rice."

They are putting a lot of effort into quality control and cultivation methods.

Recently, there has been an increase in "cheap rice" available through Furusato Nozei, but what really provides high satisfaction is often this kind of "rice where you can see the face of the producer."

Because it's something you eat every day, the difference really shows.

It's interesting that they even have emergency stockpile sets

A slightly unique return gift from Shiriuchi Town is the emergency stockpile set.

It is introduced as an emergency food set that can be stored for a long time and requires no cooking.

This is actually quite practical.

People tend to choose “luxury items” for Furusato Nozei, but choosing disaster prevention supplies is also a smart way to use it.

Moreover, since it's a category that you “want to prepare for but tend to put off,” it goes well with Furusato Nozei.

I think it's a strength of Shiriuchi Town that they offer not just food, but also “return gifts that are useful for daily life.”

Summary | Shiriuchi Town is a “not flashy, but strong municipality”

What I felt after researching Shiriuchi Town's Furusato Nozei is that it is a “down-to-earth municipality.”

It is not a super famous municipality nationwide. But when you look at the return gifts, they are truly interesting.

Oysters. Chives. Rice. Miso. Local seasonings.

All of them are “things that are properly produced in that land.”

What's especially good is the “feeling that you can see the faces of the producers.”

The feeling of mass-produced catalogs is thin, and there is an atmosphere that “the people of Shiriuchi Town are offering these with pride.”

This is quite important for Furusato Nozei.

In the end, municipalities with high satisfaction are not just about “cheapness.”

They are the municipalities where you can think, “I'm glad I chose this” when it arrives.

Shiriuchi Town is exactly that type.

I can highly recommend it to those looking for a hidden gem municipality in Hokkaido.

Especially for: ・Seafood lovers ・Condiment lovers ・People who are particular about rice ・People who want to enjoy authentic local gourmet food

I think this will really resonate with people like that.

It tends to get buried by famous municipalities, but it is towns like this where you can really feel the fun of Furusato Nozei.

Shiriuchi Town is quite good.

Return gifts rooted in daily life!
Doesn't that phrase fit Shiriuchi Town perfectly?

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I look forward to your continued support.🙇⤵️