I took a bus from the west exit of Nishinasuno Station to the Shiobara-onsen Bus Terminal and went on a “Tote-yaki Tour.”

Shiobara Hot Springs Village, about a 40-minute bus ride from the west exit of Nishinasuno Station.

Have you heard of the beloved “Tote-yaki” there?

This local specialty dish is inspired by the trumpet-shaped horn of the “Tote Horse Carriage*” that once operated here.

Upon learning about the Tote-yaki Stamp Rally “Tote-hashigo,” I went on a Tote-yaki tour.

*It’s a sightseeing horse-drawn carriage that’s been loved since the Meiji era. The name comes from the cheerful trumpet sound that goes “Tote-Tote,” matching the rhythm of the horse’s steps. Back in the day, it was used in hot spring towns like Shiobara-onsen to take people from the train station to the onsen area.

Basic informaion on “Tote-hashigo”
Tote-yaki menu and prices at each location
My impressions of the Tote-yaki tour

Basic informaion on “Tote-hashigo”
The “Tote-yaki” shops I visited this time
My impressions of the Tote-yaki tour
Access
Summary｜Who I recommend Tote-yaki tour for

Basic informaion on “Tote-hashigo”

Event name: Tote-yaki Stamp Rally “Tote-hashigo*“
Category: Deli, Sushi, Sweets
Access：40-50 minutes by bus from the west exit of Nishinasuno Station
Number of participating stores: 11 stores in total
Official Website/SNS
(HP) https://www.siobara.or.jp/gourmet/toteyaki/

*“Hashigo” means hopping between multiple places with the same theme—like izakayas, ramen shops, or bars—in one outing. This time, since “Tote-yaki” is the theme, it’s “Tote-hashigo”.

The “Tote-yaki” shops I visited this time

I went on an empty stomach, so I planned to visit them all in one day… but some shops were closed for holidays or regular days off, so I couldn’t make it to all of them.

The “tote-yaki” shops I visited this time were as follows:

Kappo Ryokan Yunohanaso (Map #11)
Kouraku Sushi（Map #5）
Kameya Honpo（Map #10）
Cafe Fujiya（Map #7）

Local chicken cheese meatballs Tote at Yunohanaso

First of all, I decided to try the deli dishes, so I headed to Yunohanaso.

Name: Kappo Ryokan Yunohanaso
Address: 323 Shiobara, Nasushiobara-shi, Tochigi-ken
- 13 minutes on foot from Shiobara-onsen Bus Terminal
TEL: 0287-32-2824
Business Hours: 10:00〜17:30
Regular Holiday: Irregular holidays
Tote-yaki: Local chicken cheese meatballs Tote（700 JPY）
Payment method: Cash only
Remarks
- The banner wasn’t displayed, but it was confirmed via phone call that it was OK.
- Currently, they are offering takeout only; no dine-in service is available.

A hearty crepe-style roll filled with chicken meatballs, tomato, lettuce, onion, mayonnaise, and cheese.

The combination of mayonnaise and chicken meatballs was perfect, creating an incredibly juicy and addictive flavor.

Sushi Tote at Kouraku Sushi

Next I went to Sushi-shop.

Name: Kouraku Sushi
Address: 725 Shiobara, Nasushiobara-shi, Tochigi-ken
- 3 minutes on foot from Shiobara-onsen Bus Terminal
TEL: 0287-32-2061
Business hours
- 11:00〜15:00
- 17:00〜22:00
Regular Holiday: Mondays
Tote-yaki: Sushi Tote（980 JPY）
Payment method: Cash only
Remarks: You can eat and drink inside the store.

A rolled omelet with a fluffy texture like datemaki*, filled with marinated tuna, salmon roe, dried gourd strips, cucumber, egg, vinegared rice (red vinegar), and nori seaweed.

It felt like a luxurious hand-rolled sushi with generous fillings, and the portion size was substantial enough to serve as a main meal!

*Datemaki is a sweet, fluffy rolled omelet with a hint of fish flavor, usually eaten at New Year.

Burnt custard Tote at Kameya Honpo

With my stomachs full, I headed out to sample some dessert-style tote-yaki.

First, I went to Kameya Honpo.

Name: Kameya Honpo
Address: 618 Shiobara, Nasushiobara-shi, Tochigi-ken
- 10 minutes on foot from Shiobara-onsen Bus Terminal
TEL: 0287-32-2568
Sales Hours: 10:00〜16:00
Regular holiday: Irregular holidays
Tote-yaki: Burnt custard Tote
Payment methods
- Cash
- Cashless payments (Air Pay was implemented, enabling diverse payment methods)
Remarks
- The banner wasn’t displayed, but it was confirmed via phone call that it was OK.
- They are offering takeout only.

A Japanese-Western fusion sweet called “Tote-yaki,” featuring a dorayaki-style* batter wrapped around sweet red bean paste, fresh cream, and custard cream.

While searching for a place to eat, I ended up spending a bit too much time… It was a shame I couldn’t experience the crisp texture of the custard cream.

But it was definitely a sweet tooth’s dream combo.

*Dorayaki is a classic Japanese sweet made with two fluffy pancake-like cakes filled with sweet red bean paste. It’s soft, gently sweet, and super comforting.

Brown rice cream parfait Tote at Fujiya

I figured I’d probably be full after the next one, so I chose Cafe Fujiya as the final restaurant this time.

Name: Cafe Fujiya
Address: 689 Shiobara, Nasushiobara-shi, Tochigi-ken
- 5 minutes on foot from Shiobara-onsen Bus Terminal
TEL: 0287-32-2314
Business hours: 10:00〜18:00
Regular holiday: Irregular holiday
Tote-Yaki: Brown rice cream parfait Tote（700 JPY）
Payment methods
- Cash
- Cashless payments (Air Pay was implemented, enabling diverse payment methods)
Remarks
- Takeout and dine-in are both available.
- If you dine in, you can also choose a drink set (1,200 JPY).

A pancake-style mochi-soft batter wrapped around pear, strawberry, kiwi, and brown rice cream, served as a parfait-style to-te-yaki.

The brown rice cream is subtly sweet, allowing the natural sweetness and tartness of the fruit to shine through.

The fruits used change with the seasons, so you can enjoy the flavors of all four seasons!

My impressions of the Tote-yaki tour

My first taste of “Tote-yaki” was more delicious than I could have imagined.

The savory items are light meals or have the volume of a main dish, while the sweet items look like crepes but have neither the texture nor the filling of a crepe.

Each shop offers unique and diverse creations, so being able to choose the “Tote-yaki” I crave based on my mood that day is part of the charm of “Tote-hashigo”.