AKITA -- A 24-year-old female tourist from Saitama Prefecture was surprised with the taste and aroma of the thick shiitake mushroom potage she had at Hinata Ekis, a smoothie and soup take-out store in Senboku, Akita Prefecture, in November. She had stopped by the store on the way home from the Nyuto Onsenkyo hot spring area because its pretty wooden appearance caught her eye.
Hinata Ekis, located along National Route 341, is a 10- to 15-minute drive from the hot spring area and Lake Tazawa. It opened in time for the Golden Week holidays last year.
