Hokkaido is an abundant land of fresh produce, premium dairy, and top-class restaurants! Here are 5 must-try foods in Japan’s north island:
1. Yamahana Matsuriya
Yamahana Matsuriya is, to this day, the best sushi restaurant I’ve had in all of Japan (and the world). The marbling of the fish and the fatty oils that ooze out of each piece of sashimi is absolutely succulent. Incredibly, plates are as cheap as 200 yen per dish, and yet the quality is comparable to high-end sushi establishments.
2. Hiri Hiri Soup Curry
Hiri Hiri Soup Curry is a little underground shop in the heart of Sapporo which serves up one of Hokkaido’s best local delicacies. Made using curry powder, garlic, and coconut milk among other ingredients, it has a warm taste that soothes the soul. An absolute winter favorite, I highly recommend grabbing a bowl of soup curry on your next trip to Hokkaido!
3. Jingisukan
Named after the great Genghis Khan of Mongolia, Jingisukan is a chain of barbecue restaurants that specialize in the grilling of lamb and mutton (you know, like the Mongols). You can find establishments all over Sapporo and Hokkaido at large, and they come in many different forms from lamb rice bowls to lamb noodle soups and the classic yakiniku BBQ straight off the grill.
4. Cheese Steamed Bun
Dairy products in general are always exceptional in this part of Japan, but I want to give a special mention to this particular cheese steamed bun I had at the Centurion Sauna & Rest in Sapporo. Similar to the types of steamed buns you can get at any Japanese convenience store, this one had a certain richness of ingredients that made it too good to come from a plastic wrapper! It also came with a sachet of honey which gave it a delicious sweet and savory taste.
5. Hot Chef Bento (Seicomart)
It’s not a complete list without mentioning good old Seicomart, Hokkaido’s exclusive convenience store brand. These stores can be found all over Hokkaido island and offers an abundance of exclusive products that use the prefecture’s fresh dairy sources and produce. In particular, they have a food warmer section called Hot Chef where you can buy ready-to-eat hot foods from bento box meals to fried chicken and potato wedges. I recommend the fried fish, seaweed and egg bento as depicted above!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!