Food in Hokkaido and Fukuoka: Famous Dishes, Where to Eat and How to Plan Meals

Hokkaido and Fukuoka lie at opposite ends of the country, Hokkaido in the far north and Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu, yet both have clear food attractions and are popular with Thai travellers because several direct flights make them easy to reach. This article does not suggest visiting both on one trip; it lays out the standout dishes of each so you can plan where to focus and what to eat once you arrive.

Famous foods: Hokkaido

Hokkaido is a major seafood source. Several kinds of crab, scallops, uni (sea urchin) and squid are all popular. Sapporo soup curry is a spicy, clear curry with large pieces of vegetables and chicken or pork, eaten with rice. Genghis Khan is lamb grilled on a domed griddle, seasoned with sauce and eaten with vegetables, and Sapporo's miso ramen is also famous. Hokkaido also produces good milk, cheese and soft serve, which are ideal stops while travelling.

Famous foods: Fukuoka

Fukuoka is famous for Hakata ramen, with a thick white pork-bone broth and thin noodles. Motsunabe is a hot pot of beef or pork offal with cabbage and garlic. Mentaiko is spicy marinated roe, eaten with rice or in sushi and pasta. Mizutaki is chicken simmered in a clear broth hot pot, and Hakata udon has very soft noodles, different from udon in Kansai or Kagawa. Food lovers should try ramen, mentaiko and a hot pot dish.

Where to eat

Check beforehand that the shop or stall you want is still open and on which days, because small shops and stalls change their days off and hours easily.

Types of places to try

• Seafood markets and seafood-bowl shops: suited to breakfast and lunch in Hokkaido.
• Soup curry shops: choose your meat and spice level, often with several levels.
• Riverside yatai: Fukuoka's nighttime atmosphere, with limited seats, frequent queues and hours to check.
• Motsunabe and mizutaki hot pot restaurants: suited to groups, with evening reservations advisable.

Cafes and sweets

Hokkaido is known for milk soft serve, cheesecake and sweets using local dairy. Otaru has glassware and confectionery shops with the canal for strolling and snacking. Fukuoka has Japanese sweets and bakeries in the Tenjin area. Try cafes serving fresh milk desserts in Hokkaido and the modern cafes in Tenjin.

Shopping and souvenirs

Souvenirs from Hokkaido include dairy sweets, chocolates, boxed sweets and dried seafood such as dried squid, available at New Chitose Airport and Sapporo Station. Fukuoka offers boxed mentaiko, Hakata sweets and ramen sets, available at Hakata Station and Fukuoka Airport. Meat and fresh seafood products may be covered by Thai import rules, so check before buying.

Budżetowy

Meal budgets in Hokkaido can run higher than in other big cities when you eat fresh seafood and crab, its signature items, though soup curry and miso ramen sit in the budget to mid range. Fukuoka has accessible yatai and ramen, with motsunabe in the middle range. Actual prices change with season and shop, so check at the entrance or the website before going in.

Halal and vegetarian options

Fresh seafood is an attractive choice for some people who avoid land meat, but always check broths and sauces, which may contain bonito or animal extracts. Hakata ramen and motsunabe use pork or offal and do not suit halal eaters. The big cities of both regions have shops that state halal or vegetarian options; check directly with the shop and prepare a message listing foods you cannot eat.

Zobacz pakiety eSIM na Japonię

Hokkaido has long routes between cities and signal can be weak in places. Setting up mobile data before you go helps you check timetables and find open shops, and an eSIM can be used right after landing at New Chitose or Fukuoka.