Hokkaido Food and Shopping: Must-Try Dishes, Where to Eat and Souvenirs

Hokkaido is a region Japanese travellers visit just to eat. Cold seas, wide fields and dairy farms give its ingredients a distinct character. Seafood such as crab, scallops, sea urchin and salmon roe is famous, while dishes born in the city, such as Sapporo miso ramen and soup curry, have their own charm. This guide separates what the area is famous for from which shops are popular, so the article does not date quickly, since shops close, move and change menus. It focuses on dishes, districts and how to choose.

Famous foods

• Sapporo miso ramen: rich broth with curly noodles.
• Soup curry: a spiced broth with vegetables and chicken or vegetables only, with adjustable spice level.
• Genghis Khan: lamb grilled on a domed pan, common in Sapporo.
• Kaisendon: rice bowls topped with fresh seafood such as sea urchin, salmon roe and crab.
• Potatoes, corn and melon from farming areas such as Yubari, plus fresh dairy products.

Where to eat

Sapporo is the easiest base because every kind of restaurant sits within walking reach. Susukino is the nightlife district, with a ramen alley and Genghis Khan restaurants, while the area around Sapporo Station has restaurants in the department stores and station buildings. Nijo Market near the centre suits a seafood breakfast, and the wholesale market's outer market has kaisendon shops in the morning. Otaru has sushi and seafood restaurants along streets near the canal, and Hakodate has a morning market near the station that is busiest early. Go early, since many stalls close in the afternoon.

Types of dishes and shops to try

Cafes and sweets

Hokkaido sweets lean on fresh milk, cream and cheese. Soft-serve made with Hokkaido milk is easy to find in both cities and farm country. Otaru is known for confectionery shops such as LeTAO, famous for cheesecake, which has branches in tourist areas. Sapporo cafes range from stylish coffee bars to traditional Japanese sweet shops. Because the weather is cold, people often take a cafe break, so leave time for queues on weekend afternoons.

Shopping and souvenirs

Popular gifts include white-chocolate cookies such as Shiroi Koibito, Royce chocolate, Rokkatei's butter treats and cookie sandwiches, and potato snacks from Calbee. Yubari melon products and dried seafood suit food lovers. Sapporo has large department stores, underground shopping streets and several drugstore chains, such as Tsuruha and Sapporo Drug Store. Outlet shopping is in the Kitahiroshima area near New Chitose Airport. Check eligibility and the procedure for tax-free shopping with the shop first, since tax conditions can change.

Orçamento

Food budgets per meal depend on the type of shop. Ramen or soup curry is usually the economical meal, while top-end seafood and whole crab are the big spend of the trip. Plan one or two of those and keep other meals simple, such as supermarket or convenience-store bento, which are good quality in Japan. At morning markets, ask the price before ordering, since seafood can be priced by weight or size. Prices shift with season and catch.

Halal and vegetarian options

Halal and vegetarian options in Hokkaido are more limited than in Tokyo and cluster in Sapporo. Vegetarians should watch for broths made with dried fish or pork bones, and for hidden seasonings. Halal travellers should check for pork, alcohol and mirin in cooking. A translation app and a list of what you cannot eat, written in Japanese, helps a great deal. Confirm any self-declared halal restaurant before you go, since its status can change.

Mobile data helps with maps, camera menu translation and checking opening hours of shops and markets. An eSIM installed before the flight works as soon as you land at New Chitose Airport.

Ver planos de eSIM para o Japão

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