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The Five Meals You Must Eat in Hokkaido
For a foodie traveling through Japan, Hokkaido is like paradise. Blessed with bountiful fishing areas and fertile land, Japan’s northernmost island is home to some of the most delicious foods in the country. To whet your appetite, here are five of Hokkaido’s must-try meals.
Surrounded by the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean, Hokkaido is a treasure trove of seafood. Notable examples include salmon (considered the representative fish of Hokkaido), salmon roe, sea urchin, and squid. Instead of forcing yourself to choose just one or two kinds of seafood, indulge in a little bit of everything by ordering a kaisendon: a selection of sashimi served over rice.
It’s thought that this unique dish of lamb and vegetables came into being during the Taisho Era when Japan’s sheep rearing was thriving. Vegetables are packed around the outer edge of a convex skillet and mutton is placed on the top. This allows the juices of the meat to run down and flavor the vegetables. Diners then dip the vegetables and meat in a flavorful tare sauce.
When it comes to food in Sapporo, the first thing that comes to mind is ramen. While miso replaced shoyu (soy sauce) around 1955 as the standard soup used for ramen in Sapporo, you’ll find plenty of ramen shops selling shoyu, shio (salt), and tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen as well. Sapporo ramen uses thick, curvy chijiremen noodles. Typical vegetable toppings include bean sprouts, fermented bamboo shoots called menma, and, depending on the store, ground meat and onion.
Soup curry consists of a bowl of curry packed with a combination of meat and vegetables and a side of rice served separately. As the name suggests, the consistency of this curry is much closer to that of a soup than to Japan’s typical thick curry. The spices and ingredients used in the soup curry vary from store to store, but all make use of the abundant local produce and meats. There are three ways to enjoy the soupy curry roux: dipping a spoonful of rice in the curry; spooning the roux over the rice; and adding the rice directly into the curry.
Hokkaido is famous for the quality of their dairy products. In fact, this kingdom of dairy is currently Japan's top producer of milk. So you've come to the right place if you're in the mood for some creamy, delicious desserts. While there are any number of delicious parfaits and cheese cakes waiting for you, why not start out with some amazing ice cream made from rich, creamy Hokkaido milk?
Have you had the pleasure of dining on some of Hokkaido’s delicious cuisine? If so, let us know in the comments and don’t forget to share this article!
Kaisendon | 海鮮丼
Surrounded by the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean, Hokkaido is a treasure trove of seafood. Notable examples include salmon (considered the representative fish of Hokkaido), salmon roe, sea urchin, and squid. Instead of forcing yourself to choose just one or two kinds of seafood, indulge in a little bit of everything by ordering a kaisendon: a selection of sashimi served over rice.
Jingisukan | ジンギスカン
It’s thought that this unique dish of lamb and vegetables came into being during the Taisho Era when Japan’s sheep rearing was thriving. Vegetables are packed around the outer edge of a convex skillet and mutton is placed on the top. This allows the juices of the meat to run down and flavor the vegetables. Diners then dip the vegetables and meat in a flavorful tare sauce.
Sapporo Ramen | 札幌ラーメン
When it comes to food in Sapporo, the first thing that comes to mind is ramen. While miso replaced shoyu (soy sauce) around 1955 as the standard soup used for ramen in Sapporo, you’ll find plenty of ramen shops selling shoyu, shio (salt), and tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen as well. Sapporo ramen uses thick, curvy chijiremen noodles. Typical vegetable toppings include bean sprouts, fermented bamboo shoots called menma, and, depending on the store, ground meat and onion.
Soup Curry | スープカレー
Soup curry consists of a bowl of curry packed with a combination of meat and vegetables and a side of rice served separately. As the name suggests, the consistency of this curry is much closer to that of a soup than to Japan’s typical thick curry. The spices and ingredients used in the soup curry vary from store to store, but all make use of the abundant local produce and meats. There are three ways to enjoy the soupy curry roux: dipping a spoonful of rice in the curry; spooning the roux over the rice; and adding the rice directly into the curry.
Ice Cream | アイス
Hokkaido is famous for the quality of their dairy products. In fact, this kingdom of dairy is currently Japan's top producer of milk. So you've come to the right place if you're in the mood for some creamy, delicious desserts. While there are any number of delicious parfaits and cheese cakes waiting for you, why not start out with some amazing ice cream made from rich, creamy Hokkaido milk?
Have you had the pleasure of dining on some of Hokkaido’s delicious cuisine? If so, let us know in the comments and don’t forget to share this article!
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THIS ARTICLE IS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM 08 05,2016 Author：Rachael Ragalye
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