When you mention Hokkaido, most people will think
of snow-capped mountains, fresh seafood, and gorgeous hot springs. Indeed!
Hokkaido is well-known of its various delicious foods. That’s why it is often known as Kingdom of Food in Japan. I’ll put
together a list of Top Five Famous Foods in Hokkaido that every tourist
must try if they travel to there.
TOP 1: Hokkaido Ramen
 |
| Hokkaido Ramen Photo Credit: hokkaidoramen.ca |
 |
| Ramen in Sapporo Photo Credit: Ikidane Nippon |
There are six different types of ramen in the
noodle world, and three among them are originated in Hokkaido. Ramen was
imported to Japan during the Meiji
Period (1868-1912) from China. Yet,
the taste of Chinese style ramen is different with traditional Japanese style
ramen. It is popular throughout the country, but is also well known as a specialty of Hokkaido.
 |
| Sapporo Ramen Republic Photo Credit: WAttention |
Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish, with
wheat-based noodles served in soy sauce or miso flavored broth. It usually
serves with slices of pork & chicken, seaweed, boiled eggs, seafood, bamboo
shoots and variety of fresh vegetables. Sapporo,
a big city of Hokkaido is known for its miso ramen, especially in Ramen Republic and Ramen Yokocho in Sapporo. While shio (salt) ramen are more common in Hakodate and soya sauce based ramen can
found in Ramen Village in Asahikawa.
Top 2: Hokkaido Genghis Khan (Jingisukan)
 |
| Jingisukan, a grilled mutton dish |
Genghis
Khan, locally pronounced as Jingisukan, is a grilled mutton dish that is popular in Hokkaido. The dish consists
of meat (usually mutton) and other ingredients such as cabbage, pumpkin and
bean sprouts. Those ingredients will
place to a helmet-shaped metal grill in the middle of the table to cook. Once
the meat is done, it is dipped in a soy-sauce based dip and eaten straight off
the grill. The meat has a rustic and hearty taste.
This
dish is one of the Hokkaido’s local dishes that could be eaten all year round.
It can be found at specialized restaurants across Hokkaido. One of the best
places to enjoy it is the atmospheric beer hall at the Sapporo Beer Museum where the tourists can order Jingisukan and
enjoy it with the great Sapporo Beer.
Top 3: Hokkaido Crab
 |
| Hokkaido Hairy Crab Photo Credit: Group Buyer |
It
is not worth if you go Hokkaido without eating its crabs! In Hokkaido, the tourists
can taste crabs such as king crab,
horsehair crab, blue king crab, snow crab, and hanasaki queen crab. The island which surrounds with cold waters offers
the best conditions for high quality and fresh seafood. Moreover, the Hokkaido
crabs are relatively cheap and absolutely delicious.
 |
| Hokkaido Crab Photo Credit: Mynn Lee, "She Walks the World" Blog |
 |
| Zuwai Kani-chiri Queen Crab Photo Credit: Kani-Shogun |
The
most highly-rated crab restaurant in Hokkaido is Kani-Honke (かに本家). This
chain restaurant was first started in Hokkaido, but due to its rising
popularity, it soon spread to the rest of Japan. Alternatively, you can enjoy
various dishes made of crab including grilled crabs and boiled crabs during Nemuro Crab Festival which held in Nemuro city every year in early-September.
Top 4: Soft Serve Ice-Cream
 |
| Soft Serve Ice-Cream and Hokkaido Cheese Tart |
 |
| Soft Serve Ice-Cream |
In Hokkaido, where dairy farming is a key industry, the soft-serve ice cream cannot be missed. They are smooth and creamy, and made from raw milk and pure fresh cream which produced locally. The taste of different flavors soft serve ice cream can be enjoyed all year round, even in winter as well! Eating it in the summer would be absolutely a great too!
 |
| Kinotoya Bake, located at JR Sapporo Station Photo Credit: Tripadvisor.com |
Tourists
can taste different flavor of soft serve ice cream at ice-cream stalls located all
over Hokkaido. For example, Farm Tomita, where you can see its
picturesque lavender fields and enjoy the lavender soft serve ice cream. Another
recommendation places are Kinotoya Bake
which located near Odori Park subway
station and JR Sapporo Station
as well. This stall is famous with Hokkaido
Cheese Tart and the finest milk soft ice cream.
Top 5: Sapporo Beer
 |
| Sapporo Beer Photo Credit: Foursquare |
 |
| Sapporo Beer, located at Sapporo Beer Museum Photo Credit: Mynn Lee, "She Walks the World" Blog |
Beer is the
most popular alcoholic beverage on Japan since 18s’. The origin of beer in Japan is Hokkaido - Sapporo Beer. It is the oldest and most
popular beer brand in the country. Travelers can learn about the history of
beer in Hokkaido at the Sapporo Beer
Museum, and enjoy a beer tasting at the end of the museum tour. Of course,
Sapporo beer can also be found anywhere in Hokkaido, throughout the whole of
Japan. Therefore, you should try every kinds of beer in Hokkaido!
No comments:
Post a Comment