Hokkaido

Winter is approaching in Japan, which means one thing – ski season! Hokkaido enjoys excellent snowfall, attracting thousands of visitors every year who come to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, winter sports, apres-ski nightlife and Hokkaido’s famous hot spring resorts. And of course, the delicious food.

Hokkaido is famous for its seafood, as its cold waters are the perfect breeding ground for salmon and other cold water fish – delicious in winter as they develop a layer of fat.

Salmon dishes to look out for are ‘ishikari-nabe’, a miso hotpot with salmon and vegetables, ‘chan-chan yaki’ – salmon grilled with miso and vegetables, and ‘ruibe’ – frozen sashimi. You shouldn’t miss delicacies such as ‘aramaki-zake’, salmon preserved by stuffi ng with salt; ‘kunsei’, smoked fish; ‘tsukemono’, pickled salmon; and ‘suziko’, salted salmon eggs, either. Other delicious cold water fi sh include trout, mackerel and cod. The region is also known for its wide variety of crabs, as well as squid, octopus and sea urchins.

Seafood includes sea vegetables – 90% of Japan’s seaweed is harvested in Hokkaido and is a vital part of Japanese cuisine, pickled, dried or used to make soup stock. The rich volcanic soil and large areas of open land make it an ideal place to grow vegetables, too. Many diff erent types of potato are grown here, as well as corn, pumpkins, asparagus and melons. And foreign ingredients often made their fi rst appearance in Hokkaido. It was the first place in Japan to grow onions, brew beer and make dairy products. Hokkaido’s beer, cheese and butter are now the equal of those anywhere in the world.

Whatever kind of gourmet you are, whether you want to soak in the hot springs while enjoying the view of snowcovered mountains or work up an appetite on the ski fi elds, Hokkaido has something for everyone.