Travel Japan by H.I.S.

Hokkaido is famous for its excellent dairy products. Cheese and butter were first produced in Hokkaido in the Meiji Era. Their quality is based on the knowledge accumulated during the history of one century, and known worldwide. Ice cream made from fresh milk is also very popular.

Ramen is very popular all over Japan. Its history began in 1922 when a Chinese restaurant served ramen for the first time. Now, there are thousands of ultimate ramen restaurants in Hokkaido. Typical Sapporo's ramen is miso flavoured ramen served with rich butter and sweet corn. Asahikawa ramen is popular for its original soy sauce flavour, and Hakodate ramen is famous for its salt flavour. There are also other ramen with the names of their places. Individual ramen shops all have their own particular flavour and style and chefs can be quite secretive about what makes their soup so special. Everyone has their favourite ramen shop and a local's recommendation is worth getting. Otherwise, look out for crowds, as a queue waiting to be seated is a sure sign of quality.

Hokkaido is famous for its catch of variety of crab, such as 'kegani' (hairy crab, the most popular), 'tarabagani' (king crab) and 'hanasakigani'. 'Zuwaigani' (snow crab) is often called 'the king of winter taste'. There are many different crab dishes including 'nabemono' (a one-pot dish), 'yakimono' (grilled dish) and 'sunomono' (vinegared dish), but best eaten boiled.

Salmon is also popular in Hokkaido. Salmon dishes unique to Hokkaido style are 'Sampei-jiru' and 'Ishikari-nabe'. Ishikari-nabe is a one-pot dish in which salmon, its milt and various vegetables are cooked with miso sauce. Its name was derived from Ishikari River, famous for salmon. Sanpei-jiru is a soup of salmon or hatahata fish and vegetables with salt and kelp flavor. There are a variety of processed salmon foods such as 'aramaki-zake' (salmon stuffed with salt, a preserved food), 'Kunsei' (smoked fish), 'Toba' (dried salmon), 'Tsukemono' (Japanese pickles), 'Izushi' (fermented fish), 'Suziko' (salted salmon eggs), 'Ikura' (processed salmon eggs).

Squid are caught mainly on Tsugaru Strait near Hakodate. They are eaten grilled, boiled or pickled, but the best of all is their fresh sashimi. 'Ika Somen' is a very popular dish of very thinly sliced squid sashimi, eaten with somen noodle sauce and grated ginger. 'Ikameshi' (stuffed squid with rice) is also popular in Hakodate. Processed squid such as 'Shiokara' (fermented with fish guts) and 'Surume' (dried squid) go best with 'Sake' (Japanese traditional rice wine).

Their eggs are popularly used in sushi, 'nabemono' (a one-pot dish) and rice dishes such as 'uni-don' which is a bowl of rice topped with sea urchin eggs.

If you want to experience the delights of Hokkaido, eating fresh sushi is a must. Sushi-bar Street in Otaru (Otaru Sushiya-dori) is filled with traditional sushi bars and new revolving sushi restaurants. Some restaurants are famous for all-you-can-eat style sushi, others are for their big lumps of sushi. You can enjoy sushi in any style you like.

Jingisukan is a popular Hokkaido-style barbecue of mutton. Grilled mutton and vegetables are eaten with special sauce. It is very nice to enjoy it with local beer. Each home and restaurant has different style and sauce.

Ekiben is a packed lunch often sold at railway stations. Eating ekiben is one of the pleasures of travelling. In Hokkaido, many of them use local specialties like 'ikura' (salmon eggs), 'uni' (sea urchin eggs), crab meat, squid, clams, scallops, etc.

Soup curry has become popular among local people. It is a new style dish of a mixture of ramen soup and curry. It is different to a normal thick curry and tastes like a curry flavoured spice soup cooked with large pieces of meat and vegetables. There are great varieties in ingredients. Some restaurants have 'Natto' (fermented soybeans), boiled egg or seafood in their soup curry. It may be interesting to try a different soup curry.

Tokibi is the king of delicacies of Hokkaido, being harvested from August to September. Many tiny stalls selling roast corn line the Odori Koen Promenade in central Sapporo during the season, and people enjoying a stroll in the promenade while munching on corn on the cob is a familiar scene.

Potatoes, as well as sweet corn, are another taste of autumn in Hokkaido, and worth trying. Newly harvested potatoes are called 'Shin-jaga', and have a fresh taste. When they are kept through the winter, they taste sweeter.

Delicious, fragrant Yubari melons and Furano melons are famous nationwide. Haskapp is a small purple berry used for sweets and jam. Cherries of Niki are a popular specialty of the region. 'Densuke-suika' of Touma is a rare black jumbo watermelon. Its taste is very sweet.