Hokkaido Seafood: An Insider's Guide

If you're visiting Hokkaido and are reading this article, savoring Hokkaido's famous seafood while you are here will no doubt be one of your priorities. Briny oysters, succulent meaty crab, creamy uni, and ikura bursting with umami are just a few examples of the island's pristine seafood.

Hokkaido offers not only a wide variety of seafood, but also the chance to dive into the island's vibrant 'seafood culture'. You can enjoy the buzz of the early morning markets, the atmosphere of traditional sushi restaurants and the rustic charm of coastal fishing villages. Seafood is on display everywhere you go. You can easily spend a week on the Hokkaido foodie trail, just like Anthony Bordaine did in 2015 (1).

For me, Hokkaido Seafood became a way of life. I have spent the past 15 years as a registered seafood buyer at the Sapporo Wholesale Markets supplying my business Ezo Seafoods in the ski resort town of Niseko, first as an oyster bar (2009-2022); and now as a seafood and sushi shop/market in Niseko Hirafu (2022-present).

In this blog, I want to share with you some insights about the Hokkaido seafood industry and some connoisseur tips to hopefully enrich your Hokkaido seafood experiences.

First of all, it’s important to understand the significant role seafood plays in Hokkaido's culture and economy. There are approximately 100 fishing villages dotted around the coastline of Hokkaido. The livelihoods of the local people are closely tied to the ocean. The high quality of the seafood is a factor of the icy cold and plankton-rich waters that surround the island, providing ideal conditions for seafood to feed and fatten.

Hokkaido supplies a significant portion -- some say over half -- of the total amount of seafood consumed in seafood-obsessed Japan; and an increasing amount is now exported internationally, especially to North Asia.

It’s not hard to imagine the pressure that such demand puts on the oceans that surround Hokkaido, and ongoing declines in salmon, squid and other seafood stocks are a new reality for Hokkaido fishermen.

Environmental factors including algae blooms and warming waters play an increasing role in the declines. "Ondanka" (global warming in Japanese) is frequently cited as a reason for recent disruption to fishing patterns, namely, the pronounced migration of fish north to colder waters following the longitudes.(3)

To address sustainability, Hokkaido employs several initiatives. In addition to quota management, the island uses a unique rotation fishing system based on seasons. Uni (sea urchin), for example, is cultivated around the island all year round, but depending on the season, harvesting and sales are limited to a specific territory (Shakotan in summer; Shiretoko in winter). This system allows stocks to replenish and ensures continuous supply all year round.

Any discussion of Hokkaido seafood also requires an understanding of Russia's role as an important partner in the seafood market through their ownership of fishing territories in the Sea of Okhotsk directly north of Hokkaido. Japan disputes Russian ownership of the Kuril islands, marked with a white ring in the map above, which it claims were illegally occupied in the closing days of WW2.

Russian waters are rich fishing grounds. According to Nikkei Asia, Japan's imports of fishery products from Russia in 2022 reached 155.2 billion yen ($1.1 billion).(5) The seafood is sold by the Russian fleets into the northern Hokkaido towns of Mombetsu and Hanasaki, making Hokkaido the hub of which I refer to metaphorically as a seafood 'Golden Triangle.'

As domestic stocks of Hokkaido seafood staples decline, Hokkaido relies more and more on imports from the 'Golden Triangle.' Accordingly, much of the seafood sold as 'Hokkaido' seafood, especially Red King Crab and sea urchin, is actually fished in Russian waters. I like to say to my customers "These sea urchins actually have a Russian passport."

Now that you have some perspective on some of the macro issues affecting the seafood industry, I want to get into my foodie recommendations.

• The photo above gives you an idea of the size of the scallops.
• Scallops are wild caught or farmed all around the island. The best scallops, in my opinion, are from the Notsuke Peninsula, available from around mid December, through till Spring.
• The Peninsula's desolate yet majestic nature also make it an amazing place to visit.
• If you are in Niseko, the Notsuke scallops are one of Michelin-starred Kamimura's famous dishes. Or you can just pop into one of the many street side restaurants or stands in the seafood market areas of Sapporo and Otaru that serve up fresh scallops pan fried in butter and soy sauce. (the ASAICHI MORNING MARKET in Sapporo is my recommendation) (6)

• The Hairy Crab has a reputation for fiddliness but also for its delicate, fragrant flavor and a tasty brain miso, which can be enjoyed as it is or combined into a soup.
• The best place to eat the any fresh crab is at the 'hamayude' (boiled at coast) crab shops on the coastline; or from any supplier/restaurant that has seawater tanks where you can confirm the crab is "live."
• In Niseko, Sushi Kato would be my recommendation for the full Hairy Crab experience at a restaurant. (https://setsuniseko.com/en/din...)
• Be prepared for limited supplies of Live crab -- stocks are still recovering from an algae outbreak along the Pacific coast in 2022. When it comes to natural bounty, you can't take anything for granted anymore.

• Japanese tend to prefer large oysters, which require real commitment, even courage, to put in your mouth. For those who prefer a smaller oyster, I recommend the oysters from AKKESHI on the Pacific coastline for their size and taste. They are briny up front, chewy and meaty with a sweet aftertaste.
• There are two varieties, the common MARUEMON and the premium KAKIEMON, which have an added creaminess.
• Luke's Alpine Club in Niseko serves both varieties of Akkeshi oysters as they should be -- on ice with vinaigrette and lemon.

• Hokke is the most popular fish in Hokkaido. It is ‘butterflied,’ salted, sun-dried, and finally grilled, served with lemon and grated daikon radish. It has a natural savory flavor and flaky yet succulent texture.
• Hokke's reasonable price (around ¥3000) is a good excuse to have it more than once if you are visiting Hokkaido.
• I recommend you try the Hokke at Kumo Restaurant in Skye Niseko (https://www.skyeniseko.com/eat...).

• Kinki is a smallish red fish with soft, moist texture and high degree of fattiness. It is either grilled whole, braised in a sweet soy sauce, or served as sushi or sashimi.
• At a restaurant be prepared to pay ¥15,000 or more for a whole fresh fish. You should specifically request it in advance or buy directly at the seafood markets in Sapporo or Otaru. It's very much subject to availability. Contact me to source Kinki if you are visiting Niseko.
• If you order Kinki in a sushi restaurant, ask for 'Aburi' (blow-torched), which will bring out the fattiness of the fish.

• Botan shrimp (botan ebi in Japanese) is the luxurious king of shrimp in Hokkaido. It is considered by Japanese too good for cooking and is served only as sashimi (as in the photo above), with its bluish roe adding a crunchy texture. It has a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a brain miso which, for the full experience, should be sucked out of the head shell and enjoyed raw. (Though you can request that the shrimp head be combined into a miso paste soup.)
• It’s hard to find fresh Botan ebi in restaurants; you must know where to source it which may require some advance planning. Expect to pay up at least ¥5000 for a single large shrimp in a sushi restaurant.
• If you are in Niseko let me know in advance and I can source fresh Botan for you.

• Hokkaido Squid is simply superb, and is served thin sliced as sashimi, or grilled with grated ginger. While prices have tripled over the past 10 years, it can still be enjoyed for ¥2000-¥3000.
• One recommendation for Squid sashimi is the restaurant named 'HAKODATE.' in the Susukino, central Sapporo. (https://r.gnavi.co.jp/3s3dn4fd...)
• HAKODATE is actually also the name of the 'squid town' in Hokkaido. Many Japanese will travel to Hakodate specifically to eat the live caught and thin sliced sashimi.

• Most uni aficionados agree that Hokkaido uni is the best in the world. There are several types -- Bafun (short spiked) and Murasaki (long). In my experience, the Japanese pay little attention to this difference, but the general wisdom is that Bafun is stronger and more 'robust' and Murasaki 'mild.' I focus on creaminess and the absence of any 'metallic' flavor (which is caused by the use of a preservative).

• If you are visiting in Winter, the Uni is Bafun, and sourced from the northern towns of Nemuro and Hanasaki; or from the Northern Islands of Hamabomae.
• Look for uni that has a consistent color (as opposed to a multitude of colors). Avoid uni that has micro-dots of moisture on the surface, an indication that the uni is not at peak freshness.
• A preservative known as Myoban is used in uni which can sometimes impart a metallic flavor. The uni from the Northern Islands (that I source) is preservative free.
• Short supply due to environmental factors, as well as an ageing workforce, has pushed prices ever higher the past several years.

• Red King Crab is ubiquitous throughout Hokkaido and is available in just about every supermarket, restaurant, and hotel -- even the airport. At its best, it is sweet, succulent with a touch of brine.
• Most of the crab sold in Hokkaido is fished and frozen by the Russians and sold into the northern port town of Mombetsu.
• I recommend the 'Hamayude' (boiled at coast) crab shops around the Hokkaido coastline as the best option to enjoy the crab
• If you can't make it to the coastline, look for seafood restaurants or shops that have live seafood tanks, such as Ezo Seafoods!

• Finally, let’s look at salmon, one of the iconic Hokkaido fish. Hokkaido salmon, known as “dog salmon,” is not a farmed, fatty type; it is wild caught and due to its low fat content is generally salted and grilled.
• The salmon sashimi you find in most restaurants is actually imported from Norway, Chile, or Australia.
• So my recommendation is not the salmon itself but the salmon roe — Ikura. A single roe is bursting with so much flavor that it will leave you in a fleeting state of grace.

There are, of course, many other varieties of fish, shellfish, and crab to try. But I am confident that these varieties are enough for you to work with! Finally, while you are savoring the seafood, spare a thought for the fishermen whose job it is to brave icy cold temperatures and inclement weather in the middle of the night far out at sea, all for our sustenance and enjoyment.

James Gallagher, along with his wife Keiko Takaoka, established Ezo Seafoods in 2009 in the ski resort town of Niseko, Hokkaido, and has 15 years of experience buying, tasting, cooking, and selling Hokkaido seafood. He is a professionally-qualified sushi chef and heads up the Edomae sushi program at Ezo Seafoods. www.ezoseafoods.com

email: [email protected]

(1) Tony Bordaine in Hokkaido YOUTUBE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?...)

(2) HOKKAIDO FISH MAP https://www.seafood-hokkaido.c...

(3) NOAA Fisheries (*https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov...)

(4) (map source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news...)

(5) Nikkei Asia: (source: https://asia.nikkei.com/Econom...'buying%20back'%20arms%20parts,collapse%20of%20the%20Soviet%20Union.)

(6) ASAICHI SAPPORO markets (https://maps.app.goo.gl/iiehfs...).