Hokkaido region Hokkaido | Our Regional Cuisines
Hokkaido's local cuisine that developed hand in hand with modernization
Hokkaido boasts a vast area of 83,424 square kilometers, constituting about 22% of the land in Japan. Mountains occupy half the area of Hokkaido, which is surrounded by the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan, and the Sea of Okhotsk. Bordering on the northern limits of a temperate climate and the southern limits of a subarctic climate, Hokkaido is characterized by a cool climate with low humidity and is covered in snow for many months until it finally begins to melt in spring. Each of the four distinct seasons nurtures a rich harvest of foods with regional characteristics.
Video provided in part by: “SHUN GATE,” a website for the transmission of information on Japanese food culture
Store interviewed: Koen Gakuen Ecole de Cuisine Patisserie
Hokkaido experiences fast-paced modernization after the Meiji Restoration
Hokkaido was inhabited by the indigenous Ainu people when the land was called Ezochi. During the Kamakura period, the “wajin” (Japanese mainlanders) from Honshu migrated to Hokkaido and began to trade with the Ainu. In the mid-16th century, the southern part of Hokkaido was designated as a “wajinchi” – a settlement for the wajin people. In the early Edo period, the Matsumae Domain was set up by the shogunate. Parts of the food cultures introduced by the Ainu and immigrants from Honshu have had an enormous impact on the local cuisine to this day.
Hokkaido has developed into the largest food supplying region in Japan through strenuous efforts to overcome its cool weather conditions including soil improvement and the active introduction of modern agricultural technology from Europe and the United States. Today, Hokkaido is one of the nation’s top producers of azuki beans, potatoes, wheat, and other crops. Many of the local dishes, such as Jingisukan , Ishikari Nabe and Zangi, are well known throughout Japan
Visitors can look forward to an even greater variety of local flavors in each of the central, northern, southern, and eastern regions of Hokkaido.
Do-o region (central Hokkaido)
Pink-colored sekihan (rice cooked with beans) that spread from Sapporo to other areas
Central Hokkaido is a primary rice cultivation area that developed in central Hokkaido around the Ishikari Plain along the Ishikari River system, which flows from the central part of Hokkaido into the Sea of Japan. The agriculture and livestock industry in Hokkaido capitalizes on regional characteristics to produce vegetables grown in the suburbs of Sapporo and the southern part of Sorachi, which are mainly shipped to areas outside of Hokkaido, keishuba racing horses in Hidaka and beef cattle in Iburi.
This “sekihan” recipe that contains amanatto was devised by the late Akiko Nambu who founded the Koen Gakuen Ecole de Cuisine Patisserie in Sapporo City.
Ms. Nambu introduced the “sekihan” recipe that uses amanatto at cooking classes held at various locations from 1945 to 1955. The recipe spread quickly among the locals, so much so that the amanatto-based “sekihan” became the norm among Hokkaido residents. The somewhat sweet taste of the new “sekihan” proved to be a hit among children as well. There are stories of amanatto disappearing from local shops after the recipe was introduced in the media.
Mr. Tayasu says, “This sekihan is a bit different, but many of the local dishes in Hokkaido let you savor the taste of the ingredient directly.”
Dohoku region (northern Hokkaido)
Teppo-jiru, a miso-based crab soup handed down in the No. 1 horsehair crab town in Japan
The Dohoku region is located at the northern tip of the prefecture and is sandwiched between the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. Asahikawa and Furano in this region are famous tourist destinations for many domestic and international visitors. At Cape Soya in Wakkanai City, where the Monument of the Northernmost Point of Japan stands, Sakhalin Island in Russia can be seen in the distance on a clear day.
Donan region (southern Hokkaido)
Delicacies that originated in Matsumae that flourished as a port of call for the Kitamae merchant ships
The Donan region enjoys a notably early start of agricultural production each year for Hokkaido due to its relatively small amount of snowfall in winter. A diverse range of crops are cultivated in the region that stretches wide from north to south. The region produces high yields of vegetables such as spring onions, garlic chives and asparagus, agricultural crops such as potatoes and beans as well as a special variety of quality rice named “Fukkurinko.
In 1859, Hakodate Port opened on the southern tip of the Oshima Peninsula. Along with Yokohama and Nagasaki, Hakodate became the first foreign trade port in Japan as the Donan region prospered greatly as Hokkaido’s gateway to the sea. Since the opening of the Seikan Tunnel that connects Honshu and Hokkaido, Hakodate has also served as a gateway on land as well.
Video presented by: Hokkaido Government Oshima General Subprefectural Bureau
Video presented by: Asami Shokai
Doto Region (Eastern Hokkaido)
Pork-based food culture that supported the lives of pioneers in Tokachi
The Doto region in eastern Hokkaido comprises the urban areas of Kushiro, Obihiro and Kitami cities scattered over a vast area. This is an area where visitors can immerse themselves in the grandeur of nature in Hokkaido, which include “Shiretoko,” registered as a world natural heritage site, Kushiroshitsugen National Park that contains the nation’s largest marsh, and Akan-Mashu National Park that covers Lake Mashu, Lake Akan, and Lake Kussharo.
Video provided in part by: “SHUN GATE,” a website for the transmission of information on Japanese food culture
「SHUN GATE」
The butadon dish made its appearance in the early Showa era. When a popular restaurant in Obihiro City came up with the idea of butadon as a way to create a dish unique to Tokachi, it became an instant hit, eventually earning its place as the region’s specialty. The Tokachi style is to glaze pork in sauce, grill it well and serve on top of donburi rice. Take a big bite of butadon – this might be a good time to let your imagination run wild about life in the pioneering era.
Hokkaido's main local cuisine
Contact
Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Tel:+81-3-3502-5516