Visit Hokkaido and taste these amazing dishes

Hokkaido is a large prefecture in the North of Japan that’s blessed with abundant nature, rich and expansive agricultural lands, and some of the finest seafood in the country. It’s no surprise then that Hokkaido is a popular tourist destination, not just for foreign visitors but for many domestic travelers. One of the main highlights of visiting Japan’s northernmost prefecture is to enjoy the region’s meibutsu, the local specialty foodstuffs.

1. Crab

Hokkaido boasts several premium varieties of crab, including tarabagani (king crab), zuwaigani (snow crab), and kegani (horsehair crab), all available at an attractive price. Specialty shops in Hokkaido boil up succulent crab freshly caught from the ocean, and Hokkaido crab shipped straight to your front door is one of the top holiday gifts in Japan. The different varieties of crab can be eaten in an assortment of ways, such as kani nabe (Japanese hotpot), served with rice kani meshi, as nigiri neta (topping), and in miso soup.

2. Jingisukan

Jingisukan, or “Genghis Khan”, is a type of barbecue dish from Hokkaido that features lamb grilled together with vegetables such as kabocha pumpkin and sliced cabbage, and a spicy soy-based sauce. The dish is named after the famous Mongolian ruler due to the helmet-shaped grill that the dish is cooked on, which many people believe evokes the image of a Mongolian warrior. Lamb and mutton are not widely eaten in other parts of Japan, so jingisukan dining offers a unique Hokkaido experience.

3. Ikameshi

Ikameshi is a dish of squid (ika) stuffed with rice and simmered in a soy sauce based stock. It originated in southern Hokkaido during the food shortages of World War II when rice was scarce in Japan. Squid was plentiful at the time, so a local bento lunch vendor came up with the idea of using the squid to stretch out their rice supplies. Today, ikameshi is beloved by locals and visitors alike, and can be purchased from train station bento vendors known as “ekiben” in Hokkaido.

4. Soup Curry

Soup curry is a dish of spiced Japanese curry that originated in Sapporo. It combines a curry base with a rich broth, roasted meat, fresh herbs, and plenty of vegetables. The dish is easily customized to personal preferences, from the toppings used to the spice level. This is a warm and filling soup that is packed with flavor. Enjoy it with a side of rice, which you can dip into the delicious curry-flavored broth to soak up the flavor.

5. Kaisendon

Kaisendon is a type of donburi, or rice bowl, topped with fresh sashimi, seafood, and shellfish. With its world-class uni and crab, juicy scallops, and buttery ikura (salmon roe), Hokkaido is the best place to try kaisendon in Japan. Look for it from breakfast time in the fish markets of Sapporo and Hakodate.

6. Miso Butter Ramen

If you need warming up and looking for things to eat in Hokkaido, miso butter ramen is just the dish. A richly flavored style of ramen noodles that originated in Sapporo, it’s made with a soup base of red miso paste combined with chicken or pork bone broth. The noodles used in Sapporo ramen are thick and wavy and served slightly chewy. They’re joined by popular local ingredients like fresh Hokkaido butter and sweet corn, and even extravagant seafood toppings such as scallops and crab.

7. Yubari Melon

Hokkaido’s yubari melon is one of the most expensive fruit in the world. Grown in greenhouses, it’s recognizable for its thick raised webbing, blemish-free surface, perfectly round shape, and intense melon flavor balanced with a gentle sweetness. Melons in the range of 20 thousand yen and above are often given as gifts of distinction for special occasions, and the most expensive Yubari melon ever sold for 2.5 million yen.

See more: Visit Hokkaido and taste dishes made from Melon

Source gurunavi

Regional dishes you need to try in Japan

Japan has a wonderful unique cuisine. Different regions have their own traditions of agriculture, produce and recipes. So in addition to the traditional Japanese dishes found throughout the country, many regions and cities in Japan have their own specialties.

Yubari Melon (Hokkaido)

Known also as “Yubari King”. Yubari melons are grown only in a small town called Yubari city. The sweetest melon you can ever taste. Some Japanese people present Yubari King melons as gifts during the holiday called chugen. It becomes the must-have dessert in Hokkaido.

Takoyaki (Osaka)

Takoyaki is the main street food associated with Osaka. This tasty treat is a fried round mixture of batter, octopus, ginger, and usually some vegetables and spices. The best place to sample takoyaki is at one of the food stalls along the Dotonbori, but this dish can be found all over the city. Many locals even have special takoyaki-making grills at home.

Goya Champuru (Okinawa)

Goya (bitter melon) came to Okinawa from Southeast Asia and quickly became one of the region's most favored vegetables.Champuru means "stir-fry" in the Okinawan language. This dish is a stir-fry of goya, pork, tofu and eggs. It is prepared by stir-frying various ingredients.

Monja-yaki (Tokyo)

Originally a children’s treat, monjayaki is now established as a specialty of the Tsukishima area of Tokyo (near Ginza). It’s a “cook it yourself” dish with ingredients such as dried squid, sweetcorn and cabbage are cooked on the hotplate. Then a runny batter is poured into a hollow in the middle. It is all scraped around with a small spatula and eaten off the spatula as it is cooked.

Chagayu (Nara)

Chagayu is a traditional breakfast food from Nara that’s made by boiling rice in roasted green tea with salt until it becomes a soupy porridge. The dish was originally enjoyed by monks at Nara’s Todai-ji temple as part of the Omizutori festival, but eventually became a common food enjoyed by locals throughout the region. Chagayu can be eaten hot or cold, and the roasted aroma of the green tea gives this wholesome dish a complex, but highly satisfying flavor.

Yudofu (Kyoto)

Popular with Japanese Buddhist, a yudofu is a simple yet delicious hot pot. Minimal ingredients used in this dish as a typical Yudofu only contains tofu cubes and vegetables in hot water. However, as with many recipes, there are options with various meats and more ingredients. Kombu also is known as edible seaweed can be added for extra flavor. The Yudofu is a winter favorite amongst the Japanese monks and can be as simple or as complex as you fancy.

See more: Japanese healthy dishes for cold weather

Source Internet