Summer Gourmet: Top Choices
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Hokkaido's cuisine is famous throughout Japan and across Asia. Come with us on a Gourmet Tour to sample the best seafood, beef, lamb, Genghis Khan, soup curry, ramen, soft cream, dessert houses, cafes and many other great eats. Summer is peak season for Yubari melons, cherries, uni and king crab.
We visit a wide variety of gourmet locations - local restaurants, famous establishments, homestead farms and seafood markets, to name a few - all according to your taste and budget. Summertime also offers fruit picking across Hokkaido, with strawberries, cherries, melons and blueberries leading the way. Indulge in all-you-can-eat fruit picking; fun for the whole family. |
Uni (Sea Urchin)Uni is a highly sought after summer gourmet item for those in the know. It comes in two varieties, yellow or red, with the latter being very rare and greatly desired by connoisseurs. Although uni can be found year around, summer is when the best quality uni is harvested from the Sea of Japan coast all the way to Eastern Hokkaido.
Our Favorite Uni Spots
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Oysters & ClamsThe rich waters surrounding Hokkaido provide excellent feeding grounds for oysters and clams, which are served chilled, grilled or fried. Hokkaido's shellfish is not only delicious, but guaranteed safe as it makes its journey from the cool Hokkaido seas to markets and restaurants across the island.
Our Favorite Shellfish Spots
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Crab Sashimi PlatterFor those searching for a rare and exclusive gourmet experience, a crab sashimi platter brings out the best of Japan's gourmet. The first step is to find a willing sushi master, only a select few of which are adept enough to create the dish. It takes years to master the myriad of surgical cuts that are needed to create a palatable and safe crab sashimi platter; a dish that will be the highlight of your Japan gourmet experience.
Our Favorite Spots
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Strawberry Picking |
Cherry Picking |
Sake Brewery Tours
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Japan is the world's largest producer and consumer of strawberries, with most of the fruit being grown on the main island of Honshu. In many places in Hokkaido, strawberries continue to ripen well into August. There are many orchards spread out across the island where visitors can partake in all-you-can-eat strawberry picking, and some also have blueberry patches which ripen in July and August.
Our Favorite Orchards
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Hokkaido's cherries are known for their naturally sweet taste and overall freshness. Some orchards, such as in Mashike on the Sea of Japan coast, have a national reputation for excellence. Cherry picking starts in late June and lasts until early August and includes all-you-can-eat sessions between 30 to 60 minutes in duration.
Our Favorite Orchards
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Sake from Hokkaido is famous for its high quality, which is derived from the excellent rice grown on the island and the pure spring water sources used in fermentation. Visit a sake brewery to learn about the ancient brewing techniques and to enjoy free samples. Some breweries are housed in historic buildings dating from Hokkaido's frontier era.
Our Favorite Breweries
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Genghis Khan Lamb BBQGenghis Khan is a dish unique to Hokkaido and an absolute classic! Most restaurants offer all-you-can-eat menus and a variety of meat (beef, pork, lamb). Spring onions, pumpkin and sprouts are added as garnish. You can choose family-run restaurants or famous institutions like Sapporo Beer Garden. Whatever your choice, you better bring your appetite.
Our Favorite Spots
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Ramen
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Soup Curry
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SushiSome of the best sushi in Japan comes right from Hokkaido, and you needn't spend a fortune either. The most popular type of sushi restaurant is Kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt). You can also visit a fish market, buy a bowl of rice on site, and point at the sashimi that you fancy. There are also mid-scale restaurants and hotels where a sushi course is part of a larger multi-course meal.
Our Favorite Spots
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King CrabsHokkaido is justifiably famous for the fantastic seafood, but the King Crab deserves special mention. At about 10,000 yen per 1.5 kg, it is not cheap, but the memory of holding the crab fresh from the tank before your splurge will leave a strong impression. You can also head to Abashiri for their late-summer king crab festival and see the massive catches being sorted at port.
Our Favorite Spots
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Fishing & BBQWe can arrange fishing tours around Hokkaido to give you an opportunity to reel in your own catch. We'll then cook the fish together at a beautiful outdoor setting along with a full BBQ. Fish varieties and fishing locations vary according to the season, including at the Sea of Japan coast, Tsugaru Strait, Sorachi River and Sea of Okhotsk.
Contact us for more information. |
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Melon FarmsOne of the famous summer agricultural products from Hokkaido is the melon, specifically the honeydew melon and watermelon, which can sell for tens of thousands of yen each. Visiting a melon farm is a great way to indulge, with Furano's "Melon Road" at its peak in August. Come indulge at an all-you-can-eat melon farm!
Our Favorite Spots
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Kaiseki BanquetKaiseki is a type of culinary style where diners enjoy a feast of up to 40 different dishes spread across 8 courses. It is most commonly served at high-end hotel and ryokan establishments, and in Hokkaido usually centers on seafood and local vegetables. Taking part in a kaiseki meal is an unforgettable gourmet experience.
Request a kaiseki dinner as part of your Custom-Made Tour. |
Soft CreamA staple of Hokkaido's culinary scene all year around, soft cream is downright unmissable during the summer. The high-quality dairy farms are credited with the reason why this treat is loved by all. There are countless flavors such as vanilla, choco, lavender, plum, green tea and even black squid ink; or opt for the 8 layered soft cream so you don't have to choose between flavors at all.
Our Favorite Spots
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Thank you for visiting us at Hokkaido Nature Tours!
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