When it comes to winter wonderlands, the island of Hokkaido in the north of Japan is hard to beat. The resort town of Niseko is a skier and snowboarder's paradise thanks to the soft powder snow; while the sulphurous natural onsens miraculously work out all the kinks and aches garnered on the slopes. But best of all for gourmands, there is no produce quite like Hokkaido produce. The sea urchin, salmon roe, king crabs and scallops are some of the sweetest in the world, while the corn, potatoes, eggs and butter would impress even the most discerning of palates. Follow us on our whirlwind tour of the culinary delights found on Japan's second largest island.
Friday:
7am: The easiest way to get to Hokkaido from Hong Kong is to fly directly into Sapporo, the capital. Once there, make your first stop Nijo fish market. While Tokyo's Tsukiji may be larger and more impressive in size, the cosy smaller Sapporo version offers the freshest and sweetest sea urchin (uni) and salmon roe (ikura) we've ever tasted. One of the best ways to sample these deliciacies is to pop into Donburi Chaya. Donburi or don is a bowl of rice, generously topped with uni, ikura and depending on your preference, usually a third fish such as salmon, crab meat or scallop, which are priced at about HK$250 per bowl.
The truly greedy can go for the plain ikura don (HK$300), where a bowl of rice is placed in front of diners and amidst shouts, the chef heaps spoonful after spoonful of gleaming ikura onto the bowl, until fish roe is falling off the bowl and onto the table.
Nijo Fish Market, South 3-jo East 1-2 Chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo. (Subway: Odori)
1pm: Ramen is extremely popular here in Hong Kong, as evidenced by the queues outside of Butao and Ippudo. However, while diners in Hong Kong may be more familiar with ramen broth made from pork bone (tonkotsu) or soy sauce (shiyo), in Hokkaido, broths are made with fermented soybeans (miso). Sapporo has a tiny alley, known simply as Ramen Alley which are lined with tiny shops, all offering steaming bowls of noodles. While most ramen shops in the alley open around 5pm, Kunimitsu Menya opens much earlier at 11.30am and is packed with locals. Opt for either the miso-based broth, which is saltier and comes with the requisite sliced pork, egg and Japanese leek; or the "tourist favourite" corn and butter version, which is sweeter if slightly heavier.
Ramen Alley, 5 Nishi Minami 3-Chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo.
8pm: If you didn't get your fill of sea urchin at Nijo, then Uni Murakami is a must-visit destination. Located in the basement of the Nippon Life Insurance building near Sapporo Station, the restaurant serves additive-free sea urchin from nearby Hakodate (where the main store is located). This is truly a shrine to the sea urchin, with it served in a whole plethora of ways, from tempura, lightly roasted (pictured below), sushi, sashimi, au gratin or of course, as uni don.
B1/F Nihon Seimei Sapporo Building, 4 Kita 3 Jonishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo. Tel: +81-11-290-1000.
Saturday:
10am: It would be silly to visit Hokkaido in the winter and not head to the ski resort of Niseko. It takes roughly two and a half hours by bus or train from Sapporo and it is a culinary destination in its own right. If departing from Sapporo at 8am, you should arrive before 11am into Hirafu, just in time for a quick breakfast before hitting the slopes. Abucha Bakery and Café is a Western-style bakery which uses Hokkaido wheat to makes all of its own bread, croissants, danishes and even a baguette stuffed with macaroni and cheese; as well as hearty sandwiches such as BLT with egg and cheese; or a sukiyaki baguette.
Abucha has a sister restaurant just up the road, Abucha 2 (pictured below), undoubtedly one of the most popular izakayas in all of Niseko, which is open only for dinner and offers everything from sukiyaki to yakitori. Using the freshest of local produce, there is no better place for a hearty meal of grilled Hokkaido sirloin, served with buttery local potatoes, smothered in the creamiest local butter.
Abucha Bakery and Café: 190-13 Aza-Yamada Kuchan-cho, Niseko. Tel: +81 136-22-5295.
Abucha 2: 1/F Suiboku Building, 191-29 Aza-Yamada Kuchan-cho, Niseko. Tel: +81-136-22-5620.
1pm: It may seem odd, but take it from us, one of the very best places outside of Italy to have pizza is at Del Sole, tucked away in a small house in nearby Annupuri (roughly 10 minutes by car from Hirafu). With an authentic wood-fired oven churning out authentic Naples-style pizza with a thin crust and soupy mozzarella, it is not at all unusual to see patrons wait inside their heated vehicles for a takeout pizza to be delivered to their windows before devouring it in a matter of seconds rather than taking it home.
483-1 Aza Niseko Niseko-cho, Abuta-gun, Niseko. Tel: +81-136-58-3535.
8pm: Fans of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations will surely remember Rakuichi, a small 12-seat soba restaurant also in Annupuri, manned by a married couple. The husband Tatsuru hand-mixes, kneads and cuts buckwheat soba to order, while his charming wife Midori greets customers. However, it would be a mistake to go at lunch, when only soba and tempura are served. Instead, make sure to call ahead and book for the seven-course kaiseki dinner. Very reasonably priced at about HK$500 including sake, the tasting menu we tried started with an Iberico pork shabu shabu; a pickled fish course including cod roe, salmon and herring; scallop and pickled mackerel sashimi; a simply gigantic steamed Hokkaido oyster; seasonal tempura and of course; the handmade soba served with two thin slices of duck in a sweet, steaming broth. Just don't forget your wallet, as Rakuichi takes cash only.
North 4 East 1-2, Kutchan-cho, Niseko. Tel: +81-136-58-3170.
11pm: If you're still awake after the hearty meal at Rakuichi, the new prohibition-themed bar Temperance at the Vale Niseko is a great place for a nightcap. Located at the foot of the main family slope in Hirafu, this sleek new bar draws in a crowd of both ski bunnies as well as all the instructors, chefs and bartenders working the season, making it a major hotspot with cigars as well as rare aged whiskies, absinthe and excellent cocktails all on offer.
194-5 Aza-Yamada Kutchan Cho, Abuta-gun, Niseko. Tel: +81-136-22-0038.
