Many people probably think, "I want to eat crab!" when they go to Hokkaido, right?
However, when, where, and which crab is best to eat? If you're going to eat crab, you want to eat the very best, right?

Now, the hairy crabs from Abashiri, known as "drift ice-breaking hairy crabs," which are landed every year from the end of March to April, are said to be the finest seasonal delicacy, packed with meat. If you're going to eat them, now is the time!

So, this time, we'll be introducing shops where you can buy freshly boiled crab, shops where you can eat freshly boiled crab on the spot, shops with a wide selection of crab dishes on their lunch menus, and the latest information on events such as the "Abashiri Crab Rice Campaign" and the "5th Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri" to be held in Abashiri in 2017.

Table of contents
1. What is Abashiri's "drift ice-free hairy crab"?
2. Masuda Suisan Direct Sales Store, Kitanohama Abashiri Banya Branch, a long-established seafood processing shop.
3. Freshly boiled and served on the spot! "Kanekatsu Watanabe Suisan"
4. Okhotsk Bazaar, which offers a wide variety of crab dishes.
5. Look for the giant Nipopo (a type of yogurt) at the Abashiri Seafood Market.
6. 2017 "Abashiri Crab Rice Campaign"
7. 2017 "5th Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri"
Final thoughts

In Abashiri City, the hairy crabs that are landed each year from the end of March to the end of April are called "drift ice-removed hairy crabs" or "sea-removed hairy crabs."

"The opening of the sea" refers to the first day when the drift ice in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk moves away from the open sea, making it possible for ships to navigate. After that, the long-awaited "hairy crab fishing" season begins.

The hairy crabs that grow in the Okhotsk Sea, which is sealed off by drift ice, are full of nutrients thanks to the plankton carried by the drift ice, and are in their prime season as "hard-shelled crabs" with the most meaty flesh after repeated molting.

Masuda Suisan, which has been in business solely in seafood processing since 1950, and Kitanohama Market, a direct sales store that had been operating for many years in Kitahama, Abashiri City, relocated and reopened as Kitanohama Market Abashiri Banya Store in April 2015.

This long-established company, which has been processing and selling fresh seafood from the Sea of ​​Okhotsk since its founding, has long been loved by local residents and has many fans all over the country.

They mainly sell fresh fish, live crabs, seafood, and dried fish, and their "Okhotsk Dried Fish," which has a reputation for its taste, is one of their popular items.

Upon hearing that "hairy crab season has begun!", I immediately went to the shop and found fresh hairy crabs in the tank! This year's hairy crabs are said to be heavy and have rich crab miso, making them of excellent quality.

Left: Live crab Right: Freshly boiled crab (Image caption)

They sell freshly boiled crabs that you can take home right away, but you can also enjoy the delightful experience of choosing a fresh hairy crab from the tank and having it boiled on the spot.

It takes about 30 minutes to boil, but thanks to years of experience, the hairy crab is boiled to perfection with just the right amount of salt, resulting in an exquisite taste.

You can have lunch somewhere while you wait for it to cook, or you can choose a popular item from "Kita no Hamaichi Abashiri Banya Store"—30 minutes will fly by.

As the weather gets warmer and more people head to the Abashiri area for camping and outdoor barbecues, we recommend stocking up on hairy crabs and the popular dried Okhotsk fish and enjoying a hearty meal outdoors.

Before shopping at "Kitanohama Abashiri Banya Store, " say the secret password "I saw it on Hokkaido Lab" and you might get a pleasant surprise... The secret password is valid until May 8th, 2017!

Masuda Fisheries Direct Sales Store, Kitanohama City, Abashiri Banya Branch
HP:http://masudasuisan.com/
Facebook:https://ja-jp.facebook.com/masudasuisan.abashiri/
Address: 8-2, Minami 4-jo Higashi 6-chome, Abashiri City, Hokkaido 093-0004 (Abashiri Ban'ya, second building from the entrance)
TEL：0152-44-2211
Opening hours: 9: 00 to 18: 00
Closed on Wednesdays (or the following day if Wednesday is a public holiday).
Parking lot: Yes
Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from Memanbetsu Airport

While there are many different images of eating crab in Hokkaido, such as luxurious course meals, sushi, tempura, and sashimi, "Kanekatsu Watanabe Suisan" is recommended for those who want to eat freshly boiled crab on the spot!

Even in Abashiri, where crabs are caught, there are only a few restaurants where you can eat freshly boiled crabs on the spot, making this a welcome service for tourists from nearby areas and all over Japan.

With the opening day of the season for Abashiri-produced hairy crabs, seeing rows and rows of freshly boiled hairy crabs gives me the feeling that spring has finally arrived in the Okhotsk region.

Since hairy crabs from Erimo are caught during the winter months from November to February, some people might think that winter is the peak season for hairy crabs. However, the peak season for hairy crabs from the Okhotsk Sea is actually spring.

At "Kanekatsu Watanabe Suisan," while we can't offer a large number of seats or the same level of service as a restaurant, we have prepared a small eating area in a corner of the shop to meet the demands of customers who want to eat freshly boiled seafood.

In a shop with a fishing village-like facade adorned with colorful fishing flags, you can enjoy freshly boiled crab right there on the spot.

The tables are filled to capacity with about 3-4 groups of customers, and it gets especially crowded on weekends and holidays, so reservations are recommended.

We also have freshly boiled hairy crabs available that morning, ready to eat, but if you prefer them freshly boiled, please wait about 30 minutes for the hairy crabs you choose from the tanks in the shop to be deliciously boiled in a large, dedicated pot!

Located along National Route 36, in front of the nationally famous Abashiri Prison, is the Okhotsk Bazaar. The first floor houses a shop selling seafood and Hokkaido souvenirs, while the second floor features the directly managed restaurant, Restaurant Karuchaya Club.

Since it's a drive-in style restaurant and tour buses are often parked there, it might be difficult to get a meal unless you have a group reservation. Are there individual menu options? Individual travelers might want more information on these and other things.

Actually, "Restaurant Karuchaya Club" is a place where even individuals can easily drop in for a meal. What's more, they have a great selection of crab-based lunch menus, and the prices are reasonable and the portions are generous!

Snow crab rice with teppou soup (top right photo), crab tempura soba (bottom left photo), and crab leg fried curry with salad (bottom right photo) are all 1300 yen. Other options include king crab rice (with teppou soup), crab tempura rice bowl, and ramen sets with crab rice.

The crab meat in the snow crab rice (with teppou soup) is fluffy and slightly sweet, resulting in a rice dish that allows you to enjoy the authentic taste of snow crab.

You can enjoy seasonal hairy crabs, either boiled or as sashimi, and choose your preferred size from the live tanks in the restaurant to be prepared for you.

Among the extensive seafood menu, too numerous to list here, you can have seafood purchased at the shop on the first floor prepared as sashimi or grilled shellfish, or enjoy a reasonably priced lunch featuring luxurious ingredients.

Please be sure to check out the menu for "Restaurant Karuchaya Club" on their website.

オホーツクバザール
HP:http://www.okhotskbazar.co.jp
Address: 1-14-19 Omagari, Abashiri City, Hokkaido 093-0045
TEL：0152-44-3005
Restaurant hours: 10:00 AM - 15:00 PM (Last order 14:30 PM)
Closed: Open all year round
Parking lot: Yes
Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from Memanbetsu Airport

As you head towards Shari along National Route 244, enjoying the view of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, you'll see the Abashiri Seafood Market on your left, easily recognizable by its giant "Nipopo" sign.

"Nipopo," a lucky charm, is an Ainu word meaning "little child of a tree" or "little doll," and can be seen in various places around Abashiri City, but this particular Nipopo is especially impressive.

"Abashiri Seafood Market" has a shop on the first floor selling local seafood, vegetables, and Hokkaido souvenirs, and a restaurant on the second floor where you can enjoy Abashiri-style cuisine.

There are plenty of seasonal hairy crabs in the tank! It's just like an aquarium tank.

The freshly boiled hairy crabs lined up look delicious. Even for the locals, hairy crabs are something special, a luxurious ingredient available only at this time of year.

With ample parking and located right on Abashiri Mokoto Beach, this shop is a convenient stop during a drive.

Abashiri Seafood Market
HP:http://www.e-okhotsk.com/abashiri
Address: 3-4 Mokoto Kaigan-dori, Abashiri City, Hokkaido 099-3111
TEL：0152-44-1144
Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 17:00 PM (may vary depending on the season)
Closed: Open all year round
Parking lot: Yes
Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from Memanbetsu Airport

Okhotsk Bazaar Restaurant Karuchaya Club: Snow Crab Rice with Teppou Soup (Image caption)

With the slogan "Crabs after the drift ice melts are delicious!", the "Abashiri Crab Rice Campaign" will begin again this year on Thursday, April 20, 2017.

The campaign involves collecting stamps from accommodations and three stamps from participating restaurants, and then entering a speed lottery at the roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri" to win fantastic prizes!

This year, there are so many restaurants participating in the campaign that it's hard to decide which restaurant to go to and what to eat.
Abashiri is home to a variety of crabs, including snow crab, king crab, and recently, dishes using the rare spiny crab, sometimes called the "phantom crab"!

The 5th Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2017, at the roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri". This annual crab festival is always bustling with local residents and tourists.

To participate in the festival, you purchase a ticket (1,500 yen in advance, 2,000 yen on the day) which includes one competition dish, unlimited beer and soft drinks, a raffle ticket for spring crabs, and a raffle ticket for entry into the crab-wrapping contest.

One of the most exciting events is the "crab throwing," where crabs are thrown like the mochi rice cakes thrown at roof-raising ceremonies, and it looks like it will be a big hit again this year!

2017 "Abashiri Crab Rice Campaign"
Period: April 20, 2017 (Thu) to June 20, 2017 (Tue)
2017 "5th Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri"
Date and time: Sunday, July 2017, 5, 21:10-00:16
Venue: Special venue in the parking lot of the roadside station "Ryuhyo Kaido Abashiri"
http://www.abakanko.jp/news/event/2016harukani/index.html
For inquiries, please contact: Abashiri City Tourism Association
TEL：0152-44-5849

Final thoughts

As the drift ice moves offshore, the harsh winter comes to an end, and spring finally arrives in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the hairy crabs, blessed by the drift ice, are landed.

Starting with the "drift ice-removed hairy crab," which is at its peak when caught from the end of March to the end of April or early May, you can enjoy a variety of crabs in Abashiri, including snow crabs and golden crabs.

In this age where you can get seasonal flavors from all over the country through online shopping, the freshest is still best when it's locally sourced! Abashiri crabs are in season from spring to summer.
Please do visit Abashiri to enjoy some seasonal hairy crab.

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