There are many things to enjoy when visiting Hokkaido, and one of them is surely choosing souvenirs.

When you go to airports or tourist spots, you'll find a wide variety of souvenirs that Hokkaido is proud of, and the sheer number and variety of sweets available is astonishing.
Trying out different products while sampling them, or searching for trendy or new items—those moments are fun and pass by in a flash, don't they?

In the Okhotsk region, there is also a seafood-flavored rice cracker called "Hogaja," which is a representative Hokkaido snack and is well-known for its "Ho" sound.

We would like to introduce you to Fukutaro Co., Ltd.'s Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory in Koshimizu Town, where delicious "hogaja" is made.

Table of contents
1. What kind of snack is the fritter rice cracker "Hogaja"?
2. Factory tours are also available! Fukutaro Co., Ltd. Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory
3. Amazed by the artistic factory!
4. A must-see! Fukutaro's delicious food and "Menbei"
5. The Birth Story of "Hogaja"
Final thoughts

"Hogaja" is a crispy rice cracker packed with the delicious flavors of Hokkaido, featuring a rich seafood taste, and made with potato starch from Koshimizu Town, Hokkaido.

Currently, there are three flavors available: "Scallop," which has a scallop base with a hint of spiciness; "Cheese," which uses plenty of cheese made from fresh milk produced in Hokkaido; and "Bacon & Salmon," which is slightly spicy and uses charcoal-grilled bacon from Tonden Farm in Ebetsu City, Hokkaido, and salmon from Hokkaido. All of them are irresistibly delicious.

Fukutaro Co., Ltd.'s Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory is located along National Route 244, one of the main roads essential for touring eastern Hokkaido, which connects Abashiri and Shiretoko.

This region, which boasts popular tourist spots such as the Koshimizu Wildflower Garden and Lake Tofutsu, as well as the majestic Mt. Shari, is one of Japan's leading producers of potato starch, the raw material for "Hogaja."

This charming building, which utilizes the former school building of an abandoned elementary school, is the Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory of Fukutaro Co., Ltd., and the facility has been designed with several features to entertain visitors.

One of the attractions is a factory tour where you can see part of the manufacturing process of "Hogaja"!
No matter how old you are, factory tours are always exciting, aren't they?

Photography is generally prohibited inside the factory. (We received special permission to take photos this time.)

Although it's not included in the tour area, the place where the "hogaja" is baked is the old gymnasium, and part of the process starting from there is open to the public.

In the factory, where up to 200,000 rice crackers are produced per day during peak season, precise machinery operates efficiently according to the process, and staff members carefully explain the role of each machine and the production process.

Upon entering Fukutaro Co., Ltd.'s Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory, you'll be amazed by the artistic space.

Colorful paintings are displayed throughout the facility, making you momentarily forget that this is a confectionery factory.

The artwork beautifully depicts local nature, including the Ezo deer, a representative animal of Hokkaido, potatoes, a specialty product of Koshimizu Town, and creatures that live in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

This painting was created out of consideration for the children who were saddened by the loss of their alma mater when Yamaguchi Aburaya Fukutaro Co., Ltd. took over the school building.

This artwork, called "codomono art," is based on original drawings freely created by the last students of the former Hokuyo Elementary School, which were then colored by a designer. It is filled with cherished memories.

The facility, which is open to locals and tourists alike with the message "Please come anytime," has an eat-in space and offers free coffee and tea, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

As part of our accessibility measures, we have ramps at the entrance and wheelchairs are also available.

In addition to "Hogaja," the shop inside the facility offers other delicious items and great deals that you can only find at our directly managed store!

Released in April 2016, "Cheese-in Puff" is a bite-sized treat with a crispy coating made with Camembert cheese and filled with rich cheese cream, making it an irresistible treat for cheese lovers.
The cod roe powder on top gives it a slightly spicy kick, making it a great accompaniment to alcoholic beverages.

Many people love furikake (rice seasoning) and would say that they could eat countless bowls of hot white rice with just furikake on it!

For those who love furikake (rice seasoning), we recommend "Hogaja Furikake," which has a seafood flavor.
This spicy, fish-based furikake (rice seasoning) has a great texture thanks to the "hogaja" (a type of dried fish), making it so delicious you won't be able to stop eating it.

For those who want to try all three flavors of "Hogaja," there's a delightful assortment containing four bags of each flavor, and its elegant packaging makes it perfect as a gift.

Get a great deal on "Value Pack Broken Rice Crackers," a product only available at the factory! They are sold at special factory prices.
If you're a fan of "Hogaja," this value pack, which lets you eat as much as you like from the bag, is sure to be a welcome treat.

In addition to Fukutaro's popular mentaiko (spicy cod roe), the store also stocks Hakata souvenirs such as "Menbei" crackers, mentaiko-flavored snacks, mayonnaise, furikake (rice seasoning), and local Kyushu delicacies.

The factory also offers unique products such as straps and stationery featuring Hogaja-kun, the PR manager of Hogaja, and Menbei-kun, the leader of the spicy mentaiko-flavored Menbei cheering squad.

The catalyst for the establishment of Fukutaro Co., Ltd.'s Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory by Yamaguchi Aburaya Fukutaro Co., Ltd., a long-established Hakata company founded in 42 and famous for its production of mentaiko (spicy cod roe), was the crisis of a poor potato starch harvest in 2010.

Around the time that "Menbei," a mentaiko-flavored snack, became a huge hit as a souvenir from Hakata, there was a shortage of potato starch, the main ingredient, and the supply couldn't keep up with demand.

At that time, the company's president, Takeshi Yamaguchi, learned about Koshimizu Town's attempt to set a Guinness World Record with its "giant starch dumplings" on the radio. As he began negotiations to establish a contract with them as a new supplier, he decided to build a processing plant in the production area.

Then, they took over the former Hokuyo Elementary School building, and in 2013 it became "Fukutaro Co., Ltd. Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory," and the production and sale of "Hogaja" began.

Hogaja, a snack that originated in Koshimizu Town, Hokkaido, was born through a twist of fate, coming all the way from Kyushu in the south. Now, as a fritter-style rice cracker, it has become one of Hokkaido's representative sweets, originating from the Okhotsk region.

Located amidst the magnificent natural surroundings of the sea, mountains, and lakes, Fukutaro Co., Ltd.'s Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory is a factory filled with fun and deliciousness, where events are also held.

It's a place you can easily drop by, so why not add it to your Okhotsk sightseeing plans?

Fukutaro Co., Ltd. Koshimizu Hokuyo Factory
URL:http://www.hogaja.com/
(Online shop available)
Telephone number: 0152-63-4141
Address: 304-1 Hamakoshimizu, Koshimizu-cho, Shari-gun, Hokkaido 099-3452, Japan
Access: Approximately 50 minutes by car from Memanbetsu Airport
Business hours: 10:00 - 16:00
Closed days: Obon (Buddhist festival) and New Year holidays (Factory operations are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
[About factory tours]
Fee: Free
For group inquiries, please contact us by phone.

Please also check out these related articles.

• 

  Kitami's new specialty! Premium chocolate mint ice cream

• 

  Recommended as a souvenir! We tried and compared 10 different types of instant noodles from Hokkaido!

• 

  Experience a sunset cruise on the Kushiro sightseeing cruise ship, Sea Crane!

• 

  Japan's northernmost sake brewery, Kunimare Sake Brewery in Mashike | A journey through Hokkaido's finest sake

• 

  [Kitami Sightseeing] 9 Recommended Tourist Spots in Kitami + Hot Springs & Gourmet Food!

• 

  Five long-established mochi shops beloved by Hakodate residents [Nostalgic tastes of Hakodate]

• 

  Absolutely amazing! Top 10 best spots and routes for touring Eastern Hokkaido

• 

  How to enjoy Sapporo Art Park | Enjoy the rich nature and art

Introducing our sister site (please check it out if you're interested)