Winter is the perfect time to visit Hokkaido! January's must-see destinations in Hokkaido! - Part 3 Hokkaido Lab ~A comprehensive Hokkaido travel guide to enjoy gourmet food, nature, and culture~

Winter offers plenty of attractions to visit! Hokkaido travel in January: Highlights!

: Post

: Last updated: September 12, 2018

Table of contents

3. Hokkaido specialties you'll want to eat in January!

　3-1. Bluefin tuna from Toi, Hakodate

　3-2. Sea urchins from Shiretoko Rausu

3. Hokkaido specialties you'll want to eat in January!

3-1. Bluefin tuna from Toi, Hakodate

The tuna fishing season in Aomori and Hakodate begins around September, and the final fishing season is in January.

Hokkaido trip in January Image source: Hakodate Tourism Photo Library

Some restaurants offer the opportunity to savor the freshest Toi tuna as part of the season's culinary offerings.
This is the only time you can eat what is considered the finest tuna in Japan.

We invite you to try the finest tuna from Hakodate, known for its plump, fatty medium-fatty tuna and melt-in-your-mouth, extra-fatty tuna. Only the largest tuna, weighing around 300 kg, are said to be caught here.

3-2. Sea urchins from Shiretoko Rausu

In Hokkaido, you can eat sea urchins somewhere in the region all year round.
While the Shakotan Peninsula is particularly famous for its sea urchins in the summer, the Ezo sea urchins from Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula are even more popular for their intense flavor.

Hokkaido trip in January Image source: photolibrary

Many people praise it as tastier than the purple sea urchin commonly found in the market.
Among them, sea urchins that feed on the finest Rausu kelp in Japan are bound to be delicious.
Winter is the peak season for sea urchins in the eastern Hokkaido region, so it's definitely worth making the trip to try them.

Rausu Fishing Port in Winter While the ports on the Okhotsk Sea side are closed off by drift ice, Rausu is a place where fishing is possible even in winter, offering exquisite winter delicacies.