Hokkaido is also known as the Kingdom of Sweets.
Airports and train stations are overflowing with all sorts of sweets!

And people from Hokkaido also love sweets.
Local television programs and local magazines feature sweets throughout the year.
However, there's another trend in Hokkaido sweets.
It's a Hokkaido-exclusive snack sold in supermarkets.

For people living in Hokkaido, this might be considered a soul food.
This time, I'll be introducing some snacks sold at local supermarkets in Hokkaido.

The snack I'm introducing today is so popular in Hokkaido that I suspect many Hokkaido residents mistakenly believe it's available in supermarkets nationwide.

<Table of Contents>
1. Salted A-shaped fried biscuits
2. Vitamin Castella
3. Japan's No. 1 Kibi Dango
4. Amesen
Summary

First up is "Shio A-ji Fry Biscuits," which you can find in almost every supermarket in Hokkaido.
This is a long-selling confectionary that has been on the market for 60 years.

The biscuits are shaped like letters of the alphabet.

However, I've never heard of anyone using these phrases to study English.
Before that, there's the question of whether they have all the letters from A to Z, but people in Hokkaido don't seem to care.
It has a somewhat stylish feel to it, so I like it.

As for the taste, although it's called "shioaji" (salt flavor), it's not actually salty.
Rather, the main flavor is a light sweetness, with only a hint of saltiness.

Its perfectly balanced flavor is truly irresistible, and it's popular with people of all ages.
And each biscuit is small enough to pop into your mouth without any fuss.
Be careful, because if you're not careful, the bag will be empty in no time!

The packaging is very simple compared to other sweets, but it's a great item to recommend as a casual souvenir for travelers.

[Product information]
"Salted A-shaped fried biscuits"
Standard price: 238 yen (tax included)
Inquiries: 011-231-0127 (Saka Biscuit Headquarters)

This is another snack that you can find in every local supermarket throughout Hokkaido.
Besides supermarkets, you can often find them in the snack section of convenience stores.
This candy has actually been on the market for over 90 years!

If you live in Hokkaido, everyone from children to the elderly knows this snack!
The name comes from the fact that at the time of development, vitamins B1 and B2, which were often deficient in people's diets, were added before the product was released.

While typical castella cakes are moist and heavy, this one has a light texture.
Let's try cutting it with a knife.

It's not very moist and is a bit dry.
When you eat it, it has a texture similar to sweet bread, but it definitely tastes like castella cake.
Why is it so dry?

Apparently, it was developed to have a longer shelf life.

It has a slightly dry texture, but it pairs perfectly with tea or coffee.
They are usually sold in packs of five at local supermarkets.
Although it looks like a cheap candy, it's often sold individually in the Japanese sweets section of convenience stores.

Incidentally, in my experience, when I bought it as a souvenir from Hokkaido, it was quite well-received.
They're not too expensive and are the perfect size for a light snack, so they might be just right as a souvenir to hand out to colleagues at work!

[Product information]
"Vitamin Castella"
Standard price: 86 yen per bottle (tax included), 432 yen for a pack of 5 (tax included)
Inquiries: 0166-23-4950 (Takahashi Confectionery Co., Ltd.)

This one might be fairly well-known: Kibi-dango from Hokkaido.

This one also boasts a history of over 90 years. It could be considered a soul food for the people of Hokkaido.

Hokkaido's "kibidango" does not use millet. The main ingredients are malt syrup, sugar, sweet bean paste, and glutinous rice.
The glutinous rice and red bean paste are blended together, giving it a unique weight and flavor when you bite into it.

Its traditional rich sweetness and chewy texture provide a high level of satiety, and in recent years it has been gaining attention as emergency food.

The traditional size is slightly smaller than a chocolate bar, but bite-sized versions are also available for easy consumption.
These are also commonly sold individually at supermarkets and convenience stores.

[Product information]
Japan's No. 1 Kibi Dango (Tanida Confectionery)
Standard price: 120 yen per stick (excluding tax), bite-sized kibi dango (millet dumplings) - 420 yen per bag (excluding tax)
Inquiries: 0123-72-1234 (Tanida Confectionery)
home page:http://www.kibidango.co.jp/

Japan's No. 1 Kibi Dango (Tengudo Takarabune)
Standard price: 40 yen per piece (tax included) Original bite-sized kibi dango: 300 yen per bag (excluding tax)
For inquiries: 0138-66-3200
home page:http://www.tengudou.co.jp/index.html

Finally, I'll introduce some sweets that are mainly sold in the central and southern areas of Hokkaido.

This is a type of Nanbu senbei cracker, mainly sold in the Tohoku region, with a layer of starch syrup sandwiched inside.

The light-tasting, crispy Nanbu senbei crackers paired with the rich syrup create a surprisingly delicious combination that will surely leave you hooked after just one bite.
Of all the sweets I've introduced today, this one is the least likely to come across.

Since it's a winter-only product and mostly made in small shops, you might not find it in major supermarkets or convenience stores throughout Hokkaido.
Actually, you're more likely to find them in local shops, like roadside rest areas.

You might not come across it often, but it's my personal favorite local snack, so if you're visiting Hokkaido in the fall or winter, be sure to look for it!

[Product information]
*Price is approximately 120 yen for each pack containing 2 pieces.

"Delicious Candy Crackers" (Kyowa Confectionery, Tomakomai)
For inquiries: 0144-73-5767

"Nakayoshi Amesen" (Sapporo, Takeda Confectionery)
For inquiries: 011-761-4669
home page:http://www.takedaseika.jp/

Summary

What did you think?
This time, I've introduced some classic snacks that you can find in supermarkets throughout Hokkaido.

When I was a child, there were many more Hokkaido-specific sweets such as "Furuya Winter Caramel" and "Bambi Caramel," but with the development of logistics, they lost out to competition from major confectionery manufacturers that had expanded nationwide and eventually disappeared.

All of the sweets I've introduced here are truly exceptional, and I confidently recommend them as souvenirs from Hokkaido!

These sweets are rarely found in tourist souvenir shops, but at New Chitose Airport,Marui Imai Kita KitchenYou can buy it at [website name], so please look for it!

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