When it comes to the joys of traveling to Hokkaido, besides enjoying the vast natural landscapes and beautiful scenery, many people would also say that eating delicious food is a major draw, wouldn't they?

Surrounded by the sea on all sides and blessed with abundant nature, Hokkaido offers a wealth of delicious cuisine throughout the four seasons. Winter, in particular, is a delightful season because of the abundance of fatty seafood that helps fish withstand the cold.

So, this time, we'll introduce five local Hokkaido soups that are perfect for warming you up on a cold winter day.

<Table of Contents>
1. Sanpei soup
2. Kajika soup
3. Pretend soup
4. Teppou-jiru (a type of soup)
5. Miso soup with cod
Final thoughts

When it comes to Hokkaido's representative seafood, salmon is undoubtedly the first thing that comes to mind. The salmon firmly held in the mouth of the wooden bear is a fish that returns to the river where it was born in the autumn to spawn.

Salmon caught during this season are delicious not only for the eggs inside the females' bellies, but also for the meat of the robustly built males.

Photo by Flickr: Sanpei soup is delicious. / se7en　

Speaking of local soups using salmon, there's Sanpei-jiru. It's often confused with Ishikari-nabe because it's made by simmering salmon and various other ingredients, but they are completely different dishes.

In contrast to Ishikari Nabe, which is seasoned with miso, Sanpei-jiru, which uses soy sauce to enhance the natural saltiness of the salmon, is a dish that allows you to enjoy the salmon's flavor even more.

Photo by Flickr: Kajika-jiru / y_ogagaga

The spiny sculpin, which is used in the sculpin soup we'll introduce next, is also a fish that comes to the shore in winter to spawn.

Its large mouth and spiky appearance might be a little intimidating, but it tastes amazing! Some people even go fishing in the cold weather just to catch this sculpin.

This sculpin soup is made by simmering chunks of sculpin meat, liver, and roe with vegetables in a miso-based broth.

Preparing a spiny sculpin can be difficult, but in winter, supermarkets and markets sell pre-cut sculpin that can be cooked as is, so there's no need to worry.

In winter, you might find it on the menu at restaurants that serve local cuisine, so if you see it, be sure to give it a try!

Incidentally, Kajika soup is also known as "pot-breaker." This nickname comes from the fact that it's so delicious that once you eat it, everyone will start poking at the pot and break it.

Photo by Flickr: Gokko-jiru / y_ogagaga

Along with the sculpin, the gokko is one of those fish that may not look appealing, but once you eat it, you'll be hooked.

Many people may not have heard of it, but it's a popular fish in Hokkaido, especially in the southern part of the island. "Gokko" is a local dialect term; its official name is Hoteiuo.

This fish is plump like a pufferfish, and is popular for its delicious, jiggly flesh, popping roe, and rich liver.

Like the sculpin we discussed earlier, this fish is difficult to prepare, so it's often sold as fillets in supermarkets.

In addition to its taste, it's also popular for its unique appearance, and shops in Hakodate's bay area that sell seafood even sell merchandise based on this game.

Crab is one of the most luxurious foods you'll want to eat or buy as a souvenir during your trip to Hokkaido. Especially in eastern Hokkaido, various types of crab are caught, allowing you to enjoy the different flavors of each.

One local soup dish that uses such delicious crab is called "Teppo-jiru." In other regions, this dish is often called crab soup, but in Hokkaido, it is called "Teppo-jiru" because the way of eating the crab by pecking at its legs resembles loading bullets into a "teppo" (gun).

Crab soup is a popular dish eaten in many regions where crabs are abundant, not just in Hokkaido. However, what makes Hokkaido's teppou-jiru special is the wide variety of crabs used as ingredients, including Hanasaki crab, king crab, snow crab, and hairy crab.

Photo by Flickr: Crab Soup / Tomotaka Nagata

This is Teppou-jiru, a soup dish featuring hairy crab. Unlike other crabs, hairy crabs are characterized by their short legs and plump bodies, and they have a lot of crab miso, so you can enjoy a rich flavor.

Furthermore, king crab meat is very sweet, and the combination of its sweetness and the saltiness of the broth is delicious, making it a popular choice. The appeal of Hokkaido's teppou-jiru lies in the fact that you can enjoy different flavors from each ingredient.

Lastly, I'd like to introduce Tachi Miso Soup. Tachi refers to cod milt, and along with cod eggs (tarako), it's a popular and delicious seafood delicacy.

As you can tell from the kanji characters for cod (魚) and snow (雪), cod is a fish that is in season during the winter. In Hokkaido households, they use the cod's tachi (intestinal lining) to make miso soup.

This miso soup often features only cod roe as an ingredient, with green onions added as a garnish, making it a simple dish that truly showcases the deliciousness of the cod roe.

Outside of Hokkaido, when people hear the word "tachi," they often think of the large milt of the Pacific cod.

Large, plump Pacific cod heads are considered a luxury ingredient even in Hokkaido. Many people might think, "It's a waste to use such an ingredient in miso soup!", but in Hokkaido households, the heads used in miso soup are often not from the expensive Pacific cod, but from the cheaper Alaska pollock.

It's smaller than the cod tachi, but the rich flavor is the same. It makes for a cheap and delicious miso soup.

We've introduced five delicious local soups that are perfect for warming you up in wintery Hokkaido. Did any of them catch your eye?

In winter in Hokkaido, there are plenty of warm dishes perfect for surviving the harsh winter, such as hot pot dishes using the ingredients we've introduced. If you're visiting Hokkaido during this time, be sure to enjoy some warm cuisine!

Please also check out these related articles.

• 

  Enjoy Tokachi wine with all your senses! Let's go to Ikeda Wine Castle!

• 

  A bear farm and hot springs are a major draw! Recommended sightseeing spots in Noboribetsu

• 

  I participated in a guided tour of the Shiretoko Five Lakes! [Shiretoko, a World Natural Heritage Site]

• 

  Winter at Lake Kussharo's Sunayu Hot Springs: Swans enjoying the hot springs.

• 

  Eight dressings packed with the delicious flavors of Hokkaido's land!

• 

  I want to tell everyone! Common things about Hakodate and Southern Hokkaido

• 

  A dignified atmosphere permeates the Trappistine Monastery!

• 

  Be moved by the cherry blossoms in Hokkaido! 8 popular cherry blossom viewing spots recommended by locals!

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