Otaru is one of Hokkaido's leading tourist destinations, and it's famous for its seafood and sushi made with fresh ingredients from the sea. But when it comes to actually going there, it can be hard to know where to go and have the best experience. So this time, we've carefully selected two restaurants in Otaru that are guaranteed to be fantastic, so please use this as a reference for your trip to Otaru!

1. The fish is simply delicious! A restaurant run by fishermen, Minshuku Aotsuka Shokudo

2. When you think of Otaru, you think of sushi. Ise Sushi is a renowned sushi restaurant with one Michelin star!

1. Minshuku Aotsuka Shokudo

Let's start with a restaurant where you can fully enjoy the deliciousness of Hokkaido's fish.

Here, grilled right in front of the Aotsuka Shokudo restaurant, is herring, a fish unique to Hokkaido.

Many of you probably thought, "So this is what a herring looks like!" It's quite large, about twice the width of the proprietress's face (no offense!).
You may have seen herring in dishes like "herring soba" or "dried herring," but here you can enjoy herring that has just been caught. The biggest attraction of Aotsuka Shokudo is that you can enjoy plenty of Hokkaido's unique fish and seafood bowls!

This is the exterior of the shop. The fishing port is right across the street.

At the entrance of the shop, an older woman is grilling squid, scallops, and the high-class fish, Hakkaku, filling the air with a wonderful aroma.

·cuisine

First up, the Atka mackerel set meal special, 1,836 yen.
Incidentally, the special set meal includes the main seafood dish, sashimi (there is also a regular set meal without sashimi), salted squid, Matsumae-zuke pickles, miso soup with scallops, and rice.

The Atka mackerel served freshly grilled in the shop is different from what you'd find at an izakaya; it's lightly seasoned, allowing you to truly appreciate the freshness of the mackerel. It's the thickest and fluffiest I've ever tasted, and the texture is simply irresistible.

Next up is the sashimi set meal, where you can enjoy fresh seafood, for 1,944 yen.

The lineup includes Hokkaido specialties such as whelk, scallops, spot prawns, and Atka mackerel sashimi (center).
The plump spot prawns were fantastic, and the miso in their heads was superb.

And here it is, freshly grilled herring set meal special, 1,836 yen.
The dried, preserved herring that usually comes to mind is not the typical herring you might imagine, but fresh, just-caught herring that has an overwhelming presence.
This is truly the signature dish that you should order if you're going to Aotsuka Shokudo!
As for the taste, please experience it for yourself when you visit!

·menu

Below is the menu as of November 2014. Please click on the photo if you would like to see more details.

<Herring Menu>

<Sashimi Menu>

<Seafood Menu>

<Set meal menu>

<Seafood rice bowl and other menu items>

<Noodle and other menu items>

↑↑ Even if you're not a big fan of fish or have small children with you, there's no need to worry as we have soba, udon, ramen, and rice balls on the menu.

*Please note that prices and other details may change.

This is the proprietress of Aotsuka Shokudo. The proprietress has a wonderful smile, and many of the staff members were also very kind, making our meal very enjoyable!

By the way, it gets very crowded during the summer season and lunchtimes on holidays, so it's recommended to make a reservation in advance!

As the name "minshuku" (guesthouse) suggests, you can also stay overnight. A one-night stay with two meals starts from around 10,000 yen, making it ideal for those who want to relax and enjoy food and drinks. For more details, please visit the website.

Aotsuka Inn Restaurant

3-210 Shukutsu, Otaru City TEL 0134-22-8034
It's about a 20-minute drive from Otaru Station and about a 100-minute drive from Chitose Airport (using the expressway).
Parking: Available (Free parking at nearby parking lots with a meal purchase)
website　http://www2.odn.ne.jp/aotuka/

2. Ise Sushi

Next up is Otaru's famous sushi! The reason I'm recommending "Ise Sushi" out of all the restaurants is because when I asked the proprietress of Aotsuka Shokudo (mentioned earlier) for her recommendation of a sushi restaurant in Otaru, she told me, "Whenever I eat sushi, I always go here." If someone who runs a good restaurant says so, it must be good.

Ise Sushi is a restaurant located a 10-minute walk from Otaru Station, near the old-fashioned "Otaru Central Market."

Established 40 years ago, this is one of only two sushi restaurants in Otaru City to be featured in the "Hokkaido Michelin Guide"—it's truly exciting!
It's a popular restaurant, so please make a reservation in advance if you plan to go.

First of all, regarding the budget, the nigiri sets start from 3,000 yen for the standard 10 pieces of "Gin" sushi, and 6,300 yen for 16 pieces of "Jun" sushi featuring seasonal, carefully selected ingredients (both include soup), which are surprisingly reasonable prices for a sushi restaurant.

·cuisine

First, a drink with some appetizers. Salted squid and jellyfish with seaweed. Just like at Aotsuka Shokudo earlier, the salted squid at restaurants that serve delicious fish is amazing! And the jellyfish with seaweed is also a great accompaniment to drinks.

From the side menu, we recommend the "Tachiponzu" (cod milt with ponzu sauce) (860 yen).
The exquisite creaminess is simply irresistible.

Next up is the sashimi platter (for one person), 2,800 yen.
The tenderness of the fresh whelk was a first for me! It really made me realize how delicious the fish from Hokkaido is.

And here is the Dai (大), a 12-piece sushi set featuring only seasonal ingredients from Hokkaido, priced at 3,900 yen.
The topic for today is
From top left: Saffron cod roe, salmon roe, sea urchin, octopus, mantis shrimp, snow crab
From bottom left: scallop, surf clam, spot prawn, Atka mackerel, Tokishirazu salmon, flounder
Each of these nigiri sushi pieces is prepared with extra care, so you can enjoy them as they are without soy sauce.
By not adding too much soy sauce, the flavor of the fish comes through more gently.

Sea urchin and salmon roe.
Natural red, translucent salmon roe. When you apply just the right amount of pressure in your mouth, the salty aroma of the salmon roe fills your mouth.

A chilled steamed egg custard topped with salmon roe. It has a light and elegant flavor.

The bowl comes with the sushi.

Including drinks and side dishes, you can thoroughly enjoy yourself with a budget of around 6,000 to 10,000 yen per person.
Being able to enjoy authentic sushi at this price is incredibly good value for money.

·inside of shop

The restaurant is divided into three areas: table seating, counter seating where chefs prepare the sushi in front of you, and counter seating where the head chef prepares the sushi. This is the counter where the head chef prepares the sushi.

Also, regarding the interior of the shop and the atmosphere of the staff at Ise Sushi...websiteIf you take a look at this, you'll get a good sense of the atmosphere.

By the way, the staff are all very kind, so even if you don't have much experience eating sushi, you don't need to worry.
I had a wonderful time enjoying some incredibly delicious sushi!

Ise sushi

3-15-3 Inaho, Otaru City TEL 0134-23-1425
It's about a 10-minute walk from Otaru Station, and about a 100-minute drive from Chitose Airport (using the expressway).
Parking: Yes
website　http://www.isezushi.com/

Above, I've introduced two restaurants that I highly recommend visiting if you're going to Otaru. If you're interested or your appetite has been whetted, I hope you'll actually go and experience them for yourself!

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