The people of Hokkaido, a gourmet kingdom, have a keen eye for delicious food.
Whenever I go to Sapporo, I always stop by the food hall in the basement of a department store to look for delicious food.

Furthermore, thanks to the recent boom in department store basement food halls, many tourists from both within Japan and overseas visit Sapporo's department store basements. Sapporo's department store basements have now become a major tourist attraction representing Hokkaido!

So, this time, we'd like to introduce some department store basement food halls unique to Hokkaido that we recommend for travelers!

*This information is current as of January 2016.

Table of contents
1. Daimaru Sapporo Store "Hoppe Town"
2. JR TOWER Sapporo ESTA
3. Sapporo Tokyu Department Store "Tokyu Food Show"
4. Marui Imai Odori Building B1, B2
5. Marui Imai Kita Kitchen
6. Sapporo Mitsukoshi B1, B2
Summary

Daimaru Sapporo store is directly connected to JR Sapporo Station.

Opened in 2003, it's Sapporo's newest department store, but it has now become a familiar sight to the city's residents.

Kinotoya Cafe

Kinotoya is well-known for its "Sapporo Agricultural College" milk cookies, a classic souvenir from Hokkaido.
This sweets shop is incredibly popular even in Sapporo, where it's based, but its cheese tarts, in particular, are among the most popular items at New Chitose Airport, and there's always a line of local fans waiting to buy them.

This is a scene from the Daimaru store. Just looking at the colorful cakes makes you happy!

There's a Kinotoya cafe in Daimaru department store. It's right next to the cake section.

Because it's a popular spot, you often have to wait, but it's definitely worth a visit for any coffee lover.
A dessert set (with coffee or tea) is 1,200 yen (excluding tax), and the Friday-only all-you-can-eat menu "Kinotoya Sweets Festa" is 1,600 yen (excluding tax) with unlimited refills of coffee or tea.

Chino Rice Shop

This is a shop specializing in Hokkaido rice.

In the pioneering days, it was said that rice cultivation was impossible in Hokkaido, but thanks to the long-term efforts of producers, Hokkaido rice is now just as delicious as rice from the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions!
Here, we carry popular brands like "Nanatsuboshi" and "Yumepirika," as well as the hard-to-find regional rice "Fukkurinko," and many other renowned brands.

This stylishly packaged rice in a convenient size makes a great gift for anyone who loves cooking!
From 486 yen (tax included) for 300g (2 cups).

[Store Information: Daimaru Sapporo Store]
Opening hours 10: 00 to 20: 00
Access: 1-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station
Phone: 011-828-1111
home page:http://www.daimaru.co.jp/sapporo/

Sapporo ESTA, located on the 10th floor, is home to "Sapporo Ramen Republic," a restaurant known to all ramen lovers in Hokkaido.
This isn't a department store, but a fashion building, and it's a must-see spot in the Sapporo Station area, so I wanted to introduce it!

The basement food hall in this department store is also popular with the locals. The prepared food section, in particular, is always crowded, but the one I would recommend this time is "Umeya".

梅屋

A long-established sweets shop with its main store in Asahikawa.

The cream puffs here have received incredibly high ratings on gourmet ranking websites.
In the Sapporo area, this is the only department store where they have a store, along with Marui Imai. They do not have a store at New Chitose Airport.

The exquisite combination of crisp pastry and smooth cream makes this a treat you'll never forget after just one bite.
Since it's a fresh pastry, it has a short shelf life, but if you love cream puffs, please give it a try!

Cream puffs: 108 yen (tax included)

Morimoto

Morimoto, a representative sweets shop in Chitose City famous for its tomato jelly, also has a store at ESTA.
Morimoto is actually known locally for its delicious bread!

This is the only place in the Sapporo Station to Odori area where you can buy Morimoto bread.

[Store Information: Sapporo ESTA]
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 21:00 PM (may vary by store)
Access: Directly connected to JR Sapporo Station
電話：011-213-2111　10:00～21:00、日・祝は10:00～20:00
home page:http://www.sapporo-esta.jp/

Sapporo Tokyu is located a little distance from JR Sapporo Station, so its basement food hall has a quieter atmosphere compared to Daimaru and ESTA.
Furthermore, given that many of the stores are part of a nationwide chain, it seems they have a strong focus on creating stores that appeal to local communities.

However, because of its spacious layout compared to other department stores, you can take your time browsing for souvenirs. It's highly recommended for those who want to relax and take their time!

Rokkatei

My personal recommendation is Rokkatei. As you can see from the photos, the interior is spacious and comfortable.

One of the most popular items at Rokkatei is the "Goyousha Dorayaki"!
These are limited-edition items with a shelf life of only one day. They often sell out by lunchtime.

The fluffy dough and light, translucent red bean paste filling of this dorayaki is a taste that only Rokkatei, which excels at bringing out the best in its ingredients, can offer.

Please forgive me. Dorayaki 130 yen (tax included)

[Store Information: Sapporo Tokyu Department Store]
Hours: 10: 00 ~ 20: 00
Access: 3-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station South Exit, 2-minute walk from Sapporo Station on the Namboku Subway Line, 1-minute walk from Sapporo Station on the Toho Subway Line.
Phone: 011-212-2211
home page:http://www.tokyu-dept.co.jp/sapporo/

This is Marui Imai, a local department store in Hokkaido, affectionately known as "Marui-san."
This food section spans two floors. B1 is the prepared food and fresh food section, and B2 is the sweets, bread, and alcohol section. It features not only nationwide chain stores but also a wide selection of famous Hokkaido shops.

Benbeya

Benbeya is a Western-style confectionery shop known only to those in the know.
This is an authentic sweets shop with its main store located in Teine Ward, Sapporo City.

These sweets, made with ingredients sourced from Hokkaido, have many fans not only in Sapporo but throughout Hokkaido.
It's a very popular store with a great reputation, but it has only a few locations, and its only store in a department store is Marui Imai.

Furthermore, since it cannot be purchased at New Chitose Airport, it is a very rare sweet as a souvenir from Sapporo.
Macarons and baked goods are popular because they are reasonably priced.

This is highly recommended for repeat travelers and those looking for Hokkaido sweets that are a little different from the usual!
Baked goods start from 120 yen (excluding tax), macarons from 200 yen (excluding tax).

Okome, the farmer's son

This is a deli item from "Nouka no Musuko," a popular Italian restaurant that originated in Maruyama Park, Sapporo.

This store is also a shop exclusive to Marui Imai.
We pride ourselves on our Japanese side dishes made with carefully selected ingredients from Hokkaido!

The side dishes, which bring out the best of the ingredients, and the well-balanced lineup are sure to be a joy to look at!

Lemon Bakery

Next up is "Lemon Bakery." (Note: The shop's name has now changed to Shirokuma Bakery.)

Our sandwiches, made with bread baked using locally sourced organic wheat flour from Hokkaido, offer both delicious taste and safety.
The fruit sandwich is a popular menu item, but of course, we also recommend our other sandwiches.

The quantity and price are reasonable, so why not buy it as a late-night snack?

Salmon avocado sandwich: 371 yen (tax included).

[Store Information: Marui Imai Odori Building]
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00-20:00, Sunday 10:00-19:30
Access: Directly connected to Odori Subway Station
Phone: 011-205-1151
home page:http://www.marui-imai.jp/sapporo/s_top/index.html/

5. Marui Imai Kita Kitchen

Marui Imai has a food select shop that gathers specialty products from all over Hokkaido.
Its name is "Kita Kitchen".

Since they also have a store at New Chitose Airport, I think many people are familiar with the name.
"Kita Kitchen" is located next to the Marui Imai Odori store.

Actually, people from Hokkaido love Hokkaido's local products even more than tourists do!
Therefore, this "Kita Kitchen" is always crowded, and there are often long lines in front of the cash register.

Moreover, this shop's lineup is highly recommended by locals!
It might be a good idea to take a look around while you're doing some souvenir shopping at New Chitose Airport!

[Store Information: Marui Imai Kita Kitchen]
Hours: 10: 00 ~ 20: 00
Access: Directly connected to Odori Subway Station
Phone: 011-205-1151
home page:http://www.marui-imai.jp/sapporo/s_top/index.html/

6. Sapporo Mitsukoshi B1, B2

The last department store I'll introduce is Mitsukoshi.
Sapporo Mitsukoshi has a long history; it opened in 1932.

Therefore, it can be said that this department store knows the tastes of Hokkaido residents inside and out!
B1 is the prepared food, fresh food, and alcohol section, and B2 is the sweets and bread section.

Komugi, the farmer's son

This is a sister store to "Nouka no Musuko Okome," which has a shop in Marui Imai!
This place mainly serves Western-style deli food.
This shop also prides itself on its side dishes made with ingredients sourced from Hokkaido.

Sapporo's department stores have many delis provided by famous restaurants throughout Japan, but if you're looking to try some Hokkaido-style side dishes, I highly recommend you give these a try!
For those who find the individual prices a bit steep, we also offer trial sets!

Komugi Trial Set: 540 yen (tax included)

It's a small portion, but the taste is very satisfying!

桂新堂

This isn't a confectionery shop with its main store in Hokkaido, but I'd like to introduce it to you today.

This store opened in 2015 during the renovation of the Mitsukoshi department store's basement food hall.
This is the first Sapporo location for this Nagoya-based shop, and they carry "Amaebi Fry," a Hokkaido-exclusive snack. It's an authentic shrimp cracker made with sweet shrimp from Hokkaido!

Since the success of Kitakaro's "Kaitaku Okaki" rice crackers, salty souvenirs have become more common, and this one is also a great souvenir that's typical of Hokkaido!

Hokkaido Limited Edition Sweet Shrimp Fry (10 bags) ¥1,080 (tax included)

Tanaka Seika

This is Tanaka Seika, a pickle shop in Rumoi City.

Herring pickles, a traditional Hokkaido food, can be found in most supermarkets throughout Hokkaido, but the herring pickles from this shop are exceptional.

The exquisite balance of umami and acidity from the herring and vegetables captivated even me, someone who doesn't usually eat pickles!
Their other pickles are also by far the best among the pickle shops that have branches in Sapporo's department stores!

Yanshu Pickled Herring 500g 1,080 yen (tax included)
(Available for purchase in 100g units at Mitsukoshi direct stores)

This store only has locations here at Sapporo Mitsukoshi and at ESTA. It is unlikely you will find it at New Chitose Airport.
It seems they'll even let you sample their products if you ask, so if you're a pickle lover, be sure to visit Tanaka Seika!

[Store Information: Sapporo Mitsukoshi]
営業時間：10:00～19:00、本館2FからB2および北館・・・10:00～19:30
Access: Directly connected to Odori Subway Station
Inquiries: 011-271-3311
home page:http://mitsukoshi.mistore.jp/store/sapporo/index.html

Summary

The above is a list of recommended food stalls in Sapporo's department store basements. However, this time I deliberately excluded most of the major, well-known stores in Hokkaido that have branches in every department store, and instead selected these based on my own personal judgment.

While it's convenient and fun to choose and buy souvenirs at the airport during your Hokkaido trip, there's also the joy of discovering local favorite foods in the basement food halls of department stores!
Sapporo's department stores, in particular, each have a distinct character. It might be interesting to visit each store and compare the differences.
How about taking some time to browse the basement food halls of department stores on your next trip to Hokkaido?

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