A Culinary Journey Through Rural Eastern Hokkaido

TL;DR: Eastern Hokkaido is Japan's most remote and least visited region, offering some of the freshest food in the country. This seven-stop route covers interactive seafood bowls at Kushiro Washo Market, morning-churned dairy at Lake Akan, spiritual Ainu cuisine, authentic seafood ramen in Teshikaga, Michelin-rated tonkotsu in Utoro, local izakaya fare in Koshimizu, and airport soup curry in Memanbetsu.

Welcome to the rural Hokkaido series. When planning a trip to Japan, many travelers focus their itineraries on the well-trodden paths of the major southern and central cities. However, rural Eastern Hokkaido stands as Japan's least visited and most remote region. Despite its low visitor numbers, it is possibly the freshest region in the country when it comes to regional ingredients and culinary traditions. To highlight what this area has to offer, I documented a seven-stop food route that spans across the eastern side of the island. This route covers everything from interactive market meals and morning-churned dairy to Michelin-rated noodles and traditional indigenous cuisine.

Stop 1: Kushiro Washo Market

The first destination on this food route brings us to Kushiro Washo Market. When visiting this market, the specific meal to seek out is known as Kattedon. Rather than ordering a standard, pre-assembled dish from a static menu, Kattedon is an interactive dining experience that you build yourself as you navigate the market floor. The process of assembling your meal is straightforward and allows you to customize your food based on the daily catch.

• Step 1: Rice Purchase – The meal begins when you buy a bowl of plain rice from a designated vendor.
• Step 2: Market Exploration – With your rice bowl in hand, you walk the stalls of the market to inspect the available seafood.
• Step 3: Topping Selection – As you explore the different vendors, you add specific portions of seafood directly to your bowl. The market offers a wide variety of options, allowing you to add uni, ikura, and scallop to your rice.

This method of dining ensures that you are selecting the exact pieces of seafood you want to eat, creating a customized bowl that reflects the offerings of Kushiro Washo Market on that specific day.

Stop 2: Lake Akan

Moving on from the coastal market, the route takes us to Lake Akan. Here, the culinary focus shifts from fresh seafood to fresh dairy. Hokkaido is widely recognized for its dairy production, and this stop highlights that reputation perfectly. The item to try at Lake Akan is the Akanbe soft serve.

The defining characteristic of this soft serve is its immediate freshness. The milk used to create the Akanbe soft serve is churned the exact same morning it is served. Furthermore, this milk is sourced directly from the dairy cows at Watanabi Ranch. Eating soft serve made from morning-churned Watanabi Ranch milk provides a direct taste of the region's agricultural output, offering a dairy experience that is tied directly to the local farms.

Stop 3: Ainu Kotan

While visiting the Lake Akan area, you can also explore the Ainu Kotan. This stop provides an opportunity to try traditional Ainu food and learn about the indigenous culture of the region. The culinary philosophy here is deeply rooted in the environment and the history of the Ainu people.

When you eat traditional Ainu food, you learn about a cuisine that blurs the line between food survival and the spiritual. The meals reflect a deep connection to the land and the necessities of surviving in the remote, northern climate of rural Hokkaido. It is a distinct culinary experience that goes beyond simply eating a meal, offering insight into the spiritual relationship the Ainu people have with their food sources and the natural world around them.

Stop 4: Teshikaga Town

The fourth stop addresses a common error made by travelers seeking regional ramen in Hokkaido. A frequent mistake tourists make is eating miso ramen at Teshikaga Sapporo. To experience the authentic dish as it was intended, you need to visit the original location in Teshikaga Town.

The ramen served at the original Teshikaga Town location is built on a highly specific and localized flavor profile that differs from the standard miso base found elsewhere.

• The Broth Base – The foundation of the soup is an umami broth made with Okhotsk seafood.
• The Seasoning – Over this seafood broth, they use a soy sauce that is pressed by the local fishery co-op.

Combining the Okhotsk seafood umami broth with the fishery co-op soy sauce creates a bowl of ramen that is entirely tied to the local maritime resources of Eastern Hokkaido. It is a distinct style of ramen that highlights the regional ingredients of the area.

Stop 5: Utoro

Continuing the route, we arrive in Utoro. This location highlights how high-level culinary execution can be found in the most remote parts of Japan. Utoro is a small village with a population of only 4,000 people.

Despite its small size and remote location, the village is home to Namishuki. Namishuki runs a Michelin-rated tonkotsu restaurant. Finding a Michelin-listed tonkotsu establishment in a village of only 4,000 residents underscores the depth of the food culture in rural Eastern Hokkaido. It proves that you do not need to be in a major metropolitan center to find internationally recognized, highly rated dining options during your travels.

Stop 6: Koshimizu

The sixth stop brings us to Koshimizu, a town that is famous for its potato farming. Here, the destination is Izakaya Okukuro. This izakaya serves a menu that perfectly complements the agricultural strengths of the town, providing a warm and inviting atmosphere to enjoy local fare.

When visiting Izakaya Okukuro, there are a few specific items to order from the menu:

• Grilled Wings – A staple of the izakaya menu that is prepared with care.
• Yakitori – Classic skewered items that pair well with the setting and the rest of the meal.
• Jaga Butter – This is a must-have dish when visiting Koshimizu. Because it is a potato-famous town, eating jaga butter here allows you to taste the local produce at its source.

The combination of grilled wings, yakitori, and the essential jaga butter makes Izakaya Okukuro a standout meal on this route, highlighting the land-based agriculture of Eastern Hokkaido.

Stop 7: Memanbetsu Airport

The final stop on this seven-part food route is located at the departure point for many travelers leaving the region. Right inside Memanbetsu Airport, you will find Okushiba soup curry. Soup curry is a regional specialty in Hokkaido, and having it available inside the airport provides one last opportunity to enjoy it before flying out.

Okushiba offers distinct broth options and additions for their soup curry, allowing you to customize your final meal:

• Thick Prawn Infused Broth – A rich option heavily flavored with prawn.
• Herbal Chicken Broth – An alternative broth option focused on herbal chicken flavors.
• Toppings – The soup curry is served with a variety of toppings that complete the dish.

Finding Okushiba soup curry right inside Memanbetsu Airport is the best part of concluding a trip to this region, ensuring your final meal is as memorable as the rest of the route.

Planning Your Hokkaido Itinerary

This seven-stop food route is just the beginning of the rural Hokkaido series. Eastern Hokkaido's status as Japan's least visited region means there is much more to outline for travelers looking to explore this remote area.

If you are planning a trip to the region, follow along for parts two and three of this series. In those upcoming installments, I will provide two free Hokkaido itineraries to help you structure your travel.

• 7-Day Itinerary – A one-week guide to navigating the region.
• 14-Day Itinerary – A comprehensive two-week guide for a deeper exploration of Hokkaido.

These free itineraries will help you map out your own journey through Japan's most remote region, ensuring you have the practical information needed to experience the food and culture of Eastern Hokkaido.