The red brick of the Sapporo Beer Museum is a striking sight, especially in winter when it’s framed against the whiteness of the snow. Sapporo is one of the oldest beer brands in Japan and has been brewing here in Hokkaido since 1877.
Japan is one of the best places in the world to have crab and their love for it is apparent nearly everywhere you go. Typically eaten in winter, some of the country’s finest crab can be found right here in Hokkaido. From the snow crabs to the king crabs to the hairy crabs to the thorny crabs, the variety and freshness of crab on this island is second to none.
Niseko is the best and biggest ski resort in Hokkaido but it’s about three hours from Sapporo. On top of that, it’s expensive. If you’re staying in Sapporo and want to ski for the day, then Teine is an excellent choice. It isn’t as big as Niseko but it’s just an hour away by public transportation.
Jingisukan or Genghis Khan is rumored to have gotten its name in prewar Japan, when lamb was thought to be the meat of choice among Mongolian soldiers. The dome-shaped skillet commonly used today is meant to represent the soldiers’ helmets which they allegedly used to cook their food.
As amazing as Hokkaido’s dairy products were, the single best dairy product I ate on this trip didn’t come from Sapporo. It came from a little patisserie high up in the mountains of Kumamoto prefecture in Kyushu.
An onsen is best experienced in a ryokan. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn which features tatami-matted rooms and communal baths. It’s a relaxing atmosphere ideal for onsen bathing.
I fell in love with unagi the first time I tasted it and it’s become one of my favorite foods. I’ve had it in many places but this was hands down the best unagi I have ever eaten in my life.
At first, we weren’t sure what they were. They looked like shanties or shuttered newsstands. We couldn’t see any people from where we were standing but every one of them was lit from the inside. Could these be those famed yatai food stalls that Fukuoka is known for?
Hakata ramen is known for its rich, milky tonkotsu broth which is made by slowly cooking pork bones over a high flame until its marrow seeps out. It features thin, non-curly noodles and is often topped with slices of chashu pork. Located in the Nagahama area, Ganso Nagahamaya is a small ramen shop that’s been serving Hakata ramen since the end of the Pacific War.
Nijo Market in Sapporo is a Disneyland for seafood lovers and one of the worst places in the world to be a crab.