Blessed with fertile hinterland and bitterly cold, crystal clear waters, Hokkaido<\/a> is a food-lover\u2019s paradise with fresh succulent seafood, abundant produce and some of the world\u2019s sweetest and creamiest dairy products. I came to Hokkaido in search of a taste of nature\u2019s bounty and to experience the laid-back hospitality the island is famed for.<\/p>\n Not surprisingly, these gastronomical delights can be easily found in capital city Sapporo, as well as hotspots including Niseko and\u00a0Otaru. If you venture further\u00a0afield, just ask the locals for their\u00a0food\u00a0recommendations and you won\u2019t go wrong. When it comes to food in Hokkaido, here are some Hokkaido specialities you must try when you visit the region.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n World-famous King Crab prepared fresh. Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Hokkaido\u2019s ultra-fresh, succulent, sweet seafood is deservedly world famous, with a mind-boggling array of excellent shellfish, crustaceans and fish on offer from the surrounding waters to fill your belly. However, the pinnacle of seafood dining here has to be the crab, with four main species of this delectable crustacean to sample, including\u00a0hanasaki, hairy, snow and king crab.<\/p>\n King crab, in particular, is considered one of the most exquisite delicacies known to mankind and if you are looking for a treat, enjoy this at Sapporo establishment\u00a0Kani-Honke<\/a>. Otherwise, mingle with the locals and tuck into a freshly prepped bowl of crab or an assortment of \u00a0delicious offerings from the ocean at a seafood market, such as\u00a0Nijo\u00a0Market in Sapporo (Minami 3 Higashi 2, Chuo-ku<\/em>), or the\u00a0Sankaku\u00a0Market \u00a0in\u00a0Otaru (3\u00a0Chome-10-16\u00a0Inaho<\/em>).<\/p>\n Also worth an honourable mention is the uni<\/em> (sea urchin), which is in abundant supply during winter and is typically served in generous portions over a bed of rice and washed down with lots of sake.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n When it comes to staying warm in Hokkaido (summer temperatures average 20\u02daC to 23\u02daC, which is still brisk by tropical standards), there\u2019s nothing like a piping hot bowl of freshly cooked\u00a0ramen. In Hokkaido,\u00a0miso\u00a0ramen\u00a0takes centrestage. Here, they add a slice of butter to add depth to\u00a0your miso\u00a0soup and perhaps to provide local denizens with an extra layer of insulation against the cold weather.<\/p>\n I made a beeline for the historic\u00a0Ramen\u00a0Yokocho\u00a0alley in downtown Sapporo, where miso ramen is said to have originated. With around 17 tiny\u00a0ramen\u00a0shops crammed into a very narrow alleyway, I picked a shop at random and walked in. As luck would have it, I ended up ordering the perfect bowl of noodles. With springy noodles and a buttery yet\u00a0umami\u00a0miso\u00a0soup, flavoured with generous toppings of sweet Hokkaido corn and perfectly broiled\u00a0chashu<\/em>\u00a0pork slices, I think I attained noodle nirvana that day.<\/p>\n Ramen Yokocho. Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n One of the best finds of my trip has to be this unassuming sounding dish, which was invented in Sapporo but has since gained popularity throughout Japan. As the name implies, this is a curry-flavoured soup \u2013 but the sum of its parts certainly adds up to more than its whole. The curry soup broth is given a rich depth of flavour with the addition of a cornucopia of fresh Japanese vegetables, such as\u00a0daikon, lotus root, pumpkin and mushrooms. Typically, you can pick your choice of protein to add to the dish, such as seafood, pork or chicken. Served with Japanese rice, this is comfort food at its best.<\/p>\n Since soup curry joints also allow you to customise the spice level of your soup, the Asian spice addict in me picked the spiciest levels available. I got hopelessly addicted to the fiery burn on my tongue and the warmth in my belly, but if\u00a0chilli\u00a0does not suit your palate, start with a milder variation. You can get soup curry throughout Hokkaido, but popular choices include Nishitondendori<\/a> in Sapporo and\u00a0Tsubara\u00a0Tsubara<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Niseko.<\/p>\n Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n There must be something in the water in Hokkaido because the region\u2019s cows produce some of the creamiest milk I\u2019ve ever tasted. Not surprisingly,\u00a0foodies\u00a0flock here for its wide array of dairy products, from ice-cream to cheese and butter, as well as all sorts of Japanese confectioneries.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Niseko, a must-try is Milk\u00a0Kobo<\/strong> (888-1\u00a0Aza\u00a0Soga,\u00a0Niseko-cho,\u00a0Abuta-gun<\/em>), which offers homemade ice-cream and cream puffs filled with frothy custard made fresh daily. If you think it can\u2019t get better than that, well, you\u2019re wrong. This little\u00a0cafe\u00a0offers diners a magnificent view of the majestic Mount\u00a0Yotei, making this a sweet treat you won\u2019t forget anytime soon.<\/p>\n To stock up on the prerequisite food gifts for friends and family back home, I headed to the charming town of\u00a0Otaru, which is home to a number of one-of-a-kind confectionery and pastry shops that are hard to find elsewhere in Japan. The main street, Sakaimachi, is where most of these shops are located. Look out for LeTAO (4-19 Sakaimachi) and get the double fromage cheesecake, which somehow manages to be densely packed with flavour while still maintaining the light texture Japanese-style cakes are known for. Take your time browsing through the other small pastry and dessert stores and don\u2019t forget to bring along an empty tote bag to store your spoils.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [tabs]<\/p>\n [tab title=”Best Time to Visit Hokkaido<\/strong>” icon=”entypo-light-up”]In general, the weather in Hokkaido is cooler compared to the rest of Japan, with less humid summers, Siberian winters and lots of snowfall. Expect sub-zero temperatures and blizzards from December to early March before it gets warmer from late May to September. During the\u00a0Sapporo Snow Festival<\/a>\u00a0in February, check out the Winter Food Park for a wide array of local delicacies.[\/tab]<\/p>\n [tab title=”Where to Stay<\/strong>” icon=”entypo-suitcase”]Sapporo has a wide variety of hotel options, ranging from the high-end\u00a0Sapporo Grand Hotel<\/a>\u00a0to mid-range options, such as\u00a0Hotel Sunroute New Sapporo<\/a>.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Niseko, prices for hotel rooms tend to shoot up during the winter months. You may be able to get good deals for highly rated resorts, such as\u00a0Hilton\u00a0Niseko\u00a0Village<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Ki\u00a0Niseko<\/a>,\u00a0in the summertime so you can enjoy warm weather activities like cycling and mountain climbing.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Otaru, check out\u00a0Grand Park\u00a0Otaru<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Dormy Inn Premium\u00a0Otaru<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/tab]<\/p>\n [tab title=”Getting There<\/strong>” icon=”entypo-address”]Singapore to Hokkaido:<\/strong> Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways\u00a0fly<\/a>\u00a0to Sapporo\u2019s New Chitose Airport (CTS), with one stopover in Tokyo\u2019s Narita (NRT) or Haneda (HND) airports.<\/p>\n [\/tab]<\/p>\n [\/tabs]<\/p>\nKing Crab<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Fresh](\"https:\/\/travelblog.expedia.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Crab-\u00a9Hokkaido-Tourism-Organization-\u00a9-JNTO.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMiso<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Ramen<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Miso](\"https:\/\/travelblog.expedia.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Miso-ramen-\u00a9JTA-\u00a9JNTO.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ramen](\"https:\/\/travelblog.expedia.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Ramen-Yokocho-\u00a9JTA-\u00a9JNTO.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSoup Curry<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Sweets and Desserts<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Hokkaido](\"https:\/\/travelblog.expedia.com.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Milk-Kobo-\u00a9JTA-\u00a9JNTO.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n