JAPAN’S NORTHERNMOST ISLAND, Hokkaido is known as a winter paradise, with its capital city of Sapporo playing host to a world-famous snow festival every February and ski fields such as Niseko stealing much of the thunder of more renowned European resorts.
But beyond snow, the island also boasts stunning scenery and abundant national parks to enjoy in the warmer months. The food here is honest and hearty, relying on the natural flavours of its local ingredients. Naturally the island offers specialty seafood, including crab (queen crab, horsehair crab, red king crab and blue king crab are all found locally), sea urchins and scallops: order a bowl of donburi meshi (rice topped with sea urchin, scallops or salmon roe) to get a sample of what’s on offer. Another seafood speciality is Ishikari nabe
, a stew of salmon, locally grown potatoes and cabbage, konnyaku (a plant stem also known by the much more enigmatic name of devil’s tongue) and tofu in a kelp stock flavoured with miso. Ramen is also a staple on Hokkaido, but as with all things Japanese there are regional differences: Sapporo specialises in miso ramen with garlic, wiggly noodles and generous slices of braised pork; Asahikawa is all about soy sauce ramen; and in Hakodate, believed by many to be the best place in the entire country to slurp this irresistibly delicious noodle soup, the ramen has a lightly salted broth. MUST-TRY BITES: Swirly soft-serve ice-cream made from creamy, pure Hokkaido milk is one of the best iced treats you will ever eat in your life. MUST-SEE SIGHTS: Hokkaido has a fine tradition of brewing crisp, fresh beer;
it is the home of Sapporo, after all. The annual Sapporo Summer Festival takes place for a month in summer (starting around July 21), with Odori Koen, the park that runs through the heart of the cosmopolitan city, transformed into a giant jovial, colourful beer garden.
