Cuisine

Kushiro City is a leading producer of shishamo (smelt), with harvesting efforts further supported by ongoing artificial hatching aimed at increasing fishery stocks. Fresh-caught shishamo and related processed products are sold under the name Kushiro Shishamo. The peak season is November, when the Kushiro Shishamo Fair is held.

Mackerel caught off the coast of Kushiro and brought to the Kushiro Port is known as hokusen-saba, while processed mackerel products from Kushiro are known as sen-saba. Both have gained popularity. The peak season is from September to October. The fish are especially rich and flavorful because they migrate through the plankton-rich waters of eastern Hokkaido.

Nemuro City has the largest catch of Pacific saury in Japan. The peak season runs from August to October, when sashimi and charcoal-grilled saury enjoyed locally are especially delicious. Every September, the Nemuro Saury Festival is held, offering rich, melt-in-your-mouth Pacific saury called toro-sanma.

Food lovers gather in Nemuro for Hanasaki crab, a sought-after local specialty. Many believe that the name derives from the place name Hanasaki in Nemuro, while others suggest it refers to the crab’s vivid red color when boiled, resembling a blooming flower—echoing the Japanese meaning of the word. The peak season is from July to September. It has a springy texture and rich flavor.

Saffron cod are raised on abundant plankton in Lake Furen and Onne Marsh, located at the bottom edge of Nemuro Peninsula. They are caught during the harsh winter using a fixed-net ice fishing method and then salted and sun-dried while still fresh. Enjoy lightly grilled and served with spicy mayonnaise to taste.

Nemuro’s Tokishirazu salmon, caught from spring to early summer, have an exceptional richness. When caught in autumn, Akiaji salmon offer shirako milt from males and sujiko roe from females. Salmon roe cured in salt or soy sauce is the perfect accompaniment for rice!

Nemuro’s Ezobafun sea urchins rank first in Hokkaido in both production volume and catch value. Feeding on high-quality local kelp, they develop a rich flavor. They are fished during the harsh, colder months, making the peak season winter. Enjoy served over rice in a sea urchin rice bowl or as sushi.

The place name, Kombumori (literally “kelp forest”) in Kushiro Town itself reflects the area’s long reputation as a kelp producer. Harvested in June while still young and tender, Saomae kelp is one of the finest types of kelp for eating. The region also produces chopped kelp and other varieties for broth or cooking.

Senposhi, located on the eastern side of Kushiro Town at the edge of Akkeshi Bay, is known for its slightly strong current, which produces firm, plump oysters. The oysters are notably large in proportion to their shells and have a pronounced sweetness and rich, full-bodied flavor. They can be enjoyed year-round in Senposhi.

Akkeshi is a renowned oyster-producing region that ships oysters year-round. They are known for their plump, tender flesh and rich sweetness. Major brands include Maruemon and Nagaemon, which use oyster seeds imported from Miyagi Prefecture, Kakiemon, which is produced entirely in Akkeshi, and newcomer Bentenkaki.

Akkeshi’s clams rank number one in Hokkaido for both production volume and catch value. Raised in the nutrient-rich waters of Lake Akkeshi, they grow to the size of Hamaguri clams (about twice the size of ordinary clams), with plump meat and a rich umami flavor. They are especially popular under the brand name Asariemon. The peak season runs from September through June.

Although the kelp harvesting season typically begins in July, the Habomai Fisheries Cooperative in Nemuro starts harvesting every June around Kaigara Island in the Kuril Islands. This early-harvest kelp, known as Kaigara Island’s Saomae kelp, is prized for its unique tenderness and delicious flavor.

Seaweed Pork is pork from pigs fed on a diet blended with seaweed and raised on vast farmland in Takkobu, Kushiro Town. Known for its sweet fat content and exceptionally tender meat, the pork is delicious even when served cold.

Milk from Hamanaka Town is of such high quality that it is used as an ingredient in Häagen-Dazs ice cream. The delicious milk comes from cows raised in a cool climate on expansive pastures and fed mineral-rich grass nourished by sea mist.

Hokkaido Hamanaka Whey Pork is from pigs raised on a generous diet of whey, a byproduct of cheese made from Hamanaka Town milk. Nourished by the lactic acid bacteria and minerals found in whey, the pigs grow up healthy, producing juicy pork with a mild, comforting umami flavor.

Akesato shorthorns are a type of Japanese wagyu raised exclusively on mineral-rich pastures in Nemuro. The beef features a rich, umami flavor influenced by its high inosinic and glutamic acid content. The lean, red meat also makes a great choice for those watching their calorie intake.

This local sake from Kushiro is brewed by Fukutsukasa Shuzo, founded in 1919. Using Hokkaido-grown sake rice, such as Ginpu and Kitashizuku, and brewed with the underground water of Mt. Mashu, this sake is beloved by Kushiro residents as well as business travelers who regularly visit the city.

Nemuro’s local sake is brewed by Usui Katsusaburo Shoten, Japan’s easternmost sake brewery. With limited production, the sake is famously difficult to find outside of Nemuro. Founded in 1887, the brewery’s historic buildings―having survived wartime air raids―remain standing today.

Akkeshi Distillery was established in a place strikingly similar to Scotland’s Isle of Islay, the whisky capital of the world. The first Akkeshi Whisky, New Born, was released in February 2018, followed by a second release in August the same year. A three-year single malt was released in 2020.