One of the best ways to learn about a new place is simply by eating what it has in abundance, and what it’s known for. This year marked our first time in Hokkaido, and we got to know the region by indulging in its cuisine, from frozen treats to fresh fish.
NOTE: Prices may change; conversion rates will certainly change. As of writing, JPY1,000 is approximately PHP406.
Lavender ice cream at the Hill of the Buddha
The evening we arrived in Sapporo from Osaka, we were greeted by a temperature drop and some intense rainfall. But thankfully, the next day saw clear skies as we headed to Atama Daibutsu, also known as the Hill of the Buddha.
The 13.5-meter Buddha sits on the grounds of the Makomanai Takino Cemetery – but you might not spot it right away. The statue is enclosed in a man-made hill with a hole at the top. From afar, only the top of his head peeks out. The hill where it hides is covered in lavender plants, which is why many of the souvenirs and products you can buy here feature lavender flowers. The shelves of the store attached to the hill are stocked with lavender-scented incense, ema (wooden tablets to place in a shrine) with a lavender design hung from purple strings, and lavender tea and soda.
At the cafe, you can also enjoy their handmade lavender soft serve ice cream. It’s a collaboration between the Hill of the Buddha and local ice cream shop Missu House, which offers other flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, green tea, and, interestingly, sunflower.
I loved the strong floral flavor and scent of the lavender soft serve. The ice cream itself was smooth and just creamy enough. Imagine a floral tea steeped a little long, made into a semi-frozen treat. It was a refreshing break from the mid-morning Sapporo sun.
A lavender ice cream cone costs JPY450 (~PHP183).
Atama Daibutsu is located at 2 Takino, Minami Ward, Sapporo. It is open every day from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Admission is JPY1,000 (~PHP405).
The Rotunda Cafe and Store is open from 9:00am to 4:00pm April to October, and 10:00am to 3:00pm November to March.
Shiroi Koibito cookies
One of the most popular stops for families with kids (and for kids at heart!) is the Shiroi Koibito Park. It’s a theme park that doubles as a factory for their famous langue de chat sandwich cookies. That’s two lengua de gato biscuits with either white chocolate or milk chocolate in between.
You can get snacks and merch from their shop or eat at most of the cafes and restaurants without a ticket to the paid area. We opted to do the full tour. The experience is informative and interactive, but most of all, it primes you to crave chocolate.
Each ticket earns you a freebie that you can claim from a vendo machine at the end of the tour. The box features one of their cute white dwarf mascots (kobito) and contains two individually wrapped cookies – one white chocolate and one milk chocolate.
We dug into ours while having coffee at the cafe, Chocolate Lounge Oxford. We were situated in seats by the window where we enjoyed a gorgeous view of this corner of the city and the mountainous terrain of the Ishikari Plain. This turned out to be the ideal place to watch the musical animatronic show as well, which starts at the top of each hour the park is open and goes for around ten minutes.
Chocolate Lounge offers a variety of desserts and hot and cold drinks. Their drink sets include a pastry, a drink, and a small serving of Shiroi Koibito soft serve ice cream. We came over in late September, so they also had a few Halloween-themed items. We opted for a slice of burnt basque cheesecake, which they served with some fruits and cream on the side. There wasn’t anything specifically Shiroi-Koibito-esque about the cheesecake, but it was delicately flavored and deceptively heavy.
Chocolate Lounge Oxford is open from 10:00am to 5:30pm. Check out their full menu on the Shiroi Koibito website.
Shiroi Koibito Park is located at 2 Chome-11-36 Miyanosawa 2 Jo, Nishi Ward, Sapporo. They are open from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Admission is JPY1,200 (~PHP488) for adults and JPY600 (~PHP244) for kids up to 15 years old. Find more information and book tickets in advance on their website.
Chirashi donburi in Otaru
On our day trip to Otaru, we stopped at Donburi Chaya for lunch. As their name suggests, they offer rice bowls (donburi) with generous toppings. Otaru is a charming seaside town known for its well-preserved historical buildings and canal, and for having some of the freshest seafood in the country.
Donburi Chaya has no shortage of fresh seafood, so we had to sample as much as we could. My bowl included cuts of salmon and tuna sashimi, as well as shredded king crab. We also shared a bowl with roe (fish eggs), tamago (scrambled chicken eggs), and more salmon.
This was one of my favorite meals of the entire trip. The salmon was fatty with just a little natural sweetness. The tuna had an interesting, slightly firm texture. Normally, when I eat crab, I’m cracking the shells and peeling away to dig out the meat out of the legs and body. Here, it was ready to enjoy. (That would’ve been an experience, though! King crabs are huge.) Everything was set on top of a bed of lightly seasoned and appropriately sticky sushi rice.
The restaurant also offers rice bows with grilled toppings. One of their popular options is the grilled lamb. Their Nama Lamb Genghis Khan Donburi includes a large serving of lamb slices in a thin, savory sauce and some onion slices, garnished with chili threads and greens.
Rice bowls go for around JPY1,200-2,500 (~PHP487-1,014) depending on your toppings, with the exception of the uni (urchin) bowls which cost around JPY5,000-6,000 (~PHP2,028-2,434).
Donburi Chaya is located at 3-24 Sakaimachi, Otaru. They are open from 11:00am to 8:00pm. Find more information on their website.
LeTAO cake and drink set
We came across LeTAO bakery in Otaru as well. Their staff eagerly offer samples to anyone who comes in. If the homey yet modern aesthetic of the shop doesn’t get you, then the free taste definitely will.
We got their cake set, which consists of a slice of their bestselling double fromage cheesecake and an unsweetened iced tea. The cheesecake has two layers. On top is a layer of creamy, no-bake cheesecake – very light on the palette. And on the bottom is a more decadent, baked cheesecake.
LeTAO originated in Otaru way back in 1998, and they have since expanded all over Japan and beyond. Their name comes from the tower where they opened up their very first branch. “LeTAO” is short for “La Tour Amitie Otaru”, or “The Amiable Tower of Otaru”.
Cake sets start at around JPY1,700 (~PHP690).
The LeTAO main store is located at 7-16 Sakaimachi, Otaru. They are open from 9:00am to 6:00pm. More information and photos on their website.
Lunch at the Historical Village of Hokkaido cafeteria
Even a relaxed morning exploring the Historical Village of Hokkaido involves a lot of walking, so we looked forward to a hearty lunch when we visited. On site, there’s a large, no-frills cafeteria. We grabbed a table and dug into a few different dishes.
Pork katsu curry is one of my ultimate comfort foods. At the cafeteria, they keep it simple: a pork cutlet with golden breading on top of a bed of rice, and a small pool of Japanese-style curry sauce for dipping or mixing. I have yet to meet a curry I didn’t like, but the Japanese type – thick and saucy, a little sweet, less intense than Indian or Thai curry – is one of my favorites.
Since we felt the need for even more carbs, we also got an order of Sapporo miso ramen to share. The broth was thin but savory, and a bit on the salty side. We mixed in some chili powder to level up the spice just slightly. The bowl came with a few slices of chashu pork, a boiled egg, and some shredded sheets of nori (dried seaweed). After repeated claims of “I’m so full, I don’t think I can finish this” – surprise! We finished it.
This meal was, overall, a fantastic experience, but the thing that made us go back to the counter for seconds was the dessert. Imomochi is a type of mochi (sticky rice cake) made with potatoes, lightly fried, then covered with a glaze. This kind of mochi comes from the Hokkaido region, and is more savory than its rice-based counterpart. We loved the chewy texture and the combination of the salty potato and sweet soy-sugar glaze.
The pork katsu curry plate is JPY1,150 (~PHP467). Ramen bowls are JPY900 (~PHP365). Imomochi is JPY240 (~PHP98) apiece.
The restaurant at the Historical Village of Hokkaido is located at Konopporo-50-1 Atsubetsucho, Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo. They are open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11:00am to 4:30pm.
Teishoku at Ootoya
After a trip to the chilly peak of Mount Moiwa, we wanted to warm up with some hotpot. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the restaurant we had found online, we were too late for their lunch hours and too early for their dinner hours. But as my friend Paolo said, when one plan doesn’t work out, we are always led to another good thing. In this case, it was this chain restaurant in the same building.
Ootoya’s main offerings are teishoku – a set meal with all the components served on one tray. They give you the option to mix and match depending on what side dishes you want with your meal. I opted for the ebi ten toji don with natto on the side. Ebi ten toji don is shrimp tempura atop rice, inside a layer of scrambled egg, similar to how katsudon is served. (Preparing it this way does take away from the crispiness of the tempura batter, in case that’s important to you.)
I reserved a potion of my rice for the natto. I eat a lot of pickled and fermented food. In our household, there is always kimchi in the fridge, and throwing out the leftover brine after the cabbage is finished is a grave offense. While I like the flavor of natto, I find it overpowering on its own, so I prefer to eat it with a healthy serving of white rice. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think everyone should try it at least once.
This unplanned detour turned out to be a memorable, filling meal. We were excited to find out that Ootoya has a branch in the Philippines, specifically in Bonifacio Global City. It’s pricier than the OG branches, and the menu is a bit different, but you can still get your teishoku fix there.
Teishoku start at around JPY1,200 (~PHP487).
Ootoya is located at 4 Chome−1−1, Kita 3 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo. Learn more and see the full list of branches on their website.
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