Delicious Ingredients, Exquisite Sweets: A Blissful Moment
Hokkaido is blessed with high-quality ingredients such as sweet fruits grown in its vast land with temperature variations, as well as milk, wheat, and butter used in confectionery.
Here are some exquisite sweets, including the visually stunning and delicious "Shime Parfait."
Enjoy these delightful treats made from the finest ingredients!
- * Please note that the text shown on this page includes machine translations.
Sweet Fruits Grown in Temperature Variations
In regions with harsh cold, the temperature difference between day and night helps grow sweet fruits.
Hokkaido melons are known for their rich aroma and elegant sweetness, almost like a dessert. Different varieties from various regions are branded as high-quality melons.
The "Yubari Melon," known as the king of melons, is particularly popular for its melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich sweetness. To maintain its brand value, strict guidelines are followed from cultivation to shipping. Each melon is inspected individually before shipping, and only those that meet the standards receive a guarantee seal. It's no wonder Yubari Melon is consistently delicious.
The best season for these melons is summer. Other varieties like Furano Melon and Mikasa Melon are also available and make great gifts for shipping.
Another representative fruit of Hokkaido is the haskap, known for its sweet and sour taste and aroma. It is almost exclusively produced in Hokkaido, with a 100% domestic share. Due to its delicate nature, it is rarely found in markets, but products like jams and sweets that utilize its tartness are popular. You can easily find these products in souvenir shops and convenience stores in Hokkaido, so be sure to look for them!
Unlimited Melon Feast!
During the summer, places like the "Yubari Melon Dome" and farms in Yubari and Furano offer all-you-can-eat melon events. These events are incredibly popular every year because they allow you to enjoy high-quality melons at a reasonable price. Rows of cut melons are laid out, and you can eat to your heart's content at these limited-time events.
The Nighttime Shime Parfait Culture
In Sapporo, there's a unique culture of ending the day with a parfait after a meal or drinks, known as the "Shime Parfait."
Originally, it was common in Sapporo to enjoy ice cream and other sweets at night. The refreshing gelato and fruit parfaits became popular as a perfect way to conclude the evening, leading to the establishment of the "Shime Parfait" culture. Now, over 20 shops in Sapporo offer these parfaits!
Shime Parfaits typically feature tangy sorbets and fruit sauces rather than heavy whipped cream, making them a lighter option. These colorful and visually appealing parfaits are carefully crafted with a balance of sweetness and a combination of ingredients that are nothing short of artistic. Many shops use Hokkaido-grown fruits and surprising ingredients to create unique parfaits.
There are numerous cafes and night parfait specialty shops in Sapporo that stay open late, so be sure to visit and enjoy this delightful tradition!
Limited edition sweets from famous manufacturers that you must try when you come to Hokkaido
Hokkaido is a major producer of raw milk, butter, and wheat, and is home to many popular confectionary makers. As a result, there are many directly managed brand-name stores! You can enjoy limited edition sweets that are only available at a limited number of stores. Be sure to try one of these luxurious treats that only visitors can enjoy.
- Rokkatei
- While there are several direct sales stores throughout Hokkaido, some exclusive sweets can only be enjoyed at select locations, such as the main store in Obihiro. These include the "Marusei Ice Sandwich" and the "Sakusaku Pie", which has a shelf life of just three hours and boasts a crispy texture.
Unlike the popular Marusei Butter Sandwich, the Marusei Ice Sandwich features white chocolate ice cream instead of butter cream. It retains the delightful raisin flavor while offering a refreshing and light texture. Be sure to try these local limited sweets! Check the official website for the list of stores where they are available. - Rokkatei (Japanese site)
- Snowbrand-Parlor
- Hokkaido Sweets from the Long-Established "Snow Brand-Parlor".The Sapporo main store of "Snow Brand-Parlor" offers over 30 different parfaits. Among them, the seasonal limited menus are highly recommended. These parfaits are made with plenty of seasonal fruits and feature decorations that reflect the time of year. As a company that specializes in dairy products, their rich ice cream is incredibly delicious and sure to delight your taste buds.
- Snowbrand-Parlor (Japanese site)
- LeTAO
- Based in Otaru, "LeTAO" offers freshly made versions of their popular souvenir cheesecake, "Double Fromage," at their main store. Their carefully selected teas are fragrant and flavorful, perfectly complementing the cake. Enjoy a blissful tea time while taking in the charming streets of Otaru.
- LeTAO (Japanese site)
- Kitakaro Sapporo Honkan
- It is also famous for its okaki (Japanese crackers) and baumkuchen (baumkuchen), but the “Classic Chocolat” is sold exclusively at the Sapporo Main Bakery. The chocolate cake is coated with bitter Belgian chocolate and accented with apricot jam. The store, housed in a stately Taisho era building, is also worth a visit.
- Kitakaro Sapporo Honkan (Japanese site)
Otaru's Mochi Culture
In Otaru, a city that flourished through trade, there was a culture of eating mochi as a convenient way for laborers engaged in physical work to replenish their nutrition. Even today, there are many mochi shops, and various mochi sweets such as daifuku and kirimochi are displayed in showcases.
Beko mochi, shaped like a leaf, is a traditional Japanese sweet unique to Hokkaido. Similar to kashiwa mochi, it is often eaten during the Boys' Festival (Tango no Sekku). The taste of brown sugar brings a nostalgic and simple flavor. Be sure to try these local sweets from Hokkaido.
Must-Buy! Perfect Souvenirs: Classic Sweets
Choosing souvenirs is an exciting moment. While you might add various items to your basket, you always end up reaching for the classic sweets. Here, we introduce the timeless souvenirs that are sure to delight. These are the items that will make you say, "Yes, this is it!"
Share the happiness of your trip with family, friends, and loved ones. And don't forget to get some for yourself too!
- Marusei Butter Sandwich (Rokkatei)
- Rokkatei's long-selling product with a cream sandwich made with white chocolate, raisins, and 100% Hokkaido raw milk butter. The moist cookies and raisins are perfectly balanced in sweetness, making it a perfect tea-time snack. It is also great as a tea-time snack, and you can enjoy a different texture when eaten chilled.
- Rokkatei (Japanese site)
- Hokkaido-made special milk cookies "Sapporo Agricultural College" (Kinotoya)
- A very popular product with a total of over 200 million cookies sold. These cookies are made with fresh milk and Hokkaido butter for a gentle taste. They are characterized by their light texture and smoothness, and the rich flavor of milk fills the mouth. It is a perfect gift for family, friends, or company, as it is easy to give to anyone regardless of the occasion.
- Kinotoya (Japanese site)
- Potato Chip Chocolate (ROYCE')
- An unexpected combination of products from ROYCE', the chocolate company. One side of the crispy potato chip is coated with smooth chocolate. The harmony of sweet and salty is so exquisite that you can't stop eating. In Addition to the standard “Original,” the “Mild Bitter” with a moderate sweetness and the “Fromage Blanc” with white chocolate are also worth looking out for.
- ROYCE' (Japanese site)
- Baumkuchen Fairy Forest (Kitakaro)
- Hokkarou's baumkuchen are made from flour, cream, eggs, and water, all of which are produced in Hokkaido, and baked slowly and carefully one by one using traditional methods, giving them a unique moist dough. In addition to whole baumkuchen, individually wrapped baumkuchen that are easy to distribute are also popular.
- Kitakaro (Japanese site)
- Yubari Melon Pure Jelly (HORI)
- This jelly is filled with the melt-in-your-mouth texture and mellow aroma characteristic of Yubari melons. The luxurious use of ripe pulp in the jelly makes it mellow as if you were eating a real Yubari melon. The bite-sized “Petit Gold” is very popular among children. It is also recommended to freeze it and enjoy it as a sherbet.
- HORI (Japanese site)
- Shiroi Koibito (ISHIYA)
- Smooth chocolate sandwiched between crispy langue de chat! The sweetness of the original chocolate blended for Shiroi Koibito and the light, melt-in-your-mouth langue de chat are ISHIYA's unique delicacies. The package depicts Mount Rishiri, a famous mountain in Hokkaido. It is a typical Hokkaido souvenir that you will never get tired of no matter how many times you eat it. The original cans that can be made at Shiroi Koibito Park in Sapporo, where you can print your own photo on a Shiroi Koibito can, are also popular.
- ISHIYA (Japanese site)
+α for fun! Factory Tours for Families
If you want to enjoy Hokkaido sweets with an added bonus, we recommend visiting a facility where you can take a factory tour.
Shiroi Koibito Park (ISHIYA) and Sweetopia Garden (Ryugetsu) are theme parks of sweets that go beyond factory tours. In addition to touring the production line, you can make your own sweets and enjoy a special café/restaurant.
ROYCE' Chocolate World, located on the 3rd floor of New Chitose Airport, is a chocolate entertainment facility that combines a factory, museum, and store. Visitors can observe the chocolate-making process through glass and purchase about 100 kinds of original products. It is a great place to make memories and buy souvenirs before returning home.
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