Interactive Seafood Dining in Notsuke Peninsula (Hokkaido)

Eastern Hokkaido might not be a top destination for most foodie travelers — but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be. Home to three of the prefecture’s six national parks, this area is known for its untouched nature, vast marshlands, and astounding wildlife. The bounties of nature are reflected not only in its impressive scenery but also in the freshness of its food, with a readily available supply of fresh seafood, particularly salmon, scallops, yellowtail fish, Hokkai shrimps and more.

Hear it from the locals themselves as they introduce you to the regional ingredients and cooking methods in this interactive dining experience. First, they’ll take you to the Odaito Fishing Port, where you can see fishmongers selling some of the freshest fruits of the sea. Here, a local fisherman will share insights into the local fishing industry and share some of the efforts to preserve this heritage for generations to come in the face of climate change and population decline.

You’ll then visit a restaurant where a local chef will welcome you into the world of seafood. Here, you’ll indulge in a generous course meal prepared with local ingredients and learn more about the local food culture from the chef himself. While the specific contents of the menu change depending on the season, you can expect items like seafood salad, a spread of sashimi and seafood shabu-shabu, culminating with a dessert using local dairy products. Expect a few surprises and creative twists with unusual ingredients and unexpected combinations in this innovative and interactive meal that will certainly showcase why Hokkaido is known as Japan’s breadbasket. Travelers will be rewarded by taking the road less traveled by visiting this unknown hidden gem laying in plain sight in Hokkaido’s Notsuke Peninsula.

Sample seasonal ingredient calendar:

- December to May: Scallops

- June to July: Hokkai shrimp

- August to September: Salmon

- October to November: Hokkai shrimp