Hokkaido itself is a big island of a prefecture. While Japan as an island nation is known for seafood, and by extension sushi, Hokkaido in particular is very strong in this department. I will say, even as Hokkaido’s capital, Sapporo is somewhat inland, so if you truly want the freshest fish, I’d suggest going to a port town, such as Otaru. I suppose most of the foot traffic goes to Sapporo though, so there are an abundance of places to get your seafood fill.
Hokkaido specifically is most famous for crab, sea urchin, and scallops!
What is a Kaisen Don?
In many establishments that offer fresh fish, you’ll typically either see sushi platters or Kaisen Dons. I’m not dumb enough to make a what is sushi section, unless you live under a rock. However, while you may have heard of a chirashi bowl for a sashimi bowl, the term “kaisen don” is probably less common. Both seemingly are raw fish on rice in a bowl, so what’s the difference?
Chirashi sushi is often seen with the toppings cut into smaller pieces, mixed up, and scattered on vinegar sushi rice in a bento-like container. Sometimes the pieces are bigger, and may not be so scattered, but it seems like the vessel is important. Kaisen dons are often just slices of sashimi layered onto hot white rice, though sometimes it may be room temperature vinegar rice. It’s served like the name suggests, in a bowl.
Essentially, the label comes down to what it’s served in, and perhaps the rice and size of the toppings.
Where to Eat Sushi and Seafood in Sapporo
Below I will list some places where you should go specifically to eat seafood in Sapporo based on my experiences. Now, if you’re with a someone that’s not into seafood, you really can go to any izakaya, and they’ll most likely have some variety of sashimi platter or grilled fish on the menu in the appetizer section.
Nijo Market
Nijo Market is an early morning market located in central Sapporo and easily walkable from the station, Odori Park, and Susukino. There are many booths where you can buy seafood to go, grab some ice cream, Hokkaido melon, and buy dried goods to take home as souvenirs. Nijo Market is a bit touristy though, so be prepared to wait in lines.
Ohiso: I liked this place, and they had really good quality seafood. You can order on a tablet with many language options!
I also heard Daiichi Kaisenmaru, Kondo Noboru, and 第63 七洋丸 are good options!
Revolving Sushi
Revolving sushi places typically have plates of 2 pieces of sushi going around the restaurant on a conveyor belt for ease of access for customers. It’s fun and interactive, and typically more cost and choice effective than a fancy restaurant. Sapporo does have budget chains like Kura sushi, but if you’re traveling, then you might as well go for the local chain or places. I’m not sure if this was always tradition, but it seems post pandemic there are far less items on the belt and it’s more common to write down or shout your order to the chef for a freshly made plate.
Nemuro Hanamaru: A very famous amazing quality and variety Hokkaido revolving sushi chain now with three locations in Sapporo! The newest in Cocono Susukino seems to be still low-key, so avoid the disastrous line in Stellar Place. The one in Miredo also seems to always have a line. The branch in Ginza, Tokyo has gone viral and super populat lately.
Pasaaru: A low-key “revolving sushi” only open in the evening located in Susukino. In quotes, because when I last went, they’ve switched to paper/vocal orders only. Very good quality sushi!
Grilled Fish
Not into raw fish but still want to experience delicious seafood for an affordable price? I highly recommend going to a place that specializes in grilled fish and other seafood. Often times they will offer them in the form of teishokus, or meal sets, with miso soup, pickles, and rice.
Dekitateya: The parent company of Nemuro Hanamaru has a grilled fish sister brand has a few locations around the city. The location in Stellar Place can have a line sometimes!
Crab
One of Hokkaido’s specialties is crab! If you’re feeling fancy or willing to splurge, there are some luxurious restaurants offering private rooms with kaiseki (course meals) featuring crab around the city.
Kani Honke: I ate here once and had a good experience. I would say my experience is similar to the Kani Douraku chain on the main island, though the dishes are less crab focused, and more holistic as a meal.
There are also some places offering all you can eat crab, though I haven’t been to one, so I can’t speak for the quality and cost.
Other
Here are some others, among others. I’ve included links to either Google Maps locations or their websites. To be honest, I haven’t been super into researching sushi places (I know there are a lot though) just because I live in a port town and there are a ton of more sushi options there. There are probably a lot more in Sapporo than this list.
- Sapporo Morning Market (an early morning seafood market a bit northwest of the station)
- Uoichi Fish market (a small fish market in South Sapporo)
- Toriton (another very famous revolving sushi chain)
- Nagoyakatei (another very famous revolving sushi chain)
- Katsuissen (a revolving sushi located in Norbesa)
- Kurukuru Sushi (a revolving sushi located in Apia)
- Sushi zanmai (a national sushi chain, but this one opens late into the night)
- Umi Hachikyo (supposedly unlimited ikura!)
- Shihachi (a seafood bowl place in Tanukikoji)
- Hamakko, or any other izakaya really
- Kaniya Sapporo Crab House (another crab kaiseki specialty establishment)
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