Gifts for friends (food based) Pt.1 Seafood in Sapporo

The exact things to buy- and where to find them

Going on holiday to Japan inevitably sparks notes of jealousy; everyone you run into will tell you how much they love the food. Out of the kindness of your heart, you’ll make a note to get them something Japanese, something they can’t get at home.

With 2 days left in your holiday, a panic sets in. “My friends don’t even like bananas”, you’ll think to yourself. Our general recommendation is never to buy food items until you have under a week to go in your trip. Like food everywhere, Japanese food is best eaten fresh, not after being lugged around on various modes of transportation in a suitcase.

Here is an exact list of what to buy and from where, by hours remaining before you fly. Make sure to check customs guidelines for your home country to avoid bringing back anything that will get stopped at the border.

During your trip: while in Sapporo

Refrigerated, Frozen and Vacuum Sealed Fresh Seafood

If they can’t be in Japan, bring Japan to them. The items in this section can (and probably should!) be internationally shipped directly to your loved ones’ doorsteps, regardless of when you’re flying back home.

Even among the locals, Hokkaido seafood is an item that’s premium. It doesn’t matter if it’s fish, crab, lobster, or shellfish, if it’s from Hokkaido, it’ll be wanted.

What to buy:

Tarabi Gani:

If you’re seriously in need of impressing a seafood lover back home, Taraba Gani or Hokkaido King Crab is the play. It’s a centrepiece in the truest sense; with its gangly legs and hairy chest it could be mistaken for any number of teenage boys.

Famed across Japan, this is what to get if budget is no issue. We’ll tell you where you can find it below.

Super frozen Toro:

It might sound like a misjudged anime character, but Toro is famed as the best cut of tuna. The super fatty belly is prized with softness and flavour driving up demand. By freezing at -60 C on the day of harvest, sources say that super frozen toro from Hokkaido retains the sashimi grade.

Sadly, I personally haven’t tried Toro that has been served post-super-freeze but it has looked like an increasingly popular gift. There are specialty stores at the markets which only do Super Frozen Toro, suggesting that people come back for moro.

Flash Frozen Salmon:

Not just for Tuna, sushi grade Salmon from Sapporo is now available wherever you live, available for international shipping to your friend’s doorstep. At a cheaper cost than Toro, Salmon sashimi is synonymous with internationally renowned Japanese food.

Like Toro, there are specialty stores (even at the airport!) which only sell Salmon for gift purposes, allowing for a high quality flavour at a more palatable price point.

Kamaei:

This is a boiled fish cake specialty store. Hard to describe, this is a local delicacy using Hokkaido crabs to make a delicious savoury fish cake roll. It can be vacuum-sealed and found across Sapporo. Normally a local treat, it’s gotten famous through travel shows in Japan.

The best places to buy:

Curb Market

Opening at 6am and minutes away from the wholesalers, this is the spot to find the best seafood in the world. The best thing for people not operating restaurants is that they can package their produce and actually directly internationally ship to your destination. They are used to selecting your items, then having it refrigerated and shipped in the same day.

This alleviates the lingering fear that comes with being tasked with transporting seafood and keeping it fresh.

Nijo Market

I could be starting a civil war here (actually they’re probably fine with each other) but Nijo Market serves much the same purpose as Curb Market, with most of the stalls offering direct shipping options both locally and internationally. Generally speaking, since Nijo Market is closer to downtown Sapporo, and further from the actual fish wholesaler market, it is more touristy and thus more expensive.

Most people will suggest that Curb is the more “authentic”, but the convenience of Nijo and the high quality produce means it should be among your first options in finding the perfect fishy gift.

New Chisote Airport- Domestic Terminal Only

If you’ve managed to spend all of your time in Sapporo without going to a seafood market, but still want to prove you’ve been there through the currency of fish, New Chisote Airport has you covered.

There are multiple vendors of fresh seafood within the Domestic Terminal, who cover all varietals of marine life from crab to tuna. While you do pay for the premium of purchasing fresh seafood inside an airport terminal, the sheer number of vendors at the airport ensures that the quality is miles above normal airport sushi.

If you wanted to try Kamaei, now might be your last chance before leaving. A specialty airport store is here at the domestic terminal. Like everything else, it can be packaged to bring onboard or ship directly.

Photo by Falco Negenman on Unsplash

A few days remaining: Final day of shopping in your departing city

Vacuum Sealed Dried Seafood

I know not everyone likes seafood (although if you don’t I’m not sure why you’re reading this post). Even those who do, might not like the extra fishiness from drying it. So definitely don’t get this for the landlubbers in your life or the friend who can’t even handle salmon.

For the rest of your friends though, Japan deserves its reputation as the seafood capital of the world. If you bring back one thing that sums up Japan, make the effort to share this flavour.

What to buy:

There are different uses for dried seafood, but many can involve cooking. In particular Japanese dried scallops, oysters, sea cucumber, and abalone are prized in Chinese cooking, but require preparation. If your giftee is interested in Chinese cuisine, these items are excellent gifts- but this guide will be aimed for ready to eat items.

Mezashi:

You’ve had sardines, now try ancient Japanese sardines! Found as part of a traditional Japanese breakfast, these are salted and semi dried sardines on a skewer.

Simply served with rice and miso soup- you’ll find that some seafood stores will even allow for you to also eat in at the store.

Dried Ebi:

Tiny pink shrimp. This is used widely in Asia for further flavour to foods, but in Japan it can be eaten by itself.

Across the depachikas and metro undergrounds you’ll find rows and rows of varieties and flavours. From sweet to spicy, from the east coast to west coast, everyone has a favourite. This Substack recommends the sweet flavoured one from Isetan- as below, but other opinions are available (and valid).

Photo by Noah Holm on Unsplash

The best places to buy:

The obvious stops first:

Tsukiji Fish Market and Toyosu Markets in Tokyo will have the highest quality produce at the highest quality prices. Personally, I think these aren’t necessarily better than more reasonably priced produce- but you are paying for the experience of attending the fish markets.

High end Depachika (Department Store Food Hall):

Isetan Tokyo is our go-to if we want fancy packaging. Isetan is on the higher end price-wise, and there are other options if you’re just looking for a good meal.

Ito- 山常鮮魚店/ Izu Peninsula:

Ok this one’s unfair; it’s a bit too far away from the main tourist hotspots to be of much use to the average tourist, but I had to include this (maybe for those looking for domestic gifts?)

One of the many stores that dot the many coastal towns of the Izu Peninsula, this one impressed us with the traditional sun drying of fish. A broader recommendation is to explore the Izu Peninsula. Be it Ito, Atami, Shimoda or Shuzenji- there are tiny seafood stores and you should visit them.

Ameyoko in Tokyo

Located in the suburb of Ueno, this marketplace is a conglomeration of all the glorious dried seafood storefronts dotted along small Japanese towns. Yes, when in Tokyo, you won’t be able to actually see the ocean while buying the dried seafood- but it’s here where the vendors will know exactly how to pack and prepare your gifts to avoid any quarantine issues.

Kuromon Ichiba in Osaka

Honestly, we’ve had mixed success here but this is Osaka’s equivalent of the dried seafood market experience. It does look and feel more aimed for the tourist crowd, but sources say that all the top restaurants find food here.

Going to the airport: (Or worse- at the airport)

There were too many stops. I get it, no time to souvenir shop when you’re soaking in all the wonders Japan has to offer. Unfortunately, since your friends have showered you with souvenirs from their own trips, now you want to reciprocate.

What to Buy:

Saki Ika:

Loosely translated this is squid jerky. An essential snack that is seen everywhere, you can find sweet, spicy and unflavoured versions. It’s great to use in cooking, or simply to snack on- goes without saying to not eat in enclosed spaces. This is found throughout Japan, but now you’re on the metro or the airport. While there may be other seafood options on offer, we recommend saki ika as our top last-resort airport pick.

Where to Buy:

7 Eleven at the International Terminal (Haneda):

Luckily Saki Ika is ubiquitous. Look for the 7 Eleven and in the snack section. There might not be the obscure flavours such as Uni (Sea Urchin), but the regular slightly sweet chewy goodness will be there.

Thus ends your Japanese trip with your home friends appeased and none the wiser. No matter what seafood delicacy you managed to try, isn’t the true joy of travel being able to share parts of it with people you love?

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