Source: Bodo
Hokkaido is a paradise in terms of delicious snacks to bring as souvenirs. There are so many products that can only be found in the region that both Japanese tourists and foreigners are very excited to find them. Here is a list of 20 best souvenirs to buy from Hokkaido!
1. Marusei Butter Sandwich
It’s a biscuit sandwich filled with white chocolate, raisins and butter. This is a rather exclusive treat, and it’s hard to find anywhere but in Hokkaido; mostly because its best before date is very short, usually ten days at most. It’s a delicious gift to bring to your friends, but watch the date and buy them as late as possible.
2. Shiroi Koibito
This is another sandwich-like sweet, made of two langue de chat (French baked cookies, crisp and light) filled with white chocolate. The filling varies sometimes: the chocolate has different flavors such as green tea. The special thing about finding these in Hokkaido is that the factory that produces them is based here. They also have a park based on this sweet, with various attractions, such as being able to try your hand at making your own Shiroi Koibito.
3. Jaga Pokkuru
おみやげではありません自分で買いました北海道のJaga Pokkuru pic.twitter.com/RzHdEpkIot
— 曖昧模糊 (@tokoshie7) October 19, 2015
Jaga Pokkuru is a limited edition potato snack, also specifically found in Hokkaido, although it has become rather popular all over Japan and even abroad. They use local ingredients exclusively, namely the potatoes and the salt from the Okhotsk region, also from Hokkaido. If you prefer salty snacks to sweet ones, this is the thing for you.
4. Wakasaimo
お土産の若さ芋たべながら、あさが来た見よ(o^^o) #あさが来た pic.twitter.com/8HS2tqcl6O
— モケモケ太 (@mokemoketa) December 1, 2015
Imo means potato in Japanese. However, Wakasaimo don’t actually contain potatoes. They are sweet buns made using beans and peas, to somewhat resemble the potato taste. Wakasaimo is a Lake Toya specialty, which is why it would make a good local souvenir.
5. Nama Chocolate
https://twitter.com/Candicesun123/status/717550414434926592?lang=en
These are specific for Sapporo; the factory that produces them is based there. They are a type of ganache, part chocolate, part cream, and some variations include liquor. Nama Chocolate can be found in various flavors, such as white chocolate, milk chocolate, green tea, champagne, and so on.
6. Royce Potato Chip Chocolate
Royce' Potato Chip Chocolate chocolate covered potato chips are rich and a bit greasy. Not bad but could be better. pic.twitter.com/MgJeBalJFn
— Choc-otaku (@chocotweets) January 10, 2016
As the name suggests, this is a combination of chocolate and potato into one confection. The potato is slightly salty, which goes pretty well with the chocolate. This Royce product is found in two more flavors beside the classic, namely with caramel and with cheese.
7. Matcha Mifuyu
https://twitter.com/kimdredo93/status/574874400572370944?lang=en
This is the Japanese edition of the French Mille-feuille. It’s comprised of three layers of puff pastry and two layers of cream, in this case, matcha chocolate. This is also a specifically Hokkaido product, which makes it a pretty nice (and tasty) souvenir.
8. Sapporo Nogakko
Sapporo Nogakko Rich milk cookie cookiies Hokkaido university sweets gift j24 http://t.co/DfNdYLlzNP pic.twitter.com/9QUWQmMmW4
— lovely deal (@calistomacias) September 19, 2015
These are cookies, specifically milk cookies that are very popular among Sapporo tourists. Most of them buy these as souvenirs more and more often. Since they are in such great demand, you can find them pretty much anywhere in stores.
9. Sanporoku
RYUGETSU Limited Three-way six Dark white Sanporoku Milk Creamy Baum Snacks k16 https://t.co/talrwVz9OT pic.twitter.com/Ap8q2n8M7P
— lovely deal (@calistomacias) March 24, 2016
Sanporoku is produced by Ryugetsu, a sweet maker that has stores all over Japan, but is based in Obihiro. This particular sweet is a baumkuchen with a coating of milk and white chocolate, all ingredients being local (from the Hokkaido region).
10. Ganso Tobiki Choco
近所の方に「とうきびチョコ」というお菓子をいただいた。懐かしい風味に病み付きになりそうな味(笑) 今度会ったら、どこで買ったか聞いてみようｗｗ
「スノーベル 元祖とうきびチョコ-スイート-」 pic.twitter.com/Dn7MeXD7cR— Centerfield (@centerfield2516) April 2, 2016
This is a chocolate bar made with Hokkaido corn, coated with white chocolate
11. Yukiyakonko
https://twitter.com/assara_c/status/698475705449861120?lang=en
Rokkatei, the sweet maker that produces Yukiyakonko, is based in Hokkaido. These are cocoa biscuits, slightly bitter, sandwiching white chocolate filling. They come in individual portions, which makes them great as souvenirs.
12. Nama Caramel
Nama Caramel means soft caramel, so it comes as no surprise that this sweet is… soft caramel. They are allegedly hand made and hand wrapped, they sell like crazy and that is why sometimes they are a little harder to find.
13. Yosei no Mori
Forest Fairy Baumkuchen Softly and moist sweets Hokkaido YOSEI no MORI #100 https://t.co/rz5g7wYSko pic.twitter.com/qt1hm2khAd
— lovely deal (@calistomacias) April 8, 2016
Yosei No Mori is a baumkuchen – a white chocolate based sweet that is made in a unique method, with almost the same ingredients as with Shiroi Koibito, all of them gathered from Hokkaido suppliers. It looks like concentric circles of chocolate.
14. Strawberry Choco White
https://twitter.com/isdsakuragi/status/704935032096423936?lang=en
If your friends are both chocolate and fruit fans, you can’t go wrong with this souvenir. Strawberry Choco White are, as the name suggests, white chocolate covered fruits, namely strawberries, specifically freeze-dried ones. The combination tastes wonderful and they are a huge hit with the Japanese.
15. Sapporo Okaki Oh! Yakitokibi
【送料無料】ヨシミ Oh! 焼とうきび 5箱 【yoshimi・札幌おかき・小箱6袋入】http://t.co/nPC6X1rgzw pic.twitter.com/lW0U3kM14G
— すてきなアイテム♪ (@suteki_item9f0f) July 26, 2015
These are only available in Hokkaido, which makes them a wonderful local souvenir. Sapporo Okaki Oh! Yakitokibi are snacks made of mochi rice with Hokkaido corn. They come in bite-sized portions wrapped individually.
16. Sapporo Times Square
故郷の銘菓でいうとどうしても白い恋人とかロイズ生チョコが出てきやすいですが、ここでは札幌タイムズスクエアを薦めたいところ。https://t.co/seTU694Do4 pic.twitter.com/kFNbk7xGYK
— 日向日影@4月11日滅亡モンスターズ (@hyuugahikage) April 4, 2016
Sapporo Times Square is a soft sponge cake filled with custard cream. They are individually wrapped and apparently a rather standard kind of souvenir in the Hokkaido area.
17. Daiheigen
マジで最高！I really luv Daiheigen:) pic.twitter.com/8SQaHVriJ2
— TATSURO (@666Tatsuro) July 25, 2014
This sweet is awesome for those friends that have a soft spot for madeleines. Daiheigen are exactly that: madeleines made with a copious amount of Hokkaido butter.
18. Double Fromage
ダブルフロマージュ＿ホールケーキ pic.twitter.com/XeY2tkhBAU
— SweetsStyle (@SweetsStyle2016) January 14, 2016
Double Fromage is a Hokkaido cheesecake made with local ingredients. Their attraction lies in the two layers of some rare and baked cheese.
19. Kibana
壺屋総本店 き花(5枚入)[北海道お土産]https://t.co/TTIJCqPsL7 pic.twitter.com/JDLEN5zFMz
— トゥユアハッピーショップ (@cg_op) April 6, 2016
Kibana is a Hokkaido sweet maker and these products are almond cookies filled with white chocolate. They come in individual wrappers and they make great gifts.
20. White Black Thunder
@yohehokun ホワイトブラックサンダーだった⚡☔ おいしかったよ(•ㅂ•)/ pic.twitter.com/hxYmPS9tnW
— ゆいら (@sweet_angelbles) October 28, 2015
They are chocolate bars specific to the Hokkaido area. They are cookie bars, cocoa-flavored and mixed with rice puffs and coated with chocolate. There are variations to the Black Thunder and you can get them according to the recipient’s tastes.
Enjoy hunting for these souvenirs! Have a good trip and travel!
