Hokkaido Trivia – New Year’s in Hokkaido

Season’s Greetings!  I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday season without being bothered too much with Corona.

New year in Hokkaido is a little different from that in Honshu, especially the holiday food.  Naturally every region in Japan has its own local ingredients that are generously used in the holiday cooking.  However, in Hokkaido, it’s the timing that matters.  In Japan holiday food is usually prepared for New Year’s “Day”, but here it’s feasted on New Year “Eve” dinner along with soba, sushi and sukiyaki.   

Another big difference is the big plate of cooked meat, seafood and vegetables that we call “hors d’oeuvre’ in Hokkaido.  Don’t imagine the elegant French hors d’oeuvre – it’s much more filling because it includes various kinds of meat and sea food.  Restaurants, supermarkets, and even convenience stores sell these hors d’oeuvre during the season. 

It’s one food culture in Hokkaido that is unique for sure.