 |
With its breezy, cosmopolitan character, Sapporo stands in stark urban contrast to the rest of Hokkaido. Northernmost and second-largest of Japan's four principal islands, Hokkaido is a place of rugged mountains, sparkling lakes and thick forests-many of which find themselves in some of Japan's most spectacular national parks. But vibrant, friendly, prosperous Sapporo, home to nearly 2 million people, is a thoroughgoing city of high-rise buildings stretched out along tree-lined avenues, only occasionally offering a hint of the pioneer town that it was not much more than a hundred years ago.
The cold waters around Hokkaido offer what the locals consider to be some of the finest seafood in Japan.Notable among the catches here is the king crab, which, true to its name, can grow to over a meter across and is perhaps best enjoyed when simply grilled. Another succulent variety of shellfish much prized is the scallop,
|
 |
|
|
|
and this many prefer served in the even simpler fashion of raw sashimi. A more complex local concoction goes by the name of gyokairui no awase-toji, a hearty egg-based stew of sea urchin, scallops and clams with shiitake and enoki mushrooms.
To accompany the local fare, one need look no further than the local sake, and the name of choice here is the Chitosetsuru series, produced by Nippon Seishu Brewery. As every sake connoisseur knows, good sake needs good water, and Nippon Seishu Brewery, founded in 1872, takes advantage of fine local meltwater. Chitosetsuru is defind by its dry, crisp character, and the series includes the outstanding daiginjo Kissho, aged for six months, the fragrant, smooth-tasting daiginjo Setsugen no Mai and the junmai-shu Tancho-tsuru, which, at around 13 percent alcohol, is an ideal choice for those who prefer a lighter kind of sake. |
|
