History
Hokkaido has farmed scallops in Funka Bay since the 1930s and supplies more than 70 percent of Japan's commercial scallop catch. The shellfish became a Sapporo restaurant staple in the 1970s; the city's sushi counters use Hokkaido scallop as a benchmark nigiri. Sushi Saiko and Sushiya no Saito both feature hotate prominently in their autumn omakase; Sumire runs a scallop-miso ramen variant during winter.
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Common allergens: Shellfish, Soy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 4 large fresh Hokkaido scallops, in the shell
- 30g Hokkaido butter
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- Lemon wedges
- Salt for garnish
- Sliced spring onion
Method
- Open scallop shells with a small knife; remove the scallop, frill (kimo) and roe.
- Discard the dark sac; rinse the scallop briefly in cold salt water.
- Heat a heavy pan over high. Add 15g butter.
- Sear scallops 60 seconds per side; they should be golden outside, just-cooked through.
- Remove scallops; deglaze the pan with soy sauce, sake and ginger for 30 seconds.
- Pour the sauce over the scallops; add remaining butter to melt.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges, salt and spring onion.
Tip from the editors. Hokkaido scallops are sweet and don't need much seasoning; the butter-soy bath is the simplest treatment.
Where to eat hokkaido hotate (scallop)
Hokkaido Hotate (Scallop) in Sapporo
Sushi Saiko ★ 4.4
A Susukino omakase counter opened 2012 using nearly all-Hokkaido seafood. Ten seats at a single cypress slab, a short walk from Hosui Susukino subway.
OrderSushi-only omakase, no small dishes between, the way Saiko prefers it.
Book4 weeks ahead
TipBook through Tableall; reservations open four weeks before the date.
Sushiya no Saito ★ 4.6
Ezomae omakase counter since 2000 at the south edge of Susukino. Two course menus, Kiwami and Miyabi, both lean on Hokkaido seafood with light aging.
OrderKiwami evening omakase with the aged tuna progression and uni-on-rice.
Book4 weeks ahead
TipBook direct through the operator site; counter only, no private rooms.
Nijo Ichiba Ohiso ★ 4.6
A Nijo Market sushi-and-donburi counter. The cheapest kaisendon (mixed seafood-over-rice) bowls land 1,800 yen; uni-ikura-crab triple bowls 2,800.
TryKaisendon
TipWalk in early; the queue stretches by 09:00 in summer Cash is faster than card.
Sushi Miyakawa 3 ★ ★ 4.9
Three Michelin stars in the 2017 Hokkaido guide, the only sushi at that tier in Hokkaido. Seven seats, two seatings (17:00 and 19:30), omakase only.
OrderThe omakase: aged tuna progression and Hokkaido uni nigiri are the season-defining courses.
Book6 weeks ahead
TipReservations open through Tableall the first day of each month for the month two months out; closed Wednesdays.
More cities are in research. Want hokkaido hotate (scallop) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.