Hokkaido scallops from Funka Bay and the Okhotsk Sea, served raw as sashimi, grilled with butter at jingisukan rooms or sliced into kaisendon bowls.

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.

Where to eat Hokkaido Hotate (Scallop) in Sapporo

4 editor picks for Hokkaido Hotate (Scallop) in Sapporo, ranked by editorial score. All Sapporo signature dishes · Hokkaido Hotate (Scallop) across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves 225 minEasy

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

  1. Open scallop shells with a small knife; remove the scallop, frill (kimo) and roe.
  2. Discard the dark sac; rinse the scallop briefly in cold salt water.
  3. Heat a heavy pan over high. Add 15g butter.
  4. Sear scallops 60 seconds per side; they should be golden outside, just-cooked through.
  5. Remove scallops; deglaze the pan with soy sauce, sake and ginger for 30 seconds.
  6. Pour the sauce over the scallops; add remaining butter to melt.
  7. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, salt and spring onion.

Editor tip. Hokkaido scallops are sweet and don't need much seasoning; the butter-soy bath is the simplest treatment.

Common allergens: Shellfish, Soy.