Hokkaido bafun sea urchin (from Rishiri and Rebun islands) heaped over sushi rice. The summer signature of Sapporo's market shops; June through August is the season.

Hokkaido has fished sea urchin for over a century along its Rishiri and Rebun coastlines off the northern tip of the island. Sapporo's uni-don bowl rose as a market-shop format at Nijo Market and the Curb Market through the 1980s and 1990s; today the city's market kaisendon bowls stack uni, ikura and crab in three-colour configurations. Sushi Miyakawa and Sushiya no Saito use Rishiri bafun uni as the centrepiece of their summer omakase nigiri.

Where to eat Hokkaido Uni-Don (Sea Urchin Bowl) in Sapporo

4 editor picks for Hokkaido Uni-Don (Sea Urchin Bowl) in Sapporo, ranked by editorial score. All Sapporo signature dishes · Hokkaido Uni-Don (Sea Urchin Bowl) across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves 245 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 2 trays Hokkaido bafun uni, 60-100g each
  • 200g sushi rice
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Nori sheets, cut into strips
  • Wasabi
  • Light soy sauce
  • Shiso leaves for garnish

Method

  1. Rinse rice in cold water 4 times until water runs clear. Cook with 220ml water in a rice cooker or covered pot.
  2. While rice is cooking, mix rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl until dissolved.
  3. When rice is cooked, fan it gently and fold in the seasoned vinegar; rice should be just-warm when serving.
  4. Divide rice between two bowls. Layer half a sheet of nori strips on top.
  5. Carefully arrange uni pieces over the nori, covering as much surface as possible.
  6. Add a small dot of wasabi to the side and a shiso leaf for colour.
  7. Serve immediately with light soy sauce on the side, used sparingly.

Editor tip. Don't refrigerate uni before serving; warm rice plus cold uni is the textural point of the dish.

Common allergens: Shellfish, Soy.