When it comes to summer in Hokkaido, sea urchin is a must-try. Summer sea urchin is in season in Shakotan Peninsula and Rishiri. Particularly, the sea urchin in Shakotan is famous. I have tried it in the past and it was incredibly delicious. However, this year there are many tourists and it can be quite crowded. What caught my attention this time was the sea urchin in Yoichi. I tried it at a sushi restaurant in Sapporo and it was of very high quality. Since Shakotan and Yoichi are very close, the sea urchin in Yoichi is definitely delicious. However, since everyone is heading to Shakotan, the shops in Yoichi are less crowded, making it a hidden gem in my opinion. The place I visited this time was Unidanokura. It seems to be a collaboration between the famous sushi restaurant Sushinokura in Sapporo and the local Niioka Shoten. When I arrived, I was a bit worried as it seemed like they were using a soup curry shop this year, but I went in anyway. They were indeed serving sea urchin bowls. The menu had three options: white, red and white, and red. The white one had Kitamura purple sea urchin, while the red one had Ezo Bafun sea urchin. The Ezo Bafun sea urchin was more expensive, rich, and flavorful, truly the taste of sea urchin! On the other hand, the Kitamura purple sea urchin was refreshing, sweet, and paired well with the salty taste of the sea. I recommend trying both the red and white sea urchin. However, it is quite expensive at 10,000 yen per bowl. When I ordered, the bowl arrived in about 5 minutes. The rice was completely hidden under a layer of sea urchin. The vibrant orange Ezo Bafun sea urchin and the gentle-colored Kitamura purple sea urchin made for a wonderful bowl. The freshness was outstanding, with no complaints about the taste. Both the sweet white sea urchin and the rich red sea urchin were excellent. Eating fresh sea urchin is truly a luxury in Hokkaido. Please give it a try. The only downside is that the atmosphere of the restaurant doesn't quite match the sea urchin bowl. The taste, however, is undeniably superb. Thank you for the meal!

Due to the influence of the Bon Festival in August, unfortunately, the Ezo Bafun Uni (red) was sold out even right after the store opened. However, the Kitamura Saki Uni (white) that I ordered had a high level of completion as a bowl, thanks to the sweetness and lack of bitterness of the sea urchin, the refreshing feeling typical of Kitamura Saki Uni, and the exquisite texture of the sauce drizzled over the sea urchin and the rice.

I visited the restaurant on July 4, 2023, around 11:00. The atmosphere inside was nice, and the staff were very friendly. I ordered one dish, the "Red and White Half Uni Bowl," which is half purple sea urchin and half horse dung sea urchin. The purple sea urchin was sweet, and the horse dung sea urchin was rich. It was easy to eat, and I finished it in no time. You can choose between a large or small size for the miso soup, which had a taste I wasn't used to. Definitely worth a visit.

Here we go again this year! I always look forward to Uni no Kura ^_^ This year, the store has expanded from last year's small hut, quite an upgrade haha. Normally they are a soup curry restaurant, but I wonder what this year's sea urchin will be like! White -> Kitamurasaki Uni, Red -> Ezo Bafun Uni. The white one is light and refreshing, but I wish it was a bit more rich! It's lighter than usual. The red one is really delicious!! It has a richness and a deep ocean flavor, and goes well with wasabi soy sauce. Since they moved, they no longer serve crab miso soup, but the satisfaction level is high! I always listen to the staff's explanations, so I understand, but it would have been lonely without it. I'll visit again next month!

The uni bowl specialty store, Uninokura, is influenced by the soup curry Nagi, where they are currently subleasing. Located along the national highway, it catches the eye. Since it is produced by Sushi no Kura, the deliciousness is guaranteed. @2nokura [Ninokura] The owner's recommendation @sushi_taisha A place that sushi enthusiasts would love to visit and it was as delicious as expected! The price for the white sea urchin bowl is 4980 yen, which is expensive, but considering the deliciousness of the sea urchin, the ingenuity of the vinegared rice, and the appropriate temperature of the rice, it may be reasonable! If you are willing to pay 5000 yen for a sea urchin bowl, be sure to visit! I really want to visit Ninokura soon! #Hokkaido #Yoichi #UniBowl #Uninokura #SushiNoKura #Ninokura #Sushi

In 2023, I started with a sea urchin bowl at the newly relocated Unidonokura. This sea urchin bowl specialty store is produced by Sushi no Kura, a well-known sushi restaurant. Compared to when it was next to the fish market, the number of seats has increased significantly, allowing for a more leisurely dining experience. The menu offers three types: Kitamurasaki sea urchin in white, Ezo Bafun sea urchin in red, and a half & half option of red and white. On this day, due to the high price of Ezo Bafun sea urchin, only the white option was available. Nonetheless, the quality of the sea urchin from Yoichi is high, making for a great debut of the 2023 sea urchin bowl. #lunch #Yoichi #Hokkaido'sHiddenGem #hokkaidolove #gourmet #EnoLog

I visited this restaurant because I heard that the uni (sea urchin) from Yoichi is particularly delicious this season. Honestly, my concept of uni has changed after trying it here. The uni was so smooth and easy to eat, almost like a drink. This restaurant is known for being a popular sushi restaurant in Susukino, and I had an amazing uni experience here.

While traveling in Hokkaido, I stopped by Tsurukame Onsen next to this restaurant for a morning bath during a drive. I saw a huge sign for sea urchin (uni) and decided to try it out. I ordered the half bowl of red and white sea urchin for 6980 yen. The miso soup was complimentary and I ordered a large size. The sea urchin arrived in about 10 minutes. Since sea urchin is said to be in season around June, I had high expectations. First, I tried the white sea urchin - it was sweet. Then I tried the red sea urchin - even sweeter. I mixed wasabi with soy sauce, poured it over the sea urchin bowl, and devoured it in seconds. It was too delicious and luxurious.

I got a great deal on a round-trip ticket to New Chitose Airport through ANA's flash sale, so I decided to visit Yoichi Town. Of course, I was there for Japanese wine, but since I was traveling alone, I couldn't stay at SAGRA (which requires two people), so I stayed at a hotel near the station. I drove there with a rental car, and for lunch, I had Uni-don (sea urchin rice bowl) since it had just been allowed to be served again. So I went to Uni No Kura. Since it's run by the popular sushi restaurant "Sushi No Kura" in Sapporo, the sea urchin was excellent. I enjoyed the Half & Half dish.

It was luxurious! Absolutely no fishy smell, just very sweet.

Sea urchin rice bowl half red and white. Sweet with no bitterness at all.