Breakfast in the Shakotan Peninsula, Hokkaido. The menu remains stable as before. You can help yourself to the following drinks: - Yoichi apple juice - Mini tomato juice - Yamanaka Ranch milk (hot) Very fresh and delightful in the morning. When you sit at the table, six items are neatly arranged on a glass tray. Among them, the standout dish is: - Fresh squid sashimi Just like sea urchin, freshly caught squid sashimi from Bikuni Port. The freshness of this caught-on-the-day squid is a delicious taste that can only be experienced locally. Grilled fish, miso-marinated hokke is also unique to Hokkaido. - Squid tentacles with mayonnaise - Spinach and fried tofu simmered dish - Rolled omelet with dashi broth - White konjac salad - Squid salted guts - Sweet shrimp and kelp simmered dish - Daikon radish salad And the main event! The day before, you are asked about the ratio of sea urchin and salmon roe for the sea urchin and salmon roe bowl. It is okay to have 100% sea urchin, but I asked for a ratio of 8:2 (sea urchin:salmon roe). - Sea urchin & salmon roe bowl Plenty of thick purple sea urchin on rice, luxurious. Such fresh purple sea urchin is unique to the area. Of course, there is no bitterness or off-flavors, it is creamy. I had a faint hope that there might be some Bafun sea urchin available, but it was only purple sea urchin. The salmon roe is large and flavorful, truly high quality. - Miso soup, pickles - Coffee Enjoyed a cafe au lait with Yamanaka Ranch milk. For these two meals + accommodation, around 30,000 yen per person during sea urchin season might be a good deal considering the high prices of Japanese cuisine in Tokyo. However, since I prefer Bafun sea urchin, I might plan a trip targeting Bafun sea urchin next summer, even though the catch is limited. Thank you for the feast.

I visited last year and decided to come again this year. I asked for the chef's choice course. When you visit here, you can enjoy Uni to your heart's content. The dishes are not elaborate, so you can fully enjoy the taste of the ingredients. For breakfast, I had Uni bowl. The side dishes are delicious too, so I also wanted some white rice. I think of it as a once-a-year luxury and I already want to come back again.

The long-awaited Shakotan Peninsula is an auberge filled with sea urchin delicacies. I visited during the sea urchin fishing season, which only lasts for 3 months in a year. I traveled from Tokyo to New Chitose, then took a train to Sapporo, picked up a rental car in Sapporo, and drove along the coast for about 2 hours to reach the Shakotan Peninsula. It was midsummer in Hokkaido. The beautiful sea, known as Shakotan Blue, with rocky outcrops jutting out. The lush green of summer grass combined with the blue of the sea, creating an endless horizon. And the bountiful seafood nurtured by this land. Abalone, crab, red shrimp, salmon roe, salmon, and the star of the show, Shakotan's purple sea urchin. Eating sea urchin scooped from saltwater was truly exceptional, as expected. This season, you can only taste this delicacy here. Sea urchin raised on kelp in the northern sea is supposed to be delicious, and when you put it in your mouth, it melts and an indescribable refined sweetness and umami pierces your brain. And enjoying this with Hokkaido's local sake and wine from Yoichi. Truly a gastronomic tourism experience. There was a reason for coming all this way. I savor this moment and shed tears of joy. Enjoying the short summer of Hokkaido.

After 4 years, I had breakfast at this place and enjoyed a luxurious sea urchin and salmon roe rice bowl. The night before, I was asked about the ratio of sea urchin to salmon roe. While sea urchin alone would have been fine, I chose a ratio of 7:3. Here is the blissful breakfast lineup: 1. Fresh squid sashimi caught near the harbor where squid fishing boats were moored. 2. Miso-marinated grilled hokke fish recommended by a kind lady. 3. Spinach and fried tofu simmered dish. 4. Squid legs and trefoil with cod roe mayo - a dish that caters to my taste for cod roe. 5. Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette). 6. Salted scallop adductor muscles. 7. Small sardines simmered in soy sauce. 8. Sweet shrimp and kelp simmered dish. Even though I start craving white rice around this point, I resist the temptation because of the sea urchin and salmon roe rice bowl. 9. Daikon radish salad with delicate cuts. 10. Rice topped with fresh sea urchin and salmon roe. 11. Miso soup and pickles. Self-service tomato juice, apple juice, and milk are available, and the tomato juice is exceptionally delicious. I look forward to returning not only for dinner but also for this delightful breakfast. *The price includes accommodation and two meals.

About a 2-hour drive from Sapporo is a ryokan on the Shakotan Peninsula. This ryokan, once loved by Chef Murakami of the Imperial Hotel, is visited for the first time in 4 years. From July to September, it is the season for sea urchin. Since I don't go to Tsukiji, this is the only place where I can enjoy this precious sea urchin. Here, you can fully enjoy sea urchin as well as meticulously prepared dishes that are truly delicious. Looking forward to dinner, I take a bath. The menu for the day includes: 1. Appetizers: - Deep-fried legs of southern barbarian shrimp - Octopus and southern barbarian shrimp with spicy miso - Salt-grilled large wings and marinated herring - Squid rice - Boiled abalone - White tsubu, tender abalone, and squid with sea urchin sauce 2. Steamed dish: Abalone treasure steam - Abalone, sea urchin, and shrimp are beautifully arranged in an abalone shell. 3. Sashimi: - Botan shrimp - Bluefin tuna - Herring - Flounder marinated in kelp - Seared soy - Tender octopus - Fresh sea urchin - Abalone sashimi - Mozuku and kelp jelly vinegar - Salmon roe - White tsubu and sweet shrimp sauce 4. Fried dish: Sea urchin isobeage and flounder wrapped in large shiso leaves 5. Soup: Miso soup with moy (a type of white fish similar to rockfish) 6. Rice dish: Grilled sea urchin rice - Aromatic and irresistible 7. Dessert: - Sweet red bean paste, matcha, vanilla ice cream - Coffee jelly, hojicha jelly. Served with apple wine (syrup) soda. It truly feels like I've had a year's worth of high-quality sea urchin. It's becoming increasingly rare to find places that serve sea urchin like this. The warm service of the staff also leaves a lasting impression.

This is a breakfast review. At the end of dinner the night before, you can choose from Uni Donburi, Ikura Donburi, or Uni Ikura Donburi for breakfast. I chose Uni Ikura Donburi. The side dishes were all delicious, and I even had some extra white rice because the Uni Ikura Donburi wasn't enough. It was a truly happy meal.

Long time no see. It was a series of delicious dishes. The soy sauce marinated salmon roe and the uni rice at the end were quite salty this time, but every dish had a meticulous preparation and was very delicious and satisfying. Especially, the sashimi had a careful aging process, and every ingredient was delicious! The appetizers were also delicious, and I am very satisfied. I had three pieces of the fried legs of the sweet shrimp, and they were really fragrant and delicious! I want to eat more. LOL

June 18, 2022 (Sat) First Visit [Early Summer Hokkaido Trip 2022 Day 3 Part 1] The "Ryokan Bikuni Kanko House" in Shakotan, Hokkaido, is a ryokan that has won two Michelin stars in Hokkaido Michelin. The dinner the night before was also full of seafood, but... the breakfast was also luxurious! After a morning bath, we had breakfast. Breakfast Menu: - Sliced spear squid sashimi - Grilled fish: Atka mackerel in miso - Boiled spinach and fried tofu - Spear squid legs and trefoil with cod roe mayo - Rolled omelette - Scallop adductor muscle shiokara - Small sardines simmered in soy sauce - Sweet shrimp and kelp simmered dish - Sprout salad - Uni (sea urchin) rice - Miso soup, pickles The luxury of breakfast in Hokkaido is common, but this was one of the most luxurious I've ever had! The most impressive part was the sea urchin rice. We had chosen sea urchin for the following morning's rice the night before, and the morning rice was topped with so much sea urchin that we couldn't even see the rice! We had already enjoyed plenty of sea urchin the night before, but being able to enjoy fresh sea urchin at its peak was a true delight! We were completely satisfied and happy from the morning. Thank you for the meal. However, there was one disappointing thing. There was no menu for breakfast. I wanted to know the details of the dishes that were not explained verbally, but... I thought it was inevitable if there wasn't one. Towards the end of the meal, when I got up to get juice or coffee, I noticed that there were menus placed on other tables. We had already finished our meal, so I had given up, but my family was curious and asked a female staff member. It turned out that they had forgotten to give us the menu. She brought the leftover menu, but the rice options were clearly not what we had chosen. It may have been just a piece of paper, but I just wanted to enjoy the dishes I had been looking forward to. It was a bit disappointing to hear "We forgot..." It didn't seem very important, but I believe that the menu is crucial for an inn that prides itself on its cuisine. As we were leaving, an elderly woman who seemed to be the landlady accompanied us to see us off, but there was no mention of the breakfast issue.

On June 17, 2022 (Fri) First Visit [Early Summer Hokkaido Trip 2022 Day 2 ⑭], "Ryokan Bikuni Kanko House" in Shakotan-cho, Hokkaido, a ryokan that has won two stars in the Hokkaido Michelin guide. Known for its dishes featuring sea urchin and fresh seafood. I had been curious about it for a while, but I had almost forgotten about it since I rarely had the opportunity to visit during the peak season for sea urchin. However, with the planned Hokkaido trip coming up, I decided to give it a try. Shakotan-cho is famous for sea urchin!! Although it just started in June, I had a feeling that the reservations would be full. When I checked for availability, luckily there was one room available, so I made an immediate reservation. There are three accommodation plans with different levels of meals. This time, for the first time, I chose the top-tier "Chef's Choice Plan." The difference in plans is the meals. Instead of white rice for dinner, it includes "Grilled Sea Urchin Rice," and for breakfast, it includes "Fresh Sea Urchin Rice (June to August)" or "Salmon Roe Rice." I was grateful to be able to enjoy the amazing scenery at Cape Ogon as the weather gradually improved towards the evening, despite the light rain and cloudy weather until noon. ● Chef's Choice Plan (Dinner & Breakfast included) 27,000 yen/person ● Takaraku-yaki (Steamed abalone, Botan shrimp, scallop, etc.) 3,600 yen/person ● Sapporo Classic (Medium bottle) x3 ● Kamitsuru Junmai from Otaru (180ml) After checking in, I first relaxed in the bath to soothe the fatigue from hiking at Cape Ogon. Dinner was scheduled to start at 7:00 pm. I headed to the dining area on the first floor and when I gave my name, I was guided to a table in the back. Several dishes were already set on the table, all of which looked delicious. A female staff member quickly took our drink order, so we started with a toast with Sapporo Classic! A beer after a bath is the best. The menu for the day included... <Appetizers> - Nanban shrimp legs tempura - Octopus, spotted halibut, and shrimp with spicy miso - Salt-grilled large wings and marinated herring - Squid rice - Simmered abalone liver - White tsubu, tender abalone, and squid with sea urchin - Steamed treasure of the sea <Cold Dishes> - Sashimi (Botan shrimp, bluefin tuna, herring, flounder with kelp, seared salmon, tender octopus, fresh sea urchin, steamed abalone, mozuku and kelp jelly vinegar dish, salmon roe, white tsubu and shrimp with sweet sauce) <Fried Dish> - Fried sea urchin and young girlfish ★ Takaraku-yaki (Steamed abalone, Botan shrimp, scallop, etc.) ... Special additional dish <Soup> - Miso soup with soy fish head <Rice Dish> - Grilled sea urchin rice <Dessert> It was a series of pleasant surprises with more than I had imagined. I added the specialty dish of Takaraku-yaki, but honestly, I could have been satisfied without it. I was full with the luxurious seafood dishes. The service was somewhat homely, possibly due to the many elderly female staff members, but they remembered the types of alcohol we ordered and showed various considerations throughout the meal, making it a comfortable dining experience. When I consulted about my family's allergies at the time of booking, they kindly accommodated us, which was very helpful. After finishing the meal and getting up from the table, a female staff member informed me that I could take home the napkin (more like a hand towel) placed at the table as a souvenir, so I accepted it. Thank you for the feast.

Continuing from last year, I visited again this year. The seafood is still delicious as ever. Last year, I had a lot of seafood the day before, so I was a little tired of it, but this time I didn't have that issue and was able to enjoy it. The menu composition hasn't changed much from last year. The sea urchin and salmon roe bowl for breakfast is also delicious. A must-visit inn for sea urchin lovers.

I enjoyed a luxurious breakfast after soaking in the morning bath. The Uni and Ikura bowl was amazing, with a generous amount of Uni on top. The Uni alone would have been enough, it was so extravagant. The breakfast also included other delicious items like squid sashimi and hokke miso-marinated fish. The apple juice from Yoichi was available, but I don't like it so I didn't drink it. There was even mini tomato juice offered. Overall, it was a fantastic breakfast experience.

Went to Shakotan over the weekend to eat sea urchin. The long-awaited meal. We occupied a corner of the spacious hall. Although in the same room, there was a separate space for us. The seats were very spacious. The appetizers included spear squid legs and bamboo shoots with octopus in spicy miso, abalone with tea leaves and seared squid with salted sea urchin, cherry salmon and pickled herring grilled dish, squid rice, lion pepper, pickled myoga ginger, abalone liver and spring onion. The pickled herring was delicious. The cherry salmon was also good. The spear squid legs and bamboo shoots were refreshing. All of them paired perfectly with sake, so we ordered various local sakes and shared them. Steamed seafood treasure. This was a fantastic upgrade that came with the meal. It was exquisite, and we were glad we ordered it! It had abalone, shrimp, scallop, and sea urchin on top, with a savory sauce. Oh, it was truly a treasure. Sashimi. This was amazing! It got us excited! Although it was for two people, it was quite a large portion. It had sea urchin, abalone, peony shrimp, seared ootoro, Shakotan amberjack, flounder marinated in kelp, cherry salmon vegetable rolls, octopus simmered until tender, kelp jelly, true sea urchin and okra with wasabi, mozuku and nagaimo vinegar, and salmon roe. The sea urchin was in saltwater, but it was sweet, without any fishy smell, and there was a lot of it, so we were very satisfied. We got a little bit of rice and had it on top, which was delicious. The salmon roe was too salty and not that great. I wasn't that interested in abalone to begin with, and the one here was too chewy with a sour taste, almost like vinegar. The sashimi was so plentiful that we were full. Tempura. The shrimp was crispy and delicious. But then came the grilled sea urchin rice at the end! I couldn't resist eating it. The miso soup was unexpectedly tasty. We got some leftover saltwater sea urchin to top it off. It was even more delicious. I thought I couldn't eat dessert because I was so full, but the dessert was also of high quality, so I ended up eating it. Matcha and strawberry ice cream, with tea and coffee jelly for a sophisticated taste.

Appetizer: - Assorted shellfish with abalone and steamed sea urchin with abalone liver sauce - Octopus and boiled sweet shrimp with vinegar miso dressing - Small female fish tsukudani and stir-fried green peppers - Simmered onions and abalone liver - Grilled squid with salted sea urchin dressing Steamed dish: - Cold sea urchin and egg custard Sashimi Fried dish: - Sea urchin seaweed with octopus simmered tenderly - Deep-fried yellowtail - Fluffy sea urchin and abalone rice - Hera crab miso soup Dessert: - Homemade ice cream I enjoyed the various dishes with sea urchin. The sea urchin rice that I was looking forward to turned out to be abalone sashimi with sea urchin added, which was a bit disappointing, but the taste was delicious. The best dish was the fried food, with well-marinated fluffy yellowtail and octopus. The sea urchin on the seaweed had a deliciously creamy texture. Passing through Yoichi, I of course had a Yoichi highball. The milk ice cream for dessert was rich yet light, with a taste of Hokkaido milk. I had a great trip with great weather at nearby Kamui Misaki, where I enjoyed the stunning Shakotan Blue. Thank you for the meal.

After enjoying a dinner full of sea urchin dishes in July 2019, I was asked about my breakfast preference for the next morning. I chose the "Sea Urchin Bowl" without hesitation. The next morning, at the dining area, the same beautiful glass dishes were presented on the table. The meal included squid sashimi, sweet miso-marinated hokke fish, rolled omelette, boiled spinach, pickled cucumber, squid salted fish guts, stir-fried bell peppers and shirasu (baby sardines), sweet shrimp and kelp simmered dish, daikon radish salad, sea urchin rice, and miso soup. Additionally, white rice was available. The sea urchin rice was generously topped with sea urchin, making it hard to see the rice underneath. The rich and sweet sea urchin flavor was spread over the rice, making it absolutely delicious. There were also options for mini tomato juice, milk, and coffee. The mini tomato juice was particularly delicious, with a concentrated flavor of the tomatoes. The hot milk was made from milk from the Yamanaka Ranch. I was grateful for being able to visit again this year and had a wonderful time. Thank you for the delicious meal and hospitality.

In July 2019, I took a bus from Otaru to Bikuni, Hokkaido to visit the Bikuni Kanko House, a lovely inn near Bikuni Port known for its fresh sea urchin. This inn is a wonderful place to enjoy the summer season, especially during the sea urchin season. The dinner was a feast of fresh sea urchin along with various other Hokkaido seafood delicacies like abalone, botan shrimp, and turban shell. The inn has comfortable rooms, a cozy atmosphere with fresh flowers, and a lounge area on the second floor. The dinner menu included various dishes like grilled flounder with miso and seared scallops with sea urchin. The highlight was the abundance of sea urchin in different dishes, including a delicious sea urchin rice bowl. The service was attentive, and the experience was truly delightful.

Hokkaido is the Shakotan Peninsula. At a small inn in the countryside, I had a dinner filled with blissful sea urchin, and the next morning, another heavenly meal awaited me. The breakfast I had heard rumors about was truly amazing. The highlight was the sea urchin and salmon roe rice bowl, where you could choose the ratio of sea urchin to salmon roe. I chose 80% sea urchin and 20% salmon roe, and it exceeded my expectations. The bowl was empty before I knew it. Now, let me describe the blissful breakfast. 1. Squid sashimi 2. Grilled fish, hokke miso grilled, tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette) 3. Boiled spinach 4. Cucumber sunomono (vinegared dish) 5. Squid shiokara (fermented squid) 6. Stir-fried green peppers and small fish with soy sauce, sweet shrimp and kelp tsukudani (simmered dish) 7. Daikon radish salad 8. Sea urchin and salmon roe rice, miso soup 9. Coffee At the inn's counter, they offered: - Kiloro mountain cow milk - Akane apple juice from a farmer in Yoichi - Mini tomato juice Both drinks had a fresh Hokkaido touch. This breakfast was a culmination of Hokkaido's finest offerings. I had enjoyed a year's worth of sea urchin the previous night, but with this breakfast, it felt like I had two years' worth. The price includes one night's stay with dinner and breakfast.

Hokkaido is the Shakotan Peninsula. Every year from June to August is the peak season for sea urchin. This place in the United States is a small Japanese-style inn located in a town near the sea. It has a simple design but is meticulously cleaned by all employees for three hours every day, creating a very pleasant atmosphere. Of course, the highlight is the sea urchin feast. The sea urchin feast exceeded all expectations with its luxurious presentation. It was a sea urchin dining experience like no other. The sea urchin was fresh and served in abundance. It felt like having a year's worth of sea urchin in one meal. This place, where even Chef Murakami of the Imperial Hotel used to visit, truly lived up to its reputation. The sea urchin that appeared in the sashimi platter was served in a beautiful triangular glass dish filled with saltwater. You scoop it out with a net and no soy sauce is needed. The quality and quantity were heavenly. The grilled sea urchin rice dish at the end left me speechless. The sea urchin was not only fresh but also sautéed and sprinkled over the rice, allowing the rich flavor of the sea urchin to permeate. The deliciousness was so overwhelming that I finished a bowl of it in no time. Now, let's talk about the dinner menu. 1. Appetizers - Grilled trout with green onion miso - Grilled squid with sea urchin - Torched scallop with sea urchin - Simmered abalone liver - Okra with plum and bonito flakes - Mozuku seaweed and kelp with young shoots - West bay scallop, sweet shrimp, and cress with abalone liver sauce 2. Steamed dish Steamed egg with sea urchin and abalone 3. Cold dishes - Sashimi - North scallop, trout, botan shrimp, flounder with kelp, boiled octopus - Fresh sea urchin and abalone - Sweet shrimp with salt - Salmon roe with soy sauce - Mackerel and fish roe jelly 4. Fried dish Sea urchin and octopus simmered, deep-fried shrimp legs 5. Grilled dishes - Grilled abalone with sauce - Grilled botan shrimp - Grilled scallop - Grilled green sea urchin 6. Rice dish Grilled sea urchin rice - Fresh sea urchin sautéed and sprinkled over rice 7. Soup Hera crab miso soup 8. Dessert Parfait - Matcha ice cream, wasanbon sugar ice cream, hojicha jelly The attention to detail, from the first course to the final parfait, was impeccable. "The locals are tired of sea urchin and don't eat it anymore," said the inn's service staff. I wish I could get tired of sea urchin. I found paradise in Shakotan. I had a dream of sea urchin. *Regarding the notation of sea urchin, the basic term is "sea urchin," but the inn's menu used "uni" and "sea urchin," so I followed suit. The price is for a 2-day, 1-night stay with breakfast and dinner included.

In August 2018, the breakfast at this inn was also amazing. After enjoying a dinner filled with sea urchin, I was asked about my preference for the next morning's breakfast "rice" while having dessert. During sea urchin season, you can choose from three options: "sea urchin bowl," "salmon roe bowl," or a "half & half" combination of both. I chose the "sea urchin bowl." The next morning, I went to the dining area. The dishes were beautifully arranged in glass bowls on the same table as the night before. The meal included squid sashimi, grilled fish, sweet miso-marinated salmon roe, rolled omelette, boiled spinach, grilled shimeji mushrooms and white konjac with red perilla dressing, squid salted guts, potato salad, sweet shrimp and kelp simmered dish, daikon radish salad, sea urchin rice, and miso soup. You could also have plain white rice if you preferred. The sea urchin rice was topped generously with sea urchin, you couldn't even see the rice! Additionally, there were mini tomato juice, milk, coffee, and other beverages available for self-service. The mini tomato juice was delicious, with a rich and concentrated flavor of mini tomatoes. The hot milk was provided by Yamanaka Farm. It was a wonderful experience. Thank you for the feast and hospitality.

In August 2018, it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes by bus from Otaru. It is located near the station and offers exquisite seafood. This was my 4th visit and I enjoyed the seasonal seafood. While visiting in winter was nice, I believe the best experience is during summer, especially during the "Uni" season. It can be quite difficult to make a reservation during this time, but I managed to book a room this year. The warm welcome was as always. The rooms were renovated in 2015 and are comfortable. The inn is not flashy but very clean with fresh flowers in every corner, creating a cozy atmosphere. After exploring the neighborhood and taking a bath back at the inn, it was time for dinner. The dinner used to be served in the rooms before the renovation, but now it is served in the dining area on the first floor. The meal included various seafood dishes such as grilled trout and boiled shrimp with leeks, abalone liver stir-fry, sea cucumber and cucumber with grated radish, and many more. The highlight was the abundance of sea urchin in the sashimi platter. From abalone to botan shrimp, octopus, tuna, and sea urchin, the platter was beautifully presented. The meal also included sea urchin tempura, grilled sea urchin rice, miso soup with crab, and ice cream for dessert. It was a seafood feast, especially with the generous amount of sea urchin. I will write a separate review for breakfast as it was also amazing. Thank you for the hospitality.

Dinner's saltwater sea urchin was incredibly beautiful and delicious.