Linda TanPlanning your Hokkaido trip? Don’t forget to bring some delicious snacks home! Before my recent Hokkaido adventure, I scoured the internet for the ultimate souvenir and foodie guide. Finding a comprehensive list proved surprisingly difficult, so I decided to create one myself to help fellow travelers budget and plan their culinary journey.
Read on for my Hokkaido shopping haul, packed with must-try treats and unique souvenirs!
Also read: The Ultimate 9D8N Hokkaido Itinerary in Autumn: Things to Do, See & Eat
1. Shiroi Koibito Biscuits
Shiroi Koibito in English, or at least on the package, says White Lover. Literally. I’ve been calling them the White Lover Cookies. I think the White, stands for white chocolate. Shiroi Koibito is basically a square cookie sandwich with 2 very thin crispy cookies with a slice of soft white chocolate in between. The white chocolate kind of looks like cheese.
These cookies are really yummy. The thin crispy cookies have a strong vanilla flavour. The chocolate inside is always soft, smooth, and just melts in your mouth. The cookies look very simple, and they look like how they would taste. They’re pretty brilliant.
Unwrap the green paper and you will see a white box with light blue design
Inside the box. As you can see in the photo, it’s a thin butter cookie with soft white chocolate in between and it melts in your mouth like clouds.
Where to get: Most of the souvenir shops in Hokkaido. If you are in Tokyo, it’s available at the Tokyo International Airport.
2. Strawberry Chocolate Ball by Rokkatei
Rokkatei Strawberry Chocolate White box
Available in white or black chocolate ball, with strawberry inside. A little bit of the sour taste of the strawberry served with the sweet chocolate is a perfect match.
Rokkatei (六花亭) is one of the most popular sweets house in Hokkaido （北海道), the north land. Dairy products are specialities of the region and sweets with cream, butter from Hokkaido must be good quality ones.
White choco ball with strawberry inside
Where to get: Most of the souvenir shops in Hokkaido
3. Royce Potato Chips Chocolate
Crrrunch! Salty potato chips + sweet chocolate taste melt together in your mouth! Two flavours are available, the original and fromage blanc (cheese) but I personally prefer the latter. Best movie snacks!
Or you can get the Royce choco bar as it’s easier to carry and give as souvenir for people.
Where to get: Most of the souvenir shops in Hokkaido
4. LeTao Chocolate
Nicely wrapped chocolates by LeTao. Japanese customer service really has top notch quality. They even give free 2 red bean buns! And inside they also provide cooling gel pack to ensure the chocos won’t melt! (Note: I suggest you keep the cooling gel pack in the fridge and don’t throw it. You can use it to cool your forehead when you have fever.)
On Left: LeTao white rare chocolate. Middle: Green Tea chocolate. Right: Milk Chocolate
Where to get: Otaru Handicraft Street
5. Snaffles Cheesecake
Snaffles Cheesecake box
Snaffles’s cheesecakes are light as a feather. One detail that I like about Snaffles is that they come in small little rounds. Each little piece is around two bite sizes and perfect for those who want a taste, but don’t want to over eat. It also lets you have a bit of each flavour without feeling overly guilty. Yes, I used that excuse. Oh, if you get a box of Snaffles be sure to open it right away and eat it. They have a very short lifespan and need to be refrigerated.
Cute round cheesecake
Where to buy: Pastry Snaffle’s in Hakodate, Hokkaido
6. Kitkat
Clockwise: Strawberry kitkat, blueberry cheesecake kitkat, Uji matcha kitkat, sakura kitkat
Where to get: You can get it from the Hokkaido airport. (Personally I feel airport Kitkat price is much cheaper). You can find Uji Kitkat and Strawberry Kitkat easily now in KL dee. Probably you should consider buying the limited one like Blueberry cheesecake flavour.
7. Hokkaido Ramen
I super love Hokkaido ramen even its instant noodle. Super love the miso taste one especially and the noodle is like our wantan mee.
Where to get: Got it at one of the souvenir/food shop in Rusutsu.
8. Hokkaido Melon Cake
9. Hokkaido Cheesecake
Where to get: You can get it from a souvenir/convenience shop on the ground floor of Lake Toya Hotel.
10. Corn Biscuits
Where to get: You can get it from a souvenir/convenience shop on the ground floor of Lake Toya Hotel.
11. Tiramisu Chocolate
Tiramisu chocolate
Gold award tiramisu, wrapped by almond-flavoured chocolate. It is irresistible.
Where to buy: From Apple tour group
12. Scallop
Fresh quality scallop barbequed in ultra-violet light, and added with special seasoning. It is your best companion when enjoying a drink.
Where to buy: From Apple group
13. Seaweed
Japanese seaweed is high in iron, calcium, and food-grade fiber.
Where to buy: From Apple group
14. Pistachio Nut
Where to buy: From Apple group
15. Hokkaido Hidaka Milk
Where to get: Any Hokkaido convenience store? I bought it at the Rusutsu souvenir shop.
Also read: 20 Delicious Japanese Ice Creams and Popsicles You Must Try
Thinking of what souvenirs you can get in Hokkaido for your friends or family members? Below are some of my recommendations:
16. Japanese umbrella
Japanese lady umbrella. I wonder what it looks like when you open it up.
I don’t why the Japanese umbrella is so damn cool with different designs that you can never find in Malaysia!
Where to get it: Sapporo Airport
The bottom right one is the one I bought, nice?
There are even nicer designs. Sigh. Too bad I was short of time and also I already used up all my money! argh!
I love the one bottom right. The lucky Japanese cat!
More umbrella designs
17. Japanese lucky cat pen
Cute pen right?
Where to get: Sapporo airport
18. Horse Oil Soap Gold Bar
We’re here to get this supposedly very good Horse Oil, which is excellent for moisturizing your skin. Horse Oil is famous in Hokkaido (maybe even the whole of Japan), and this one is ONLY available here.
19. Lavender Soap Bar
20. Magnets
21. Waterproof Spray
22. Sneakers Cleaner
Where to get: Rera Chitose Outlet Mall
23. Winter boots that are anti-slip and suitable to walk on ice
Where to get: Rera Chitose Outlet Mall
24. Burberry Blue Label Handbag
Where to get: Daimaru
25. “Beauty” Wine
Where to get: Tanaka Shuzo Brewery
26. Hello Kitty Doll
27. Otaru Music Box
Where to get: Otaru Music Box Museum
28. Amulet
Where to get: Hokkaido Shrine
Left: Hello Kitty Hadamamori
Right: Strap Amulet
Also read: 16 Things Japan Does Better Than Your Country
So there you have it, my shopping haul for the whole trip and some of my top recommended Hokkaido souvenirs and snacks! I hope this list helps you plan your trip and discover the unique flavours and treasures that this beautiful island has to offer.
Contributed by Linda Travelogue.
