Mashike Shrimp Festival

DatesLast weekend of May
Opening Hours10:00 - 14:00
Contact0164-53-3332 (Mashike Town Office Commerce and Industry Tourism Division)
Location /
Getting There
1 minute walk from Mashike bus station. 2 hour 15 minute drive from Sapporo.
Mashike station Ekimae Street Surroundings (Masuke Machi Bentencho 1)


 

Get your shrimp!

The Mashike Spring Taste Festival, better known as the ‘Mashike Shrimp Festival’ is held annually on the western coast of Hokkaido. Mashike is a quiet harbor town that prizes its seafood. The festival is a celebration of the local produce from the area. Mashike has some fantastic old buildings throughout the town and the festival makes use of these as well as the streets for the multitude of stalls. At the festival, you can taste plenty of different kinds of seafood, though if you want to see a lot of the shrimp, its best to get to the festival early.


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Inside the fishing museum

Many of the public arrive early and get shrimp in take away packs so get in quick. The festival finishes surprisingly early at 14:00. There are lots of stalls selling different kinds of food, especially seafood. You can buy shrimp, octopus and shell fish for a cheap price. Goes well with the beer! The festival also focuses on local sake and the breweries in the area. They have a sake tasting area as well as sake competition which can be seen on a large stage. There are local performers and attraction throughout the streets, so make sure to bring a camera.




Mashike town

There are three ways to get to Mashike. The most convenient and probably the cheapest would be to get a hire car from Sapporo. If you don’t have a lot of time, it is an easy drive up in the morning and head back in the evening. It’s a great drive and you can stop off along the way and see Shiragane Waterfall, and the Yuhinooka Rest Stop. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Sapporo Station to Rumoi (2 hrs & 50 min) and then take a taxi (20 km) to Mashike. This will put you back about ¥10,000 return. Via train from Sapporo, take the ‘Lilac Limited Express’ or the ‘Kamui Limited Express’ to Fukugawa (1 hour 5 min). Trains run every 4 hours to Owada (50min) and then a taxi to Mashike (25km). Total cost via this route is about ¥12,000 there and back.



Bird Watching

Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥2000 - ¥3000
Opening Hours18:00 - 3:00, 18:00 - 1:00 (food)
17:00 - 1:00 (Sundays), 18:00 - 24:00 (food Sundays)
Closed-
Contact011-272-1150
NotesSeating 40
French and yakitori bar
English menu
Location /
Getting There
3 minute walk from Susukino station
〒064-0804 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Minami 4 Jōnishi, 5 Chome−5

 


Hot sake

Bird Watching is a cozy little bar that also excels in yakitori (skewered meat) and French cuisine. With three floors and large windows, you can enjoy views of the downtown area while sipping on a variety of spirits and wines and partaking in some unique cuisine. The bar is a perfect spot for small groups or couples. The drink menu has some great sake, whiskeys, wines (red and white), cocktails and ‘Yuzu sake’. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit. It’s tart and bitter, citrus-like, tangy and fresh, making it a refreshing and delicious sake which is a must try!


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A talented chef

The food at Bird Watching is also a delicious mix of French and Japanese styles. You can order individual meat skewers of various kinds, or a selection of delicious French plates such as carpaccio, quiche, or potage. Alternatively, if you want to try a bit of everything than there are various set menus you can try. The three sets range from ¥1900 to ¥3900. These include small French dishes, yakitori, salads, and desserts. With three floors there are lots of cozy small tables to sit and enjoy the Bird Watching bar.



Izakaya Hanayagi

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Irashaimase!

Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
2000 Yen
Opening HoursOpen 7 days a week:
Monday – Thursday: 5:30pm – 1am (Food and Drink last order: 12:30am)
Friday, Saturday, Days preceding a holiday: 5:30pm – 2am (Food and Drink last order: 2am)
Sunday: 5:30 – midnight (Food and Drink L.O. 11:30pm)
定休日
月-木、祝日: 17:30-翌1:00
(料理L.O. 翌0:30 ドリンクL.O. 翌0:30)
金、土、祝前日: 17:30-翌2:30 (料理L.O. 翌2:00 ドリンクL.O. 翌2:00)
日: 17:30-翌0:00 (料理L.O. 23:30 ドリンクL.O. 23:30)
17:30~翌1:00迄
ClosedDecember 31 – January 3
Contact-
Notes¥300 charge for otooshi (お通し), a small dish of food / seating charge
Capacity: 50
Location /
Getting There
Sapporo, Chuo-ku,
South 6 Jyo, West 3 Choume
Daiichi Susukino Building 3rd floor.

北海道札幌市中央区南6条西3第1すすきのビル3F


Japan is an expensive country. But like all expensive countries, there are opportunities to enjoy the local fare on the cheap. One such chance to fill your belly is by having a meal at HANAYAGI, a small izakaya (traditional Japanese restaurant) located in the southeastern corner of Susukino.


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Proudly serving Yebisu beer!

HANAYAGI has everything you’d expect a bare bones izakaya to have: something from the pickle jar, the deep fryer, the grill, the fish cooler and the fry pan. And a really, really cheap all-you-can-drink menu (nomihoudai/ 飲み放題). Enter through a corner door and you’ll be greeted by the chef busy doing what he does best. Shed your shoes and choose from one of the low tables situated on the hardwood floors. HANAYAGI only employs one other staff, so get your order in quickly. By 8pm the restaurant fills for a frenetic few hours with hungry 20 somethings. The drink menu is pretty standard: Yebisu beer on tap, bottled Heartland and a handful of premixed cocktails. As for food, consider your eating needs covered. With a wide variety of items listed on both the menu and on the walls, you’re guaranteed to find something to satisfy your hunger…providing you can read Japanese!


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Besides the chef, HANAYAGI only employs one other staff, so get your order in quickly. By 8pm the restaurant fills for a frenetic few hours with hungry 20 somethings. The drink menu is pretty standard: Yebisu beer on tap, bottled Heartland and a handful of premixed cocktails. As for food, consider your eating needs covered. With a wide variety of items listed on both the menu and on the walls, you’re guaranteed to find something to satisfy your hunger…providing you can read Japanese!


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Just ask, and the staff will do their best to accommodate your illiteracy.



HANAYAGI is perfect for a busy night. You can be in and out in an hour, satisfied with a belly full of great local cooking. Or if you’re agenda is on the boozy end of the spectrum, consider this your best deal to prime the motor cheaply (think 2 hours of all the beer you can drink for under $10…). For the price, this place has it all: good food, good vibes and good value all in one place. Just remember to give your compliments to the chef directly – he’s a salt of the earth Sapporite, happy to serve the people.


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Local youngsters readying for a big night out.


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Grilled chicken breast with sinus-melting wasabi.

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Fried oysters and mayonaise – heart attacks never tasted so good!

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Grab a seat at the counter if the tables are taken.

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は – HA, な – NA, や – YA, ぎ – GI = HANAYAGI in Japanese: