Iruka Bar

海豚
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥660 - ¥770 per drink
¥1000 food
Opening Hours19:00 - 03:00
ClosedSundays
Contact011-1520-6610
NotesBar, no sit down charge, smoking, seating 15, seafood, sake, shochu, no parking, take out available, Japanese menu only
Location /
Getting There
The bar is located in central Susukino, Sapporo. It is a 3 minute walk from Susukino subway station. The bar is in a small alley just off Susukino Minami Nakadori
3 Chome-6-17 Minami 6 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0806

The Iruka Bar is a great little place in Susukino, Sapporo. The name ‘Iruka’ means dolphin in Japanese. This bar has that cool, dark, laid back, smokey feel to it. The staff and the owner are very friendly and welcoming. This place seems to be a hidden popular go to place for the locals, especially for those who want to unwind after a day at work. The background jazz music really adds to the atmosphere. It is a small place, and it is a smoking establishment, so be warned for those who don’t want to be in a smoky bar. 

The bar is best for drinking alone, couples, and only small groups as there are only a couple of small tables and a counter. The menu, is only in Japanese. This bar is popular for its extensive sake list. There are many different kinds of shochu here as well to enjoy. And what goes well with sake? Seafood. If you love oysters, Iruka has some large oysters that can be had raw, or cooked. Both are delicious! For around ¥500, you can also enjoy other seafood dishes, plus pickled dishes, chicken, and noodles. They have a take out option as well! This is a great bar to check out. It’s down a small alleyway, and up a narrow flight of stairs.

Kushiro Fisherman’s Wharf MOO

釧路フィッシャーマンズワーフMOO
Admission-
Opening Hours10: 00 - 19:00
Closed-
Contact0154-23-0600
NotesSeafood market, restaurant, souvenir shops, sightseeing spot
Location /
Getting There
The fishermans market is by the waters edge on Kushiro River. It is next to Nusamai Bridge. It is a 15 minute walk, south from Kushiro station.
2 Chome-4 Nishikicho, Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0016

Developed in 1989, this wharf area, which goes by the local name of “MOO”, has shops, restaurants, a fitness club, an indoor garden and a pool. There are also stops for buses which depart to Lake Akan, Abashiri, Nemuro, Obihiro and Sapporo. The area is generally lively with locals and tourists alike enjoying the center. Also of interest nearby is the “EGG” which is an all year greenhouse designed to give people a chance to rest and relax and enjoy the sun even during the bitter Kushiro winter. The greenhouse is designed to reflect the shape of a giant yacht in fitting with its location near the wharf. 

The shopping centre is home to a dozen restaurants. These include ramen restaurants, a sweets store, a cafe, an ice-cream store, and a bakery to name a few. Here you can enjoy lunches and dinners throughout a busy day of shopping and sightseeing. While in Kushiro, this is a great place to drop into and do your shopping. You can fins some local delicacies and a tonne of seafood to purchase and take home. Great for a a gift or souvenir. 

Erimo Misaki Tourist Center

えりも岬観光センター
Pricing Guide at restaurant
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1000 - ¥3500
Opening Hours9:00 - 16:30
Closed-
Contact011-4663-1666
NotesSouvenir store, restaurant, restrooms
Location /
Getting There
From Sapporo the cape is about a 4 hour drive down the south coast. There is also a return express bus from Sapporo station. JR Hokkaido Bus (High Speed) to Erimo, (reservation required until the day before departure).
*JR Sapporo Station 16:30 departure-Erimo 20:30 arrival
*Erimo 5:30 departure-JR Sapporo Station 9:30 arrival
Erimomisaki, Erimo, Horoizumi District, Hokkaido 058-0342

The Erimo Misaki Tourist Center serves as a souvenir store, information center, and as a seafood restaurant. It can be found at Cape Erimo on the point. There is a large carpark here as well, and the Tourist Center is definitely a welcome place during cold, wet and windy weather. Close by, you can also find the entrance to the Kaze no Yakata (house of wind), wind museum. The tourist center has numerous souvenirs inside. These include mainly animal products from the local wildlife such as antlers from the Hokkaido deer. 

The restaurant is large and one of the best spots to try some local seafood while in Erimo. There are not a lot of restaurants in Erimo, so this is a good spot for some lunch while on the road. Being on the coast, there is plenty of seafood to choose from. They have a great sea urchin bowl that comes with rice, pickles and a miso soup. It is costly at ¥3600 a bowl, but if you have the money, it’s worth a try. Other dishes include sashimi, sushi, and shellfish. You can also find some large tanks with equally large snow crabs for sale. These things are huge and aren’t cheap! Overall, Erimo Misaki Tourist Center is a good place, although a little old, to stop off at take a look at its wares, or have a taste of its local cuisine! 

Hakodate Nishi Hatoba Factory

函館西波止場
Opening Hours9:00 - 18:00
Closed-
Contact011-3824-8108
NotesSupermarket, shopping hall, souvenir shop, tax free, parking available (at Mitsui nearby),
Location /
Getting There
It's only a 2 minute walk from Suehirocho station. It's also an 18 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's right by the old red brick warehouses shopping district.
24-6 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0053

Hakodate Nishi Hatoba (known as the ‘west wharf’ in english), is a seafood market, souvenir and large shopping warehouse. Here, you can walk through this shopping area which has an atmospheric beauty. Old wooden floorboards, warm lighting from rustic light shades, and Japanese written hangings, makes this market a pleasant place to walk around and peruse the local wares. Hakodate being a harbor city, this market sells mainly seafood, and they have a lot of produce, 2,000 types of products! For those traveling from abroad, you can pick up some souvenirs, and being tax free is a real bonus.

Hakodate Factory is part of the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse area and is a popular sightseeing spot. They have a tonne of seafood products that make for a great gift to take home, or to give as a present. These items include a variety of fish, salmon, eggs, kelp, squid, octopus, and crab. They have livestock products such as ham and sausages, and agricultural items grown fresh in Hokkaido. They also have dairy, plus ramen, curries, and famous sweets. In addition, you can try the raw delicacies such as the local “Matsumaezuke” (pickled seaweed with shredded squid), or the dried delicacies such as the popular “dried scallop”. Around the area they have restaurants including the famous Lucky Pierrot, a Starbucks, cafes,  and other shopping outlets. This is a great day out in Hakodate.

Kaisembaru Uonosuke

海鮮バル うおのすけ
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1500 - ¥3000
Opening Hours11:00 - 15:00 lunch
17:00 - 1:00 dinner
Closed-
Contact050-3462-6085
https://uonosuke.gorp.jp/
NotesJapanese dining & bar, seating 26, English, Chinese and Korean menu available, English speaking staff, all you can drink available, no parking
Location /
Getting There
Located in Sapporo, in the entertainment district of Susukino. It's a 6 minute walk from Nakajima Koen subway station. From the station, simply head into town on the main street. It's on the left.
〒064-0807 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 7 Jonishi, 3 Chome-2-15 Athens Building 1F

Found on the main street that runs through Susukino (the entertainment district of Sapporo) you can find Kaisembaru Uonosuke. It is a Japanese dining and bar establishment. For those who are traveling from overseas, the manager here speaks some English and is happy to have a chat. Indeed, the menus here also cater for foreigners. Besides the obvious Japanese menu, they have an English, Chinese, and Korean menu. The food on the menu has a lot of Japanese seafood, plus your typical izakaya style fare. 

The seafood here is quite good. They have some nice sashimi, deep fried oysters and shellfish. In terms of meat, they have grilled chicken skewers plus roast beef to try. All the meals come on small dishes and can be shared around à la Japanese dining style. Other dishes include pastas, ajillo, pizzas and mutton. Kaisembaru Uonosuke has quite an impressive selection of sake. Other drinks include spirits and good old fashioned beer. There is a nomihodai (all you can drink) option at this bar. 

Kurukuru Sushi

くるくる寿司
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥120 - ¥400 per plate
Opening Hours11:00 - 21:30
Closed-
Contact011-209-3440
NotesSushi train style restaurant, seating 20, no smoking, English menu available with pictures, free tea
Location /
Getting There
Located in the 'Apia Joyful Walk' area (under Sapporo station) on the basement floor.
〒060-0005 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Kita 5 Jonishi, 4 Chome-Apia Joyful Walk B1F

Kurkuru Sushi is a kaiten sushi restaurant in Sapporo. Kaiten Sushi being the sushi on a conveyer belt that runs past every table at the centre of restaurant. And for extra fresh sushi, you can place an order with the sushi chefs standing behind the conveyer belt. Being so close to Sapporo station, Kurukuru Sushi caters very well to travelers and sightseers coming in from distant countries. The staff here are really friendly have some English ability. And to make ordering easier for those who may be lacking in the Japanese language, there is an English menu available.

Once inside and seated, you will be given a menu and a sheet of paper to write down your order. Each plate consists of two mouth watering sushi pieces. There are six plates that are on offer. From cheapest to the most expensive they range in colors being white, blue, silver, red, gold, and black. White being your most basic sushi at ¥120 a plate to those looking at the high end sushi at ¥400 for the black plates. The green tea here is free and simply top up when need be. This is a nice little sushi restaurant with friendly staff  and easily accessed.