A raw seafood delight

If you are into trying raw seafood (apart from the usual sashimi tuna, or salmon), then there may be no better place to head for in Japan then the Hakodate Asaichi, or Hakodate morning market. The market opens early in the morning, and closes just after lunchtime. It in itself is well worth a look, as it sells all kinds of large and small, fresh and cooked crabs that Hokkaido is famous for, and many other sea creatures. You can arrange to have them shipped to your home anywhere in Japan, and they will usually arrive at around the same time you do.

But the real treat to be savoured here is the Kaisen domburi, available from one of the many restaurants that constitute Domburi Alley, an undercover street adjacent to the market. Kaisen domburi consists of a large bowl of hot, steamed rice, topped with may kinds of raw seafood, sometimes garnished with shredded omelette, or a raw egg, and wasabi. You can add a little soy to make it salty, stir in the wasabi as you mix the rice and seafood, and eat up! Of course it is commonly available in other parts of Japan, but Hakodate, and Hokkaido generally, is famous for its fresh, delicious seafood.

The raw seafood may be a single serve, or mixed seafood, mainly sea urchin (uni), salmon roe (ikura), scallops (hotate), squid (ika), and prawns (ebi). Crab (kuni) is also available, but is usually cooked leg meat, stripped of the shell and served as a delicous, short rope-like length, or shredded and cooked with the rice. And given the freshness and exclusivity of what you are eating, it is not that expensive. A bowl of Kaisen Domburi here will set you back between $8.00 and $30.00 U.S., depending on what it features. Washed down with a beer, or a bowl of miso soup, it is a substantial meal.

Japanese visitors to Hakodate would not dream of going home without a visit here - if they like raw seafood, of course (is the Pope a Catholic?) Domburi Alley is across the road from the Hakodate station, just behind the Harborview Hotel. The market closes just after lunchtime, but some of the restaurants in the Alley stay open later.

RK

Comments

[Ray Pollanen]

Firstly, pull your head in!

Secondly, great stories. I ran a community website for over four years covering many local issues, like you, I like to write.

As a suggestion, add some recipes, don't just talk about the food. I love to cook and one site that has now gone off-line was for a displaced Malaysian living in Switzerland, who ran a website covering his mom's cooking. Marvellous stuff.

Seriously, chill out and get back into the fray. We know that we're always going to rub a few up the wrong way, because we just have to call a spade a spade. But would we have it any other way?

Cheers

Ray

[Ray Kinnane]

Thanks, Ray. Eventually, I will get around to all kinds of things here. But I have spent months (hard to believe, I know) getting this to work; I am no IT expert. But the other thing? It really is time for a rest.

Ray Kinnane

[Gareth (DPR)]

Hi Ray,
This is a nice site. Its given me a lot of inspiration in more ways that you probably realise. Keep up the good work and I hope to hear from you soon.

Regards
Gareth

[Ray Kinnane]

Thanks Gareth. Kind words indeed. Please visit anytime. I will try and change the stories regularly.

Ray Kinnane

[Romar Armas]

Yummy! I love sashimi and this seems to be the King of it all! I'm not too keen on sea urchin though. I guess it's an acquired taste. I would have to put this place on a must visit. :)

[Ray Kinnane]

Thanks Romar. I'm not a big raw fish fan at all, but my wife is really into it.