An izakaya-style restaurant favored by folks in town. The restaurant uses fresh local food and ingredients gathered from Hokkaido. Their menu has over 100 various dishes such as sashimi, yakitori, and various fried foods! With its reasonable prices and portions, it is a Kutchan restaurant loved by locals.

The owner’s recommended dish is the kimchi “horumon” offal dish (700 yen). Charcoal-grilled on the table, it is a perfect side for your drink.

A fancy bistro bar located on Kutchan Station Street. It has a nice variety of wine from around the world, including bottles from Japan, France, Italy and Australia. Small portioned tapas that goes well with wine are served.

A popular dish is the juicy shrimp cooked in olive oil with minced garlic (1,600 yen / 10 pieces). This tasty tapas with perfect salt seasoning helps the wine flow.

Using fresh seasonal ingredients, Sato is a Kutchan restaurant offering authentic Japanese dishes such as sushi, sashimi, and tempura. There are counter seats and small private sections. The restaurant is filled with a relaxing atmosphere that enhances your dining experience.

The menu offers the recommend sushi course meal (15,000 yen) and a la carte dishes to enjoy the fine ingredients from Hokkaido. It's the perfect shop for sushi in Kutchan! They also have an assortment of sake that goes well with the fresh Hokkaido seafood. It’s the perfect place to experience fresh authentic Japanese food and sake.

A Kutchan restaurant pub using ingredients from Hokkaido to offer diverse menu options such as grilled fish, yakitori, pizza and zangi (a variety of crispy karaage fried chicken). It offers a homey atmosphere with reasonable prices.

The daily recommend menu has fresh ingredients gathered from close by areas such as Kutchan, Niseko, Rankoshi and Yoichi.

This yakitori shop opened its doors 36 years ago in Kutchan. They are fastidious about using fresh ingredients and will not use frozen ones for their yakitori, which start at 250 yen (for 2 skewers). Yakitori skewers are prepared on a charcoal grill. They offer sashimi and grilled fish, however the menu changes depending on what the ocean brings in.

They also have an interesting ostrich sashimi dish. The wooden interior gives a warm feeling with candles and kites on display. It’s very understandable why there are many repeat customers from abroad.

This Kutchan ramen shop was listed in the Michelin Guide Hokkaido 2012. Their recommended dish is the umeshio char siu ramen (1,050 yen), which is served with a plum (ume) and salt (shio) paste that melts as you eat. Delectable.

The clear soup has a soft taste and the pork belly char siu is amazing! They have other types of ramen on the menu too. Nakama is a popular restaurant with the foreign staff working in Hirafu.

photo & text: Natsuko Matsumura