Hokkaido Souvenirs: 12 Tasty Gifts for Sharing with Loved Ones

One of the best things about a trip to Hokkaido is buying local snacks as souvenirs to share with friends and family. Besides the well-known Shiroi Koibito cookies, what are some other popular souvenirs?

We introduce 12 sweets and snacks from Hokkaido that make excellent souvenirs.

The Best Hokkaido Souvenirs

1. Shiroi Koibito from Ishiya Confectionery
2. Milk Cookies from Sapporo Agricultural College
3. Marusei Butter Sand: Cream-Filled Cookies from Rokkatei
4. Nama Chocolate from Royce
5. Double Fromage Cheesecake from LeTAO
6. French Fries Three Brothers from Calbee
7. The Sanporoku Roll Cake from Ryugetsu
8. Kaitaku Okaki Rice Chips from Kitakaro Sapporo Main Store
9. YOSHIMI: Sapporo Rice Snacks Oh! Grilled Corn
10. Limited Edition Caramel Soft Candy from Donan Foods
11. Sapporo Maruyama Zoo Shirokuma Ramen Shio Instant Noodles
12. Furano Potato Chips

1. Shiroi Koibito from Ishiya Confectionery

Picture courtesy of Rakuten
Shiroi Koibito is a chocolate cream-filled cookie produced by Ishiya Confectionery since 1976. It consists of two cookies sandwiching a layer of white chocolate.

The cookie is crispy yet pleasantly moist, while the white chocolate layer is rich and full of dairy flavor. Its exquisite texture has made it a popular souvenir representative of Hokkaido!

2. Hokkaido Milk Cookies from Sapporo Agricultural College

Picture courtesy of PR TIMES
Sapporo Agricultural College has developed milk cookies using high-quality local ingredients such as Hokkaido-produced milk, flour, and butter.

Picture courtesy of PR TIMES
The cookie has a medium hardness, but its most distinctive feature is the strong milk scent. It is perfect for enjoying as an afternoon tea treat.

3. Marusei Butter Sand (Cream-Filled Cookies) from Rokkatei

Picture courtesy of Rakuten Shopping
Rokkatei’s Marusei Butter Sand (Cream-Filled Cookies) is named after the first butter ever made in Tokachi by Banseisha, the group of pioneers led by Benzo Yoda.

This cookie uses a unique recipe developed by Rokkatei, combined with white chocolate, raisins, and 100% Hokkaido butter. Its biggest selling point is its rich, smooth, and moist texture.

4. Nama Chocolate from Royce

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Founded in 1983, Royce Chocolate has established a significant presence in the Hokkaido chocolate souvenir market with its quality, originality, and attractive price points. The signature product, Nama Chocolate, uses liquor, whisky, and brandy to enhance the flavor of chocolate. Its melt-in-your-mouth velvety texture is undoubtedly a delicious treasure that delights tourists' taste buds!

5. Double Fromage Cheesecake from LeTAO

Picture courtesy of PR TIMES
The dessert company LeTAO, based in Otaru is best known for its delicious cheesecakes.

Their Double Fromage Cheesecake is made with carefully selected ingredients, including rich, fresh milk and cream from Hokkaido, paired with mildly tangy Australian cream cheese and Italian mascarpone cheese. The texture is as delicate as powdered snow. It will melt in your mouth while a rich, milky aroma immediately spreads inside your mouth while taking a bite.

6. French Fries Three Brothers from Calbee

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The Potato Chip Brothers, which celebrated its 20th anniversary, is a popular product among Hokkaido souvenirs. The potatoes used in this product are all sourced from Hokkaido, where the temperature difference between day and night allows for producing finely textured and flavorful potatoes.

During production, the potato skins are specially retained to enhance the flavor, resulting in a crispy texture. Another feature is the use of Okhotsk Sea salt, giving it a moderate saltiness that makes it irresistible to stop munching.

Just as tempting as the Potato Chip Brothers! Calbee Potato Stick Souvenirs

After trying the Potato Chip Brothers, you might also want to try the Inca no Mezame potato sticks, produced by Calbee and sold exclusively in Hokkaido. Each is independently packaged, making it easy to share and ensuring the snack remains crispy without getting soggy from a larger package.

This product uses the rare potato variety "Inca no Mezame" from Hokkaido. It has a slight sweetness and retains a beautiful golden color even after being deep-fried at high temperatures.

Additionally, the unique shape of the potato sticks adds to its deliciousness. The serrated cutting shape, combined with the texture of the rare potato variety, makes every bite a delightful reminder of Hokkaido! (8 bags for 1,080 yen)

7. The Sanporoku Roll Cake from Ryugetsu

Picture courtesy of Rakuten Shopping
The Sanporoku Roll Cake is the signature dessert of the Hokkaido-based confectionery shop Ryugetsu. This dessert is inspired by birch trees, with the outer layer of the roll cake covered in white and milk chocolate.

Carefully selected and locally sourced ingredients include sugar made from beets, flour from the Tokachi Otofuke area, and fresh milk from Tokachi. This product has also been given the Gold Award at the Monde Selection, a global quality evaluation award!

8. Kaitaku Okaki Rice Chips from Kitakaro Sapporo Main Store

Picture courtesy of PR TIMES
The popular Kaitaku Okaki Rice Chips from Kitakaro is a complex item that takes seven days to complete. The main ingredients are high-quality glutinous rice from Hokkaido and sea salt, which are rich in natural minerals. It is then blended with various seafood essences, including sanma (Pacific saury), scallops, hairy crabs, kelp, and sweet shrimp. When you open the package, a rush of marine flavors instantly fills the air, making it irresistibly tempting!

9. YOSHIMI "Sapporo Rice Snacks Oh! Grilled Corn"

Picture courtesy of Rakuten Shopping
The Sapporo Rice Snacks Oh! Grilled Corn, based on grilled corn, uses domestic glutinous rice as the base mixed with corn and then coated in a sweet soy sauce before being baked. This product continues to remain a popular souvenir item. It has a crispy texture, and a single bite reveals the sweet flavor of corn paired with the charred aroma of soy sauce.

10. Limited Edition Caramel Soft Candy from Donan Foods

Hokkaido's Donan Foods has launched many classic souvenirs, such as flavored milk candies and chocolates. This time, they have incorporated representative elements of Hokkaido to release limited-edition candies that bring back fond memories for travelers.

The packaging is cute and compact, making it easy to carry. Moreover, when given as a gift, it naturally sparks conversations about Hokkaido travels. No wonder this sweet treat is a perfect choice!

Enjoying Sweets While Taking a Railway Journey! JR Hokkaido Station Milk Candy

The JR Hokkaido Station Milk Candy features eye-catching packaging and was launched to commemorate some of the stations that are being abolished. It includes all 410 stations from JR Hokkaido's conventional lines and Shinkansen.

A set of 5 small boxes of milk candy randomly selects 5 routes from 84 lines. Each box represents one route, and the station names printed on each side connect to the next side.

You can open the Hokkaido railway map to find unfamiliar stations. The boxes also thoughtfully include clues about the routes, enhancing your impression of Hokkaido while adding a playful element! (5 candies per box, 200 yen)

Turn Into a Hokkaido Expert by Tasting 179 City and Town Milk Candies!

In addition to the station name Milk Candy, suitable for train enthusiasts, there is the Hokkaido 179 City, Town, and Village Milk Candy, which features the names of 179 cities, towns, and villages in Hokkaido printed on the packaging. It is also randomly packaged, so see how many place names you recognize on the box!

The milk candy includes Hokkaido milk powder, resulting in a full-bodied milk flavor in the white milk candy. At first, the texture is a bit hard. But it gradually melts in your mouth and becomes sweeter the more you chew. (5 candies per box, 173 yen)

A 5-pack option also features a design of the late Edo period explorer associated with Hokkaido Matsuura Takeshiro on the box. (5-pack for 864 yen)

Full of Flavor! Furano Honeydew Melon Milk Candy

When you travel to Hokkaido, you must try the Furano honeydew melon, which has now been turned into milk candy! The Furano Honeydew Melon Milk Candy is also a set of 5 pieces. The box features cute dice-like packaging displaying images of whole and sliced honeydew melons on its six faces.

Upon opening the adorable little box, you are immediately greeted with a delightful aroma of honeydew melon. While it may not be as juicy as a real Hokkaido honeydew melon, the melon flavor and charming packaging will surely be a hit. (5 candies per box, 173 yen)

11. Sapporo Maruyama Zoo Shirokuma Ramen Shio Instant Noodles

This instant noodle product was developed in collaboration with the Maruyama Zoo, Sapporo's famous sightseeing spot, and Fujiwara Foods.

The pure white packaging features a polar bear's innocent eyes and nose, making it hard to resist adding to your shopping basket! The packaging illustrates Pirika, a polar bear born and raised in Maruyama Zoo. Even the cooking instructions printed on the back are quite adorable! It’s a perfect gift option as well.

Cooking is effortless. Follow the instructions on the package when boiling the noodles in hot water for about 4 minutes (stir gently around 3.5 minutes in), then turn off the heat and add the soup packet and any other desired ingredients!

The editor followed the packaging instructions to prepare this steaming bowl of ramen quickly. Doesn't it look quite impressive? The broth is not overly strong, making it pleasant to drink without feeling heavy.

The noodles soak up the salty flavor of the soup and have just the right amount of chewiness. Adding your favorite vegetables and a boiled egg as toppings allows anyone with no cooking skills to recreate the delicious taste of Hokkaido ramen! (171 yen)

12. Furano Potato Chips

Just like the previous Calbee "Inca no Mezame," these Furano-exclusive potato chips are incredibly delicious!

Since Hokkaido is famous for its tasty potatoes, you must bring home a few bags of these scrumptious potato chips to share with friends and family. The Furano potato chips, made by the Furano Agricultural Cooperative, feature a beautiful watercolor illustration on the packaging that instantly brings to mind the stunning natural landscapes of Furano.

The potato chips are cut to the perfect thickness and sprinkled with savory nori salt, making them irresistible and easy to finish in no time!

If you look closer at the product packaging, you’ll notice that the ingredients are simpler than those in commercially available potato chips, containing only potatoes, vegetable oil, salt, nori, and seasonings. This simplicity results in a delightful flavor that leaves you wanting more, further proving the exceptional quality of Hokkaido potatoes! (120 yen per bag)

Find the Best Sweet Souvenirs from Hokkaido

Are you drooling after reviewing the list of Hokkaido souvenirs above? Although you might hear friends and family say that while Japan excels at beautifully packaging souvenirs, this is often reflected in the price.

However, if you take the time to search, you can still find high-quality souvenirs like the ones mentioned above that won’t break the bank. Plus, you can bring local specialties back to share with family and friends!

Main mage: Neige Blanc Cheesecake by LeTAO, courtesy of PR TIMES