From fresh, sweet seafood to rich dairy products, from delicate Japanese confections to creative snacks, Hokkaido, this northern land, uses nature’s gifts to create a dazzling kingdom of souvenirs. But faced with an overwhelming array of choices, "What should I buy?" becomes the sweetest dilemma for travelers.
The renowned travel media GIFTRIP conducted a survey of 457 non-Hokkaido residents, carefully selecting the "Top 10 Must-Buy Hokkaido Souvenirs" with stellar reputations. This list is not only the perfect memento of your trip but also a souvenir bible that will make friends and family squeal with delight!
Below, we unveil this certified ultimate shopping list, unlocking the most authentic Hokkaido flavors!
10th Place: Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips / ROYCE’
As a classic Hokkaido souvenir, ROYCE’s Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips (ポテトチップチョコレート) made the list with their unique sweet-salty flavor!
Crispy potato chips coated on one side with premium chocolate, they’re described as “surprisingly refreshing for chocolate” and “perfectly balanced between salty and sweet,” making them ideal for gifting or hoarding as a personal snack.
While there are many imitators, ROYCE’s original remains unmatched in quality!
9th Place: Haskap Jewel Dessert / morimoto
The rare fruit “Haskap” from Chitose and Tomakomai in Hokkaido is transformed by morimoto into this luxurious dessert—“Haskap Jewel (ハスカップジュエリー)”.
The tangy haskap is wrapped in crispy biscuits, buttercream, and chocolate, making its sweet-tart flavor addictive! Many fans snap it up instantly at specialty fairs.
Haskap Jewel is easy to store at room temperature and is a rare treat hard to find outside Hokkaido, making it a surprising and delightful gift!
8th Place: Hokkaido Kaitaku Okaki / Kitakaro
Among Hokkaido’s mostly sweet souvenirs, Kitakaro’s “Hokkaido Kaitaku Okaki (北海道開拓おかき)” stands out with its savory, crispy charm!
Made with Hokkaido sticky rice, premium salt, and local seafood (salmon, kelp, scallops, squid, sweet shrimp, and about 10 other flavors), these rice crackers are rich and fragrant, impossible to stop at just one.
Perfect for those who don’t like sweets or enjoy pairing snacks with drinks, some even travel to Hokkaido just for these, a hidden gem of a snack!
7th Place: Cheese Soufflé / Hakodate Snuffles
From Hakodate’s popular confectionery brand Snuffles, the signature “Cheese Soufflé (チーズオムレット)” feels “like eating a cloud,” captivating foodies with its melt-in-the-mouth texture!
Made with carefully selected Hokkaido cheese, it has moderate sweetness and rich milky flavor, with each small piece perfectly satisfying.
Though it requires refrigeration, shops like New Chitose Airport offer insulated packaging, and many grab a box on their way home!
6th Place: Sanpouroku / Ryogetsu
The signature dessert of Tokachi’s long-established Ryogetsu, “Sanpouroku (りゅうげつ),” is a Baumkuchen cake coated with white and milk chocolate, resembling the delicate patterns of a birch tree.
Sanpouroku is stunningly beautiful! Its moist cake paired with a crisp chocolate coating is pre-sliced into 10 pieces for easy sharing, with individually wrapped “mini” versions for larger groups.
Seasonal limited flavors also keep fans coming back for more!
5th Place: Double Cheese Cake / LeTAO
The legendary dessert from Otaru’s LeTAO, the “Double Cheese Cake (ドゥーブルフロマージュ),” is a must-try for cheese lovers!
The top layer is light frozen cheese, and the bottom is rich baked cheese, blending two textures that melt like snow in your mouth!
Many order it online, but you can grab it at New Chitose Airport—a must-bring on your way back!
4th Place: Nama Chocolate / ROYCE’
“To make chocolate that rivals Europe”—ROYCE’s Nama Chocolate (生チョコレート) is synonymous with Hokkaido sweets!
Made with select cocoa and Hokkaido fresh cream, it’s so silky it melts at the touch of your tongue, with flavors like liqueur or nuts available.
Many repurchase it on every Hokkaido trip, and its elegant packaging makes it a classy gift!
3rd Place: Jaga Pokkuru / Calbee
“Jaga Pokkuru (じゃがポックル)” uses Hokkaido potatoes cut into sticks with the skin on, fried crisp and sprinkled with Okhotsk Sea salt—a refreshing standout in the snack world!
Crispier than regular fries with an intense potato flavor, its individual packets are perfect for sharing.
Found everywhere at airports and stations, it’s loved by kids and adults alike with a high repurchase rate!
2nd Place: Butter Raisin Sandwich / Rokkatei
The crown jewel of Obihiro’s long-established Rokkatei, the Butter Raisin Sandwich (マルセイバターサンド), has been sold since 1977. Butter biscuits sandwich white chocolate, cream, and rum-soaked raisins, delivering an explosion of rich flavor in one bite!
Despite many imitators, none surpass the original!
Perfect for keeping or gifting, even the packaging exudes Hokkaido charm~
1st Place: Shiroi Koibito / Ishiya Seika
Ishiya Seika’s “Shiroi Koibito (白い恋人)” is the undisputed champion! This world-famous langue de chat sandwich cookie is a symbol of Hokkaido!
Gifting it is like proclaiming, “I just got back from Hokkaido,” with unmatched fame.
For those who don’t like white chocolate, a dark chocolate version is available. Found almost everywhere at airports, major stations, or souvenir shops, you can’t go wrong with this pick!
