Delicacies of Hokkaido: Feast on Fresh Uni in the Costal Town of Rausu! – HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Fishing for Sea Urchin

The town of Rausu sits on the eastern coast of the world national heritage site of Shiretoko. A small town with a population of no greater than 6000 people, Rausu is well-known across Japan for the vast variety of fresh seafood which is fished on its coast.

One of the town’s most popular products is sea urchin, which is called uni in Japanese.

The variety of sea urchin which is fished in Rausu is called “Ezo Bafun Uni”. This sea urchin feeds on the highly nutritious kelp which grows in the waters just off the coast of Rausu, giving it a distinct flavor, sweeter than that of sea urchin fished elsewhere.

The sea urchin fishing season begins in Rausu at the end of January, when the sea is at its coldest. Fishermen board a small boat and head out to sea, picking the sea urchins out of the ocean one by one, using a net. This careful procedure can only be carried out in fair weather conditions when the water is clear and calm.

Sea urchin can be fished in Rausu until around mid-June, when the seawater begins to warm up. Each sea urchin is carefully split and hand-washed, with great care taken not to damage the delicate insides.

  • Boats fishing sea urchin off the coast of Rausu, on the eastern side of the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido.
    Boats fishing sea urchin off the coast of Rausu, on the eastern side of the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido.
  • Ezo Bafu uni, a type of sea urchin fished off the coast of Rausu.
    Ezo Bafu uni, a type of sea urchin fished off the coast of Rausu.
  • The sea urchin are split carefully so as not to damage the delicate insides.
    The sea urchin are split carefully so as not to damage the delicate insides.
  • Prepared sea urchin is packed up and ready to be sent to supermarkets across Japan.
    Prepared sea urchin is packed up and ready to be sent to supermarkets across Japan.

Enjoying Freshly Caught Sea Urchin in Rausu!

Of course, lovers of seafood shouldn’t miss out on a visit to Rausu to try out freshly caught sea urchin right at the point of origin! From February until June, it is possible to try out freshly caught sea urchin in restaurants around Rausu. We recommend trying out uni-don, a bowl of steaming hot rice topped with a generous portion of fresh sea urchin!

If you visit Rausu in February or March, you will also be able to see incredible winter scenery such as drift ice which drifts into the coast of Hokkaido from Siberia, and rare migratory seabirds such as Steller’s sea eagles!

  • A rice bowl topped with fresh seasonal seafood, including uni.
    A rice bowl topped with fresh seasonal seafood, including uni.
  • Rare migratory birds such as Steller's sea eagles which are drawn to Rausu by it's bountiful seafood become a winter spectacle.
    Rare migratory birds such as Steller's sea eagles which are drawn to Rausu by it's bountiful seafood become a winter spectacle.
  • Drift ice floats from Siberia into the coast of Rausu in the winter, creating unique scenery which cannot be seen elsewhere in Japan.
    Drift ice floats from Siberia into the coast of Rausu in the winter, creating unique scenery which cannot be seen elsewhere in Japan.

Prepare your own Seafood Bowl!

There’s nothing tastier than a fresh meal using seasonal ingredients which you have prepared with your own hands! Those who want to learn more about Rausu’sea urchin should try out an “uni-wari”, sea urchin splitting experience, during which you can learn how to split and prepare the urchin to make your own seafood rice bowl.

 

  • Participants are instructed on how to carefully split and prepare the sea urchin.
    Participants are instructed on how to carefully split and prepare the sea urchin.
  • Participants create their own seafood rice bowls using the sea urchin they prepared earlier.
    Participants create their own seafood rice bowls using the sea urchin they prepared earlier.
  • A delicious seafood rice bowl made using fresh sea urchin and other seasonal seafood.
    A delicious seafood rice bowl made using fresh sea urchin and other seasonal seafood.
  • Uni, or sea urchin, sashimi served with soy sauce and wasabi for dipping is considered a delicacy in Japan.
    Uni, or sea urchin, sashimi served with soy sauce and wasabi for dipping is considered a delicacy in Japan.

Uni-wari”, sea urchin splitting experience:

Shiretoko Rausu Hamada Shoten

Website: https://rausu.co.jp/

 

Text by Phoenix Scotney, Coordinator for International Relations at Hokkaido Tourism Organization.