Recommended Sweets & Seafood Products

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This page is a guide for those looking for Otaru souvenirs (sweets and seafood products). All 20 items listed are currently sold at UNGAPLUS stores, and include prices, purchasing methods, and product background stories. For miscellaneous goods and gift sets, please see [here].

1. Otaru Kawarayaki Baumkuchen

Otaru flourished as a port of call for Kitamaebune merchant ships from Kamigata. The Kitamaebune were merchant ships that, from the mid-Edo period to the Meiji era, traveled between Osaka and Hokkaido, buying and selling goods along the Seto Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan. All kinds of daily necessities such as rice, salt, sugar, sake, iron, textiles, and cotton came from Kamigata, while a wealth of goods such as kombu, herring, herring meal, and salmon traveled from Hokkaido.

One such item was the roof tiles used for the tiled roofs still seen in Otaru today. These tiles were not only transported as merchandise but also stacked in the hulls of the Kitamaebune to prevent capsizing and maintain balance. In Otaru, which frequently suffered from fires, these tiles were eagerly used for warehouses and wealthy merchant shops. This "Kawarayaki Baumkuchen" expresses the stacked appearance of these tiles with the layered structure of the baumkuchen and the crispy texture of caramel.

Price: ¥1,280 (tax included)

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2. Kyu-Otaru Soko Tan (Tales of the Old Otaru Warehouse)

Approximately 130 years ago, in 1893, "Otaru Warehouse," Hokkaido's first commercial warehouse, was established by Sonzaemon Nishide and Shohachi Nishitani from Hashitate, Ishikawa Prefecture, who had been engaged in shipping since the Edo period.

With a hip-and-gable tiled roof topped with shachi (mythical tiger-fish statues), its Japanese-Western eclectic design elegantly unfolds symmetrically around the brick office building (now the UNGAPLUS retail store). "Kyu-Otaru Soko Tan" is shaped exactly like this building, which is Otaru City Designated Historic Building No. 13. Inside, you'll find bite-sized "Fondant au Chocolat" arranged.

Fondant, meaning "melting" in French, refers to a chocolate cake that is not fully cooked, leaving the center soft. Skilled artisans carefully whisk meringue to incorporate plenty of air, then lightly fold it into the batter. A rich, original ganache is enclosed in the center of the smooth, melt-in-your-mouth batter before baking. Enjoy the story of the "Otaru Warehouse" overlooking the canal with this rich and moist fondant au chocolat.

Price: ¥1,350 (tax included)

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3. Coal Karintō

Tracing back history, Japan's modernization was driven by coal discovered in Hokkaido. The story of coal, which later became a component of the Japan Heritage "Coal and Steel Port," began with the discovery of coal in the mountains of Horonai.

From the late Meiji period to the early Showa period, Otaru's Temiya was home to the world's largest wooden structure, a "trestle bridge" measuring 313m long, 20m high, and 23m wide. Coal cars pushed by steam locomotives ran along tracks built on the cliffs of Temiya, and coal was loaded onto transport ships from the bridge via chutes, then transported throughout Japan. Otaru Department Store UNGA↑'s "Coal Karintō" is inspired by this coal. Inside are karintō with a rich flavor, generously coated in molasses made from brown sugar and honey. It's the standard deliciousness of a traditional recipe that hasn't changed since ancient times.

Price: ¥864 (tax included)

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4. Otaru Noh Theater Wachabon

Wasanbon sugar is a rare ingredient essential for Japanese confections. It is a high-grade Japanese sugar that has been cherished by nobility and used for special celebrations since ancient times.

Currently, almost all wasanbon sugar is produced in Kagawa and Tokushima prefectures in eastern Shikoku. Its appearance and flavor vary greatly depending on the production area and method, and the difference lies in the amount of molasses contained. It is characterized by its fine particles, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and clean, lingering sweetness. The name "Sanbon" comes from the unique refining process developed in Japan, where sugar is "ground" three times on a tray.

Price: ¥1,372 (tax included)

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5. Apple Candy

We deliver old-fashioned candy from a long-established store that moved from Toyama Prefecture to Otaru in the early Meiji period, bringing with it candy-making techniques.

The traditional, gentle sweetness, made with Hokkaido ingredients to bring out their natural flavors, and the handmade process of cutting each piece of kneaded candy with scissors, are very precious. These small, easy-to-eat apple candies offer a sweet and sour, nostalgic taste that spreads in your mouth. Individually wrapped, they are perfect for souvenirs.

Price: ¥540 (tax included)

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6. Otaru Bishusen Otsumami (Otaru Delicacy Snack)

The Kitamaebune merchant ships traveled the Sea of Japan, transporting goods and culture. Many marine products were also transported from Otaru. This is a special series of snacks condensed with the umami of such marine products. Please enjoy the "Hokkaido" flavor, packed with deliciousness.

Price: ¥680 (tax included)

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7. Umi-zukushi (Bounty of the Sea)

Hokkaido is a leading kombu producer in Japan, accounting for 90% of the national production. The history of kombu is old, with descriptions of it already appearing in the "Shoku Nihongi" in 797 AD.

When kombu fishing flourished in the Edo period, consumption increased, and kombu became a major cargo for the "Kitamaebune" merchant ships. Around the same time, "kombu maki" (kombu rolls) combining herring, which was caught in large quantities, and salmon, a specialty of Hokkaido, were created, becoming a local Hokkaido dish. The Umi-zukushi kombu maki series features Hokkaido-sourced herring and salmon wrapped in Hidaka kombu, seasoned with a secret sauce that uses no artificial additives.

Price: ¥648 (tax included) ~

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8. HOKKAI CAN

"HOKKAI CAN" was created in collaboration with Hokkaido Seikan Otaru Factory, a symbol of the Otaru North Canal. The contents of the cans are from Maruyu, a company with over 40 years of history, founded in Nemuro, a port of call for the Kitamaebune. Their canning method has maintained a simple, uncompromising commitment to using fresh, delicious local ingredients to produce the highest quality canned goods since its establishment.

In the late Meiji era, with the development of offshore fishing pioneered by Kitamaebune shipowners, canning production flourished, and the former Hokkai Seikan Warehouse Co., Ltd. was established in Otaru in 1921. At one point, it became the largest can manufacturing plant in Asia.

Hokkai Seikan No. 3 Warehouse, equipped with a spiral chute for shipping products to ships anchored in the canal, is an iconic building that tells the story of its history alongside the North Canal. The facilities essential to Otaru's development are designated as historic buildings by the city, and their scenery is loved by many citizens.

Price: ¥520 (tax included) ~

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9. Shakotan no Kaze (Wind of Shakotan)

Yoichi, Otaru's neighboring town, overlooks the Sea of Japan from the base of the Shakotan Peninsula. "Shakotan no Kaze" uses pesticide-free herbs (spearmint, apple mint, lemon balm, lemongrass, calendula, chamomile German, mallow, lavender, holy basil) grown freely in a natural way, without fertilizers or pesticides, bathed in the sea breeze. It is created by the handiwork of Yoichi Welfare and Education Village, which prioritizes a gentle and circulating process for both producers and consumers, considering the future environment, rather than pursuing efficiency or mass production.

"Shakotan no Kaze Herbal Tea" is a blend of pesticide-free herbs (spearmint, apple mint, lemon balm, lemongrass, calendula, chamomile German, mallow, lavender, holy basil), creating a fragrant herbal tea perfect for relaxation. It helps balance the autonomic nervous system and accompanies moments of relaxation and refreshment.

"Shakotan no Kaze Herb Salt" combines pesticide-free herbs with Guérande salt from Brittany, northwestern France, which has a climate similar to Yoichi Town. Guérande salt is sourced through fair trade, respecting the traditional method of crystallization using only sunlight and wind, and the goal of preserving the wetland environment.

Price: ¥596 (tax included) ~

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10. Shiraho Wine

A special bottle presented by UNGAPLUS and OSA WINERY, with the theme of "enjoying the bounty of the northern sea even more." It uses "Tabiji," a locally developed grape variety that ripens while overlooking the beautiful sea and feeling the sea breeze, and "Delaware," a variety long favored by Japanese people. This slightly dry white wine allows you to enjoy its rich aroma refreshingl.

"Tabiji" is a rare grape variety said to have originated in the Shioya district of Otaru City and is now cultivated only in the Otaru and Yoichi areas. Its large, purplish-red grapes with white stripes are beautiful, and its unique, elegant aroma and taste have been cherished by locals since ancient times.

Price: ¥3,888 (tax included)

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〉Click here for recommended miscellaneous goods and gift sets

UNGAPLUS

Good fortune from Otaru, the city of shipping...
May your luck open up, with the current that has been preserved without interruption.

In the Meiji period, Otaru prospered as the gateway to Hokkaido's development.
Kitamaebune merchant ships, with their pure white sails billowing across the vast ocean, brought many goods and cultures to this land through their trade with Honshu.

UNGAPLUS delivers original products embodying the history and culture that still remain in Otaru, as well as quality goods from the Kitamaebune's ports of call, from the "Old Otaru Warehouse Main Building," built by Kitamaebune shipowners Sonzaemon Nishide and Shohachi Nishitani.

The story of Otaru, intertwined with the Kitamaebune, begins here.

We await your visit, offering a selection of unique original items that make delightful souvenirs.

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