Foods
Meal
Other

[Crab in Hokkaido] Horsehair Crab, King Crab, Snow Crab, Hanasaki Queen Crab and Blue King Crab Are Famous

May 13th, 2014

CONTENTS

Crab in Hokkaido
Crab Dishes in Hokkaido
Online Shopping of Crabs in Hokkaido

Crab in Hokkaido

Speaking of Hokkaido, it reminds a lot people of crab. Horsehair Crab (毛ガニ * Ke-gani), King Crab (タラバガニ * Taraba-gani), Snow Crab (ズワイガニ * Zuwai-gani), Hanasaki Queen Crab (花咲ガニ * Hanasaki-gani) and so on can be eaten. Fishing grounds are from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Pacific Ocean. Esashi (枝幸) is the most caching place of the Horsehair Crab in Japan, and Monbetsu (紋別) is the most caching place of the Snow Crab in the Japan, and Nemuro is the most caching place of the Hanasaki Queen Crab in the Japan. The King Crab is caught in the Sea of Okhotsk. But, it is almost imported by Russia. Oshamanbe, Hiroo and Omu are well-known as a crab town, too. In Kushiro, the Horsehair Crab and the Hanasaki Queen Crab are caught.

Blue King Crab (アブラガニ * Abura-gani) and the King Crab look very alike, and Abashiri is the most caching place of the Blue King Crab in the Japan. Difference between the two is number of projections in the central part of the shell. The King Crab has 6 projections, and the Blue King Crab has 4 projections. The Blue King Crab is labeled as an imitation of the King Crab by only this difference. But the taste is also very good, and the Blue King Crab is cheaper than the king crab in terms of those prices, so some people like the Blue King Crab better than the King Crab.

How to Eat King Crab

How to Eat Blue King Crab

The Horsehair Crab also has an imitation. That is Helmet Crab (クリガニ * Kuri-gani). It is cheaper than the Horsehair Crab, but both are tasty, too. Difference between the two is only a taste of crab butter. The Snow Crab is classified roughly into the Snow Crab and Deep Red Snow Crab (紅ズワイガニ * Benizuwai-gani), too. The Deep Red Snow Crab is sometimes labeled as an imitation of the Snow Crab. But both are tasty. I think that it depends on individuals whether it is tasty.

How to Eat Horsehair Crab

How to Eat Snow Crab

I do not hear an imitation of the Hanasaki Queen Crab. That crab called Kombu Queen Crab lives in kombu. Therefore I guess that the kombu extract soaks into its body, and crab meat will be tasty. Crab is eaten as sashimi, but it commonly has a parasitic worm, so it is safe to boil crabs in salted hot water. When Japanese eat a crab, it is said that they turn into taciturn. People forget a conversation in an excessive taste.

Hanasaki Queen Crab

In Hokkaido, events related to crab are held in various caching places. Omu Fishery Cooperative Horsehair Crab Festival (雄武漁港毛ガニ祭り) is held only in a day, late April, and Spring Crab Fight in Abashiri (春カニ合戦 in 網走) is held only in a day, mid May, and Oshamanbe Horsehair Crab Festival (おしゃまんべ毛がにまつり) is held between 2days in late June, and Esashi Crab Festival (枝幸かにまつり) is held between 2days in early July, and Kojohama 3 Major Festival, Crab, Salted Cod Roe and Onsen (虎杖浜かに・たらこ・温泉三大まつり) is held between 2days in early August, Nemuro Crab Festival (根室かに祭り) is held between 2days in late August, and Hiroo Horsehair Crab Festival (広尾毛がにまつり) is held only in a day, late December.

Omu Fishery Cooperative Horsehair Crab Festival

Spring Crab Fight in Abashiri

Oshamanbe Horsehair Crab Festival

Esashi Crab Festival

Nemuro Crab Festival

Hiroo Horsehair Crab Festival

Crab Dishes in Hokkaido

I intorduce crab dishes I ate.

Crab Fried Rice of Daihachi Shokudo

Crab Shop and Restraunt Daihachi Shokudo (かに屋めし屋　大八食堂) is a popular restraunt founded in 1972 in Hanasaki located in the southern part of Nemuro city, and is nearby Hanasaki Port, and is near Kurumaishi (車石). Daihachi corp. (株式会社ダイハチ) runs it, and Mr. Koichi Otani (大谷亨一) is a company president. They sell boiled Hanasaki Crab (花咲蟹) in front of the restraunt, and are famous for eating the Hanasaki Crab at the restraunt. Banyameshi Hamakaze (番屋めしはまかぜ) is a sister restraunt, and serves set meals or rice bowls. Article is here

Crab Fried Rice -Daihachi Shokudo in Nemuro- — Crab Fried Rice

Crab Rice of Hama-no-Ie

Oshokuji Hama-no-Ie (お食事濱乃家) is a restaurant facing National Route 5 in Oshamanbe town located in the northwestern part of Muroran city, and is relatively near Oshamanbe Onsen and Oshamanbe Station. Kanefuku Hamagata Suisan corp. (有限会社カネフク浜形水産) runs it, and opens a business as a directly managed store of a wholesaler, and is popular for selling fresh reasonable marine products such as hairy crab. The Hama-no-Ie has a restaurant and a sale place of marine products at the building, and a large vessel-like fish tank catches visitros’ eyes. Fresh marine prorducts such as hairy crab preserve in the fish tank. Counter seats and small separate Japanese style tables are provided, so I guess that even family customers enjoy meals. Article is here

Crab Rice -Hama-no-Ie in Oshamanbe- — Beautiful Color Omelet

Smoked Ovalipes Punctatu of Nanpo Tometaro Shoten

Kunseiya Nanpo Tometaro Shoten (燻製屋・南保留太郎商店) is a long-established smoked food store founded in 1950 in Yoichi town located in the western part of Otaru city, and is near Yoichi Fishing Port. Smoked Sweet Shrimp (甘エビの燻製), Smoked Ovalipes Punctatus (ヘラ蟹の燻製), Smoked Salmon (鮭の燻製) and so on are famous. They also run Kemukaro (燻香廊), a smoked food restraunt. The appearance of the Nanpo Tometaro Shoten is very old, and the building is a typical old Hokkaido style in Showa Period. The store is small, but it is clean. Customers can do each smoked products tasting, and those will form the basis for their decision in case of the purchase. A place for custmers to enjoy foods and drinks is not provided at the building, but a rest place is provided outside. Article is here