Sea urchins are often dubbed the ocean's foie gras for their rich flavors. Hokkaido's Shakotan, with its pristine sea water, offers some of the world's finest. Published on By Shakotan gets a lot of snow in winter and many bears in summer.
However, most people visiting this sparsely populated part of Hokkaido come here for a very different animal: the "uni" (ウニ) or sea urchin. The size of a golf ball, it has a hard shell with robust spines and lives in shallow ocean waters. Shakotan, a peninsula that juts out into the Sea of Japan, has some of the best sea urchins the world can offer.
Even at the start of summer, Shakotan feels wild and remote. In mid-June, there is still snow on Mount Shakotan. At 1,225 meters, it is the highest peak on the peninsula.
Sheer cliffs cut steeply into the crystal-clear ocean waters, and strangely shaped rock formations protrude from the sea looking like sea monsters. One of them has been chastely named "Candle Rock," but its shape hints at other associations. A quick look at the emerald blue sea around Shakotan reveals why the sea urchin here is so highly regarded.
Sea urchins are very sensitive to water quality, and Shakotan's clean waters provide the perfect environment for them to thrive. Furthermore, Shakotan's uni feed on (kelp) rather than seaweed like in other parts of Japan. The cold, clean waters around Shakotan promote healthy kelp growth, and this kombu diet enhances the sea urchin's taste.
The uni season in Shakotan is short, run.