5 Photogenic Foods and Souvenirs of Hokkaido

When you think of Hokkaido, it's not just about magnificent nature! Its colorful sweets and exquisite gourmet treats are the kind that lift your spirits just by looking at them. This time, we have carefully selected Hokkaido's photogenic foods and souvenirs that make you want to snap a photo before eating

01｜Rokkatei "Marusei Butter Sandwich" / Obihiro Main Store

The absolute standard of Hokkaido souvenirs is so photogenic here that it is made and sold live in the café. The Obihiro main store's interior, with its clean white-based theme, lets you take natural-style photos to your heart's content. Using the natural light by the window, shooting the butter sandwich slightly from above and at an angle makes the white chocolate and raisins in the cross-section shine beautifully. The soft morning light is especially recommended.

📍 Access: About a 10-minute walk from JR Obihiro Station

02｜LeTAO "Double Fromage" / Otaru Main Store

A cheesecake specialty shop that tugs at maidenly hearts, standing in Otaru's romantic streetscape of stone pavements and Western-style buildings. The exterior, with its eye-catching white-and-blue logo, is already a picture in itself. The signature product, Double Fromage, has two layers of white smoothness that reflect light and glow with elegance. The best angle is to shoot from the outdoor terrace seats with the Otaru Canal in the background! Visiting during the golden hour at dusk lets the orange light pour in, just like a scene from a movie.

📍 Access: About a 7-minute walk from JR Otaru Station

03｜Hokkaido Soft Serve / Furano, Around Farm Tomita

The purple lavender soft serve eaten against a backdrop of lavender fields is a one-of-a-kind shot you can only capture in Furano. The composition where the pale purple soft serve perfectly links with the expanse of lavender purple is spectacular! The best timing is during the peak lavender season from early to mid-July, around 10 a.m. avoiding the backlit hours. Holding the soft serve slightly in front and blurring the flower field creates a professional-grade shot.

📍 Access: About 15 minutes by bus or taxi from JR Furano Station

04｜Soup Curry "GARAKU" / Sapporo

Hokkaido soup curry, heaped with vividly colorful vegetables, has outstanding photogenic appeal thanks to its volume and color! GARAKU's soup curry has red, yellow, and green vegetables arranged neatly, making overhead shots from directly above (flat lay) look great. It pairs well with the wooden tray too. At lunchtime, grab a window seat where natural light streams in. The bright hours of 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. are recommended.

📍 Access: About a 5-minute walk from Odori Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway

05｜Shiroi Koibito Park / Nishi Ward, Sapporo

A dreamlike space that turned the factory of Hokkaido's representative souvenir "Shiroi Koibito" into a theme park. The shop, lined with chocolate waterfalls and adorable packaging, is the very world of a picture book with its pastel colors and European-style architecture. The garden, where flowers bloom in profusion each season, is also popular as a photo spot. Holding a limited-flavor soft serve and shooting in a vertical composition with the flowers blurred guarantees an Instagram-worthy shot!

📍 Access: About a 7-minute walk from "Miyanosawa Station" on the Tozai Subway Line

Hokkaido's gourmet scene is the ultimate travel destination where the joy of eating and the joy of shooting are fulfilled at the same time. Please find your own favorite shot

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening hours and closing days: Shiroi Koibito Park is open 10:00-18:00 (last entry to the paid area 16:30). LeTAO Main Store is open 9:00-18:00 with no closing days (there is a cafe on the second floor). The "Lounge Gokuraku" cafe on the second floor of Rokkatei's Obihiro Main Store has limited opening days and hours, so checking in advance is essential.
• Budget guide: Shiroi Koibito Park is divided into a free area and a paid area, and admission is charged for the paid area (check the fees page of the official website for the price). Farm Tomita is free to enter.
• Access: LeTAO Main Store - 7-16 Sakaimachi, Otaru City, about 10 minutes on foot from JR Minami-Otaru Station. Rokkatei Obihiro Main Store - 6, Nishi 2-jo Minami 9-chome, Obihiro City. Shiroi Koibito Park - 2-2-11-36 Miyanosawa 2-jo, Nishi-ku, Sapporo City, about 7 minutes on foot from Miyanosawa Station on the Subway Tozai Line.
• Parking: Rokkatei Obihiro Main Store has 19 spaces. Shiroi Koibito Park has a car park (you can check how busy it is on the official website). Car parks in Furano and along Sakaimachi Street in Otaru get crowded in summer, so public transport is recommended.
• Photography rules: Whether you may photograph shop interiors, display cases and production lines differs from place to place. Shiroi Koibito Park publishes guidance on photography in its FAQ, so check it beforehand. Always get staff permission before taking photos inside a confectionery shop or its kitchen, or shots that include other customers. Refrain from using tripods and selfie sticks, as they block the aisles.
• Points to note: Lavender is only at its best for a limited period, and outside that time you will not be able to photograph the flower fields. Never step into the fields or flower beds. Watch out for icy road surfaces in winter.

Note: LeTAO Main Store does not stand on the Otaru Canal but faces the "Merchen Intersection" on Sakaimachi Street. If you want to photograph it together with canal scenery, you will need to walk over towards the canal.

(Sources: Shiroi Koibito Park official website, LeTAO official website, Rokkatei official website)