Hokkaido Parfaits: Japan’s Perfect Hangover Prevention Method!?
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Life is sweet in the city of Sapporo, where indulgent drinkers ditch greasy junk food in favor of their favorite parfaits!
The classic parfait has its origins in France and the United States, and in most of the world "parfait" still conjures up images of simple layered confections. But in Japan, the parfait is much more than that. Thanks to a sort of parfait renaissance over the course of recent decades, Japan has perfected the art of the parfait. Shops around Japan now pride themselves on creating towering concoctions of fresh fruit and crunchy cereal, sometimes with a little yogurt, but often with endless additions like ice cream, fruity sauces, jams, jelly cubes, chunks of cake or brownies, Japanese additions like red bean or mochi, and just about anything else – all in more-or-less neat layers of one tall glass or another. Japan has even designated June 28th as Parfait Day every year!
And we can thank this passion for parfaits for providing Hokkaido's capital city of Sapporo with some unique drinking culture.
After a long night of drinking, different cultures reach for different guilty pleasures. Around Europe, a night out might end with a meaty kebab, while Americans might go for a greasy burger to settle their stomachs instead. In Korea, you can't go home before you've downed something bright red with spicy hot peppers. In much of Japan, a good night out ends with a bowl of ramen – the real kind you get at a restaurant. But in Sapporo, the capital of Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, a night of heavy drinking ends with a sweetly sinful finale, called a "shime parfait" (締めパフェ, literally "ending parfait"). The idea of the "shime parfait" only took hold around the year 2015, but in under a decade it has become such an established Hokkaido tradition that a Sapporo Parfait Promotion Committee was soon founded to support and promote Sapporo's shime parfait culture.
Clearly, the people of Sapporo take their parfaits very seriously. The official Sapporo Parfait Promotion Committee already has already gathered more than 20 different shops around the city as active participating members, helping the organization to not only spread shime parfait knowledge throughout Sapporo, but even the rest of Japan – the committee works to share Sapporo parfait culture at events throughout the country! And the Sapporo Parfait Promotion Committee is growing, with new shops joining all the time. Thanks to goals that are all about bringing sweet treats to all dessert lovers (regardless of gender, age, or even location) and a passion for supporting the development of new parfaits featuring seasonal fruit and unique toppings, it's an organization that's easy to love and support.
In recent years shime parfait meet-ups have become popular in Sapporo, and food tours focused exclusively on Hokkaido parfaits have proliferated, helping to spread this Sapporo cultural phenomenon to both locals and foreign tourists. As a way of shining a light on some of Sapporo's most delicious little local shops and restaurants, shime parfait culture is certainly a boon for the city. So next time you're traveling through Hokkaido and you spend a night out on the town in Sapporo, drinking in Susukino or enjoying the night air in Odori Park, don't forget to check the Sapporo Parfait Promotion Committee's map for some of the city's best shime parfaits!
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
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NAME:Sapporo, Hokkaido
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Hokkaido (北海道) is the northernmost of the four main islands that make up Japan. The area is famous for Sapporo Beer, plus brewing and distilling in general, along with fantastic snow festivals and breathtaking national parks. Foodies should look for Hokkaido's famous potatoes, cantaloupe, dairy products, soup curry, and miso ramen!
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Niki, in south-west Hokkaido, is about 30 minutes from Otaru. The small town is rich with natural resources, fresh water, and clean air, making it a thriving center for fruit farms. Cherries, tomatoes, and grapes are all cultivated in the area, and thanks to a growing local wine industry, it's quickly becoming a food and wine hotspot. Together with the neighboring town of Yoichi, it's a noted area for wine tourism.
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Niseko is about two hours from New Chitose Airport, in the western part of Hokkaido. It's one of Japan's most noted winter resort areas, and a frequent destination for international visitors. That's all because of the super high-quality powder snow, which wins the hearts of beginners and experts alike, bringing them back for repeat visits. That's not all, though, it's also a great place to enjoy Hokkaido's culinary scene and some beautiful onsen (hot springs).
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Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.
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The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.
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Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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KYUSHU
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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FUKUOKA
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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KAGOSHIMA
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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OKINAWA
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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