Yakitori is a favorite among Japanese people, but what kind of meat is used in the yakitori that you usually eat?

Of course, you're probably thinking chicken, but the "Muroran Yakitori" that I'm introducing this time, a local B-class gourmet dish from Muroran City, Hokkaido, is different.

Today, we will explain what kind of gourmet food Muroran Yakitori is, its history, and how to eat it deliciously.

What is Hokkaido's local B-class gourmet food "Muroran Yakitori"?

As mentioned at the beginning, regular yakitori is made with chicken, as the name suggests, but Muroran yakitori, a local B-class gourmet dish from Muroran City, is made with pork.

Therefore, instead of writing yakitori in kanji, hiragana is used, which is a major feature of Muroran yakitori.

Another appealing feature is that it is eaten with a sweet sauce and Western mustard, and is made with pork and onion instead of chicken and green onion, giving it a similar image to the so-called "Negima skewers."

In Muroran, Hokkaido, Muroran Yakitori is eaten all year round, regardless of the season, and is often served at restaurants such as izakayas, but is not often made in ordinary households.

When eating at home, for example when family or friends gather for a meal, it seems that they order takeout from a restaurant rather than cooking.

Muroran Yakitori is so well-known for its deliciousness that people not only from Hokkaido and Muroran, but from other prefectures also come to try it.

The history of Hokkaido's local B-class gourmet food "Muroran Yakitori"

Let's take a look at the history of Muroran Yakitori, a local B-class gourmet dish from Muroran City, Hokkaido.

Around 1937, when the Sino-Japanese War broke out, farmers began raising pigs to increase food supplies, and by 1939, pigskin began to be used to make military boots and other items.

Since then, pig farming has increased, and in Muroran, pork offal has become widely available at local food stalls.
After that, the current Muroran Yakitori style of pork and onion was created and became established locally.

But why use onions instead of leeks?
This is because onions produced in Hokkaido are cheaper and go well with pork.

There are other nutritional benefits as well.

The nutrient allyl sulfide contained in onions has the effect of increasing metabolism, and when it combines with vitamin B1 in pork it becomes allithiamine, which is expected to have effects such as relieving fatigue, improving insomnia, and stabilizing the mind.

How to eat Hokkaido's local B-class gourmet food "Muroran Yakitori"

The pork used in "Muroran Yakitori," a local B-class gourmet dish from Muroran City, Hokkaido, is often shoulder loin.

Typically, a large piece of pork shoulder and sliced onions are skewered in order and eaten with a sweet sauce and mustard.

One of the charms of Muroran yakitori is that each store has its own unique sauce or salty flavor, so it might be fun to go around and try different ones.

Muroran City's Features and Access

From here, we will introduce the features of Muroran City and how to access it.

Muroran City is a city located in the southwestern part of Hokkaido with a population of approximately 88,000.

The name "Muroran" comes from the Ainu language and means "small downhill road." As its name suggests, Muroran city has a bowl-shaped topography with Muroran Port at its center, and there are many slopes.

Since its port opening in 1872, it has flourished as Hokkaido's central industrial city, with steel and shipbuilding activities centered around the port, and in 2002 it declared itself a "town of manufacturing."

Muroran City is home to beautiful nature and night views created by the lighting of industrial areas, and has attracted attention as a charming place that is different from other places.The city boasts many tourist attractions, including Cape Chikyu, which was ranked first in the "100 Natural Wonders of Hokkaido."

In addition to Muroran Yakitori, there are also other gourmet foods such as Muroran curry ramen and Muroran sweets, which are loved by gourmet fans.

Regarding access to Muroran, first of all, by train from within Hokkaido,

Sapporo Station → Muroran Station: Approx. 1.5 hours Minami-Chitose Station → Muroran Station: Approx. 1 hour Hakodate Station → Higashi-Muroran Station: Approx. 2.5 hours

By car:

About 2 hours from Sapporo About 1 hour from New Chitose Airport About 2 hours 45 minutes from Hakodate

By plane,

Tokyo Haneda Airport → New Chitose Airport: Approximately 1.5 hours Kansai International Airport → New Chitose Airport: A little over 2 hours

Hokkaido is a large island, but Muroran is relatively close to urban areas such as Hakodate and Sapporo, and is not too far from other areas such as Tokyo and Osaka.
Additionally, some people seem to travel to Muroran City by express bus or rental car.

Tourist attractions in Muroran City

First up is the classic of all classics, Cape Chikyu, a lookout point with a panoramic view from a 150m-high cliff jutting out into the Pacific Ocean.

Other attractions include the beautiful Shiratori Ohashi Bridge, the largest suspension bridge for automobiles in eastern Japan, which opened in 1998, and dolphin watching, where you can encounter dolphins and whales off the coast of Muroran Port, is also not to be missed.

Other tourist destinations,

・Muroran Hachiman Shrine ・Daikoku Island ・Cape Chiku ・Muroran Minpo Aquarium ・Muroran City Danpara Ski Resort

Some examples include:

Daikoku Island is a famous spot that was used as a filming location for the movie "Humanoid Monster Bem," and Cape Chikuu was also used as a filming location for the TV drama "Aibou Season 18."

Location of Muroran, Hokkaido

summary

Today, we explained about "Muroran Yakitori," a local B-class gourmet dish from Muroran City, Hokkaido.

This is not the yakitori you might imagine, but a delicious dish made with pork.
Not only is it delicious, but it is also highly nutritious, making it an extremely satisfying local B-class gourmet dish.

Be sure to visit Muroran City, Hokkaido, to try Muroran Yakitori.

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