Ashibetsu City in Hokkaido has the catchphrase "The village where stars fall."
Although this is a very large city, the population density is low and there are few city lights, so you can see beautiful starry skies all over the city.

Ashibetsu city not only has starry skies and tourist attractions, but also some fascinating local B-class gourmet food.

That local B-class gourmet food is "Gatatan."

Today, we will explain what Gatatan is, which was also featured in a Google commercial, its history and origins, as well as how to get to Ashibetsu City and tourist information.

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

"Gatatan," a local B-class gourmet dish from Ashibetsu City, Hokkaido, is, in a word, a thick soup dish packed with ingredients.

"Gatatan" is an unfamiliar word, but in kanji it is written as "ganta-tang." It is an unfamiliar word because it has Chinese origins, and the taste is somewhat Chinese.

Gatatan is packed with a lot of ingredients, thickened with potato starch, and then beaten eggs are added at the end.

It has a gorgeous atmosphere, but also a gentle taste that is easy on the stomach.

Gatatan is a popular home-cooked dish among locals because it is packed with a variety of ingredients, is highly nutritious, and the warm soup is comforting. Restaurants in the city also serve ramen, fried rice, and other dishes based on the soup.

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

Gatatan is said to have its origins in a Chinese restaurant opened by a man named Murai Bungo Noriyoshi, who moved to Ashibetsu from Manchuria after the war, and the name "Gatatan" appears to come from the Chinese dish "Gada."

After the war, Ashibetsu city was a thriving coal mining town, so this dish was provided for the workers there. They would often eat gatatan to warm their chilled bodies, replenish their energy, and prepare for the next day.

After that, with the closure of the coal mine, the number of restaurants serving gatatan gradually decreased and the situation was at risk for a time, but with the cooperation of the people of Ashibetsu, the dish was revived with the motto "Let's preserve the local flavor!"

This was during the Heisei era, and since then it has been featured in television commercials, attracting tourists from all over the country.

An arrangement of Hokkaido's local B-class gourmet dish "Gatatan"

"Gatatan," a local B-class gourmet dish from Ashibetsu City, Hokkaido, is made with chicken broth containing more than 10 different ingredients, including vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, carrots, butterbur, and bamboo shoots, seafood such as shrimp and squid, flour dumplings, and eggs.

You get your vitamins from the vegetables, protein and good fats from the eggs and seafood, carbohydrates from the flour, and the salty soup also provides an appropriate amount of salt, making it an excellent gourmet dish with a well-balanced nutritional profile.

It can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as as a traditional soup, or nowadays as a topping on ramen, rice, or fried rice.

There are many stores in Ashibetsu that serve gatatan, each with their own unique and creative way of eating, so it might be fun to try different types.

About Ashibetsu City's Features and Access

Ashibetsu City is located in the center of Hokkaido and boasts a city area that is one of the top five in the prefecture.

It is an area rich in nature, with forests covering approximately 90% of the area, and because it is located inland in a basin, it is characterized by large daily temperature differences.
The temperature difference between summer and winter can be as much as 60 degrees, which may make it uncomfortable to live here, but it also produces the vibrant colors of the flowers and trees and helps to grow delicious crops.

Along with coal mining, agriculture and forestry have also supported the economy of Ashibetsu City, and you'll be amazed at the high quality of its produce, from rice and melons to potatoes and lily roots.

Recently, woodcrafts have also been attracting attention, and the city has a good reputation as a gourmet town, with its gatatan and sweets, which we are featuring today.

Ashibetsu City is about an hour and 40 minute drive from Sapporo, about an hour from Asahikawa, and about an hour and 40 minute train ride from Sapporo by JR, or about 2.5 hours from Chitose.

It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Asahikawa Airport, and about 1 hour and 45 minutes from Nagoya's Chubu Centrair International Airport. From Asahikawa Airport to Ashibetsu City, it takes about 1.5 hours by car, including a rental car, and by bus, it takes about 40 minutes to Asahikawa and then another 1 hour and 15 minutes from there to Ashibetsu.

For convenience and the enjoyment of driving, we recommend that people with a driver's license go by rental car.

Tourist attractions in Ashibetsu City

Since most of Ashibetsu's city area is covered by nature, the best way to spend your time is to relax at nature-related tourist spots.

There are many attractive spots, such as Toyooka Rural Park, where you can enjoy beautiful starry skies, Kamiashibetsu Park, a campsite on a lake cape, Ashibetsu Onsen, a hot spring that springs from a former coal mine and has skin-beautifying properties, and the National Ashibetsu Ski Resort, which even beginners can enjoy.

The roadside station "Star Plaza Ashibetsu" is also especially recommended for those who love stargazing. You can relax here and buy souvenirs. It is also adjacent to the "Starry Village Centennial Memorial Hall," which has a star dome, so you can enjoy stargazing using the computers there.

Location of Ashibetsu City, Hokkaido

summary

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

Although it is a soup, gatatan is nutritious and filling, and is a popular dish among locals and people from other regions alike.

Ashibetsu City is rich in nature and has many sights to see, so be sure to come and see Gatatan.

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