Outside Ottawa

Being able to try all sorts of sushi restaurants while in Japan was the main point of this trip. One of the sushi restaurants we went to was Damairu Sushizen.

Damairu Sushizen is a well-established sushi restaurant in Sapporo that focuses on quality ingredients and traditional execution rather than theatrics. It feels refined but not intimidating, making it approachable even if you’re not deeply familiar with Japanese sushi culture. The atmosphere is calm and comfortable, the kind of place where the food clearly takes priority over flashy presentation.

Like many good sushi restaurants in Japan, Damairu Sushizen emphasizes balance—between fish and rice, seasoning and restraint, simplicity and precision. This was another stop on my Japan Food Series and, while very different from my usual Ottawa restaurant reviews, it reinforced just how high the baseline for sushi is in Japan compared to back home.

One thing that quickly stood out to me while exploring Sapporo was how strong the bakery scene is. Beyond the standout bakeries like Boul’Ange, there are plenty of reliable, everyday bakeries that locals clearly rely on. These aren’t destination bakeries in the sense of being overly experimental or trendy, but they consistently deliver solid bread and pastries that fit perfectly into daily life.

This post covers three such bakeries: Donguri Bake, PAUL, and Saint-Germain. Each represents a slightly different style—Donguri with its Hokkaido milk–focused breads, PAUL with its French roots, and Saint-Germain as a dependable Japanese bakery chain. As with the rest of my Japan Food Series, this is a break from my usual Ottawa restaurant reviews and instead focuses on the everyday foods that made travelling through Sapporo so enjoyable.

Boul’Ange was easily one of my favourite bakeries that I came across in Sapporo. After trying a wide range of bakeries during this trip—from casual chains to neighbourhood bakeries—Boul’Ange stood out immediately for its consistency, execution, and overall quality. This is the kind of bakery where you can tell, from the first bite, that they take their dough seriously.

Boul’Ange has a distinctly French influence, with a strong focus on laminated pastries like croissants and viennoiseries, but executed in a way that feels clean, modern, and very polished. The display alone sets expectations high: rows of perfectly shaped croissants, glossy pastries, and breads that look light, soft, and inviting. Unlike some bakeries where variety comes at the cost of quality, Boul’Ange manages to deliver across most of its lineup.

If you’re someone who appreciates good bread and well-made pastries, Boul’Ange is absolutely worth seeking out.

Bostonbake is a casual, neighbourhood-style bakery chain you’ll see around Sapporo and other parts of Hokkaido. It’s not a boutique patisserie or a trendy café-style bakery. Instead, it feels practical, approachable, and very Japanese in how it balances variety with affordability. The shelves are packed with everything from sweet pastries and buns to savoury sandwiches and curry breads, clearly aimed at locals grabbing breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon snack.

Walking into Bostonbake, the selection can almost feel overwhelming. There’s a lot to choose from, and not everything is meant to be flashy or artisanal. Some items are clearly designed to be filling and convenient rather than refined. That made it a good fit for this Japan Food Series, since it represents another side of everyday food culture that’s very different from what I usually review in Ottawa.

Over multiple visits, I tried a wide range of items to get a good sense of what Bostonbake does well and where it falls short. As expected with a bakery offering this much variety, the results were mixed.

This post is part of my Japan Food Series—a special set of reviews that’s quite different from the Ottawa restaurant content I normally post. This post is focused on the specialty stores in Sapporo.

Continuing my Japan Food Series, I wanted to highlight a few more specialty shops and stores I visited in Sapporo that stood out for their snacks, sweets, and drinks. Unlike the major convenience store chains like FamilyMart or Lawson, these places felt more local and unique—offering products you might not find anywhere else in Japan.

This post focuses on three of them: Daiichi Susukino, Daikoku Drug, and Tanukiya. Each had its own personality, from small local selection to recognizable regional souvenirs.

This post is part of my Japan Food Series—a special set of reviews that’s quite different from the Ottawa restaurant content I normally post. This post is focused on the specialty stores in Sapporo.

While Japan’s convenience stores like Lawson, FamilyMart, and Seicomart are already impressive, Sapporo also has plenty of smaller specialty shops and department store food sections worth exploring. These aren’t quite the same as konbini, but they share the same attention to detail, freshness, and variety that Japan’s food culture is known for.

During my time in Sapporo, I came across three spots that stood out: Kita Kitchen, Mitsukoshi, and Shinmart. Each offered something unique, from local Hokkaido sweets to department store meals and imported snacks.

Seicomart is a name you’ll hear often when you’re in Hokkaido. Unlike Lawson, FamilyMart, or 7-Eleven—which can be found across Japan—Seicomart is mainly located in the Hokkaido region, and it’s actually one of Japan’s oldest convenience store chains. It’s so common in Hokkaido that locals often describe it as part of daily life. Even though it operates mostly within the region, stepping into one feels instantly familiar.

One of the most enjoyable parts of travelling in Japan is exploring stores like Lawson. These convenience stores (konbini) are everywhere and carry an incredible variety of snacks, drinks, and ready-to-eat meals. They’re nothing like what we have in Ottawa—Lawson elevates even the simplest foods, making them fun to explore. While my site usually focuses on Ottawa food establishments, I wanted to share this special post, which will be one of several Japan Food Series posts, highlighting the unique items I tried from Lawson during my trip to Sapporo.

FamilyMart is one of the most iconic convenience store chains in Japan, alongside Lawson and 7-Eleven. These stores, often called konbini, are everywhere—you’ll find them on busy city corners, tucked away near train stations, and even in quiet neighbourhoods. What makes them special isn’t just the sheer variety of food and drink available, but also the quality. It’s remarkable to walk into what looks like a regular convenience store and come out with items that taste freshly prepared, unique, and worth remembering.