| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 20:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | https://joyful-ak.com/ |
| Notes | Home improvement store, interior & exterior, pet store, supermarket, truck rental, large parking space, wheelchair access, gardening store, wheelchair access, credit card accepted |
| Location / Getting There | There are 9 Joyful AK stores in the Hokkaido area (though 2 of these are pet stores only). 5 of these are in Sapporo, with 1 being in the city of Obihiro, Ebetsu, Kitahiroshima, and Otofuke. Please see maps below and at the end of the article for access. |
For carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, interior decorators, gardeners and all round handymen and the DIY enthusiasts, Joyful AK is a builders paradise. This is THE store to find pretty much anything you need. The other stores that are popular is the Homac chain, but these stores (although more numerous) are on a much smaller scale. The Joyful AK stores are gigantic, and if you can’t find what you need at Homac, Joyful AK will have it. Many of the stores have a separate building specializing in outdoor goods, plus a pet store, and a restaurant or eatery. Joyful AK also have a supermarket area and shopping area.
There is ample parking at the Joyful stores with special parking for larger vehicles that can back up to the wood section. One of the pluses here too, is that you can hire a small truck for those with some serious bulk to buy and move. Not only can you find ample amounts of wood in any size, steel goods, piping, a huge selection of paints and stains, they also have every tool and machine you need for renovating and doing the odd jobs around the home. On the second floor they also have an ample furniture and interior section. When paying for your goods, they accept credit cards and why not take advantage of the special points card you can get at all Joyful AK stores. Joyful AK is second to none when it comes to home improvement!
| Admission | - |
| Opening Hours | 10: 00 - 19:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0154-23-0600 |
| Notes | Seafood market, restaurant, souvenir shops, sightseeing spot |
| Location / Getting There | The fishermans market is by the waters edge on Kushiro River. It is next to Nusamai Bridge. It is a 15 minute walk, south from Kushiro station. 2 Chome-4 Nishikicho, Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0016 |
Developed in 1989, this wharf area, which goes by the local name of “MOO”, has shops, restaurants, a fitness club, an indoor garden and a pool. There are also stops for buses which depart to Lake Akan, Abashiri, Nemuro, Obihiro and Sapporo. The area is generally lively with locals and tourists alike enjoying the center. Also of interest nearby is the “EGG” which is an all year greenhouse designed to give people a chance to rest and relax and enjoy the sun even during the bitter Kushiro winter. The greenhouse is designed to reflect the shape of a giant yacht in fitting with its location near the wharf.
The shopping centre is home to a dozen restaurants. These include ramen restaurants, a sweets store, a cafe, an ice-cream store, and a bakery to name a few. Here you can enjoy lunches and dinners throughout a busy day of shopping and sightseeing. While in Kushiro, this is a great place to drop into and do your shopping. You can fins some local delicacies and a tonne of seafood to purchase and take home. Great for a a gift or souvenir.
| Opening Hours | 7:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0138-22-5482 |
| Notes | Confectionary store, Japanese sweets, small parking area next door |
| Location / Getting There | Located in Hakodate and is a 5 minute walk from the closest tram station, Uoichibadori Station. Once alighting the street car, head east. 5-13 Sakaecho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0041 |
Sakae Mochi is an old style Japanese confectionary store. This old style sweets store excels in dumplings and daifuku made with elegant sweet bean paste. Daifuku is a sweet consisting of small round mochi (rice cake) stuffed with sweet filling. The filling is most commonly anko, sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans. These soft cakes are usually enjoyed with Japanese green tea. This store is popular with the locals where you can pick up some home made goodies.
Especially now in the big cities, most people do their shopping at the large supermarkets where they may pick up some mochi or sweets. Convenience stores, likewise are also places to pick up some confectionary. To support the local stores, this place is a much better option to buy traditional Japanese sweets. Not only are they home made, you are supporting the local economy , and most importantly, they taste better and are fresh onto the shelves. Sakae Mochi is a great place to go and have a look, and why not buy a sweet or two!
| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 17:00 |
| Closed | Weekends and public holidays |
| Contact | 011-3822-2721 http://kikkokawa1.com/ |
| Notes | Brewery, parking for 5 |
| Location / Getting There | Located in Hakodate and is a 7 minute walk from Uoichibadori tram station. Exit the streetcar and head east. It's across from Kengyusanzenko Temple. 2-7 Sakaecho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0041 |
Kikkokawa Ichi Brewery was founded back in 1942 in Hakodate. They primarily make soy sauce. In Hakodate, there used to be more than ten soy sauce brewers but now Kikkokawa Ichi Brewery is the only one. Surviving the test of time, this small store is quite unique. Their product uses kelp from the Minamikayabe district in the northwestern part of Hakodate. This kelp is considered a high class food and was even given as a gift to the shogunate since the Edo period.
What makes this soy sauce special is that ordinary kelp soy sauces use a kelp extract, whereas Kikkokawa’s product uses real strips of Shiraguchihama kelp which brings out the strong flavor. In addition to the soy sauces on the shelves this company also produces miso sauce, a grilled meat sauce, and ‘mentsuyu’ (a noodle soup based sauce). This company takes orders or you can simply drop in tot heir store and have a look around.
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 21:30 Sapporo Station Esta 10:00 - 21:00 Maruyama Class 9:00 - 21:00 Sapporo Aurora Town 10:00 - 20:00 Higashi Sapporo 10:00 - 21:00 Shin Sapporo 10:00 - 20:00 Pole Town |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-890-2560 Sapporo Esta, 011-688-6261 Maruyama Class 011-212-1511 Sapporo Aurora Town, 011-832-04011 Higashi Sapporo 011-252-9231 Pole Town |
| Notes | Coffee & foreign food supermarket |
| Location / Getting There | 6 locations in Sapporo, see map below. 1 location in Asahikawa |
Take your choice of coffee
Whether you are a Japanese national, an expat missing those ingredients from home, or a tourist looking for a tasty treat, Jupiter has a great selection of food items that you won’t be able to find in any other Japanese supermarket. Jupiter sells foreign ingredients that come from all over the world. Anywhere from Thai curries to Mexican dips, these imports come mainly from China, Thailand, Europe, Australia, and the US to name a few. Jupiter can add that extra special zest to your cooking! All the stores not only sell food items, they have a good selection of wines and alcohol.
You can find a huge selection of top wines from Australia, France, Chile, and Italy. Plus, you can also check out their foreign beer section! And, of course, to accompany your wine, simply peruse their bountiful cheese section. Snacks, sweets & chocolates, sauces, pastas, noodles, tea & coffee are just some of the goods on sale. In Sapporo, the easiest stores to access are the locations next to Sapporo station at Esta, under Bic Camera (which has the most stock), and the location at Maruyama Class shopping centre, which is a five minute walk from Maruyama subway station. For the Asahikawa location see below. Enjoy your shopping!
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-3824-8108 |
| Notes | Supermarket, shopping hall, souvenir shop, tax free, parking available (at Mitsui nearby), |
| Location / Getting There | It's only a 2 minute walk from Suehirocho station. It's also an 18 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's right by the old red brick warehouses shopping district. 24-6 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0053 |
Hakodate Nishi Hatoba (known as the ‘west wharf’ in english), is a seafood market, souvenir and large shopping warehouse. Here, you can walk through this shopping area which has an atmospheric beauty. Old wooden floorboards, warm lighting from rustic light shades, and Japanese written hangings, makes this market a pleasant place to walk around and peruse the local wares. Hakodate being a harbor city, this market sells mainly seafood, and they have a lot of produce, 2,000 types of products! For those traveling from abroad, you can pick up some souvenirs, and being tax free is a real bonus.
Hakodate Factory is part of the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse area and is a popular sightseeing spot. They have a tonne of seafood products that make for a great gift to take home, or to give as a present. These items include a variety of fish, salmon, eggs, kelp, squid, octopus, and crab. They have livestock products such as ham and sausages, and agricultural items grown fresh in Hokkaido. They also have dairy, plus ramen, curries, and famous sweets. In addition, you can try the raw delicacies such as the local “Matsumaezuke” (pickled seaweed with shredded squid), or the dried delicacies such as the popular “dried scallop”. Around the area they have restaurants including the famous Lucky Pierrot, a Starbucks, cafes, and other shopping outlets. This is a great day out in Hakodate.
