Lake Salmon

Lake Shikotsu near Sapporo holds a freshwater population of kokanee salmon, called himemasu in Japanese, a type of sockeye that never migrates to the ocean. They are raised at nearby hatcheries and released into the lake, where fishing is banned for most of the year to protect the population. In summer, the ban lifts for a short period and fishing enthusiasts arrive in numbers. Himemasu is considered a local delicacy, and nearly every restaurant in the Lake Shikotsu area serves it in some form, from grilled whole to salt-pickled or as sashimi.