Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido (北海道北広島市) – Soneka (ソネカ) dinner – Irori Robata cuisine (囲炉ろばた) 2026 Jul. 05
For our second evening meal at Soneka (ソネカ), a 4-room luxury retreat located in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido Prefecture (北海道北広島市), we were treated to Robatayaki cuisine (炉端焼き, often shortened to Robata, and literally means “fireside-cooking”). It refers to a method of cooking, similar to barbecue, in which items of food are cooked at varying speeds over hot charcoal.
Traditionally, the food consists of a combination of morsels of seafood and vegetables, but other kinds of food that are suitable for grilling may also be offered. The robata cooking style is different from other Japanese charcoal cooking in that it uses a wide, flat open fireplace in the style of an Irori (囲炉裏 – a Japanese hearth), rather than a shichirin or other type of charcoal cooking implement.
The explanation of each serving was in Japanese, but I’ve tried my best to summarize everything in both languages here. They are:
COURSE 1:
* Kitairo Tomato from Kitahiroshima Carpaccio (北広島きたいろトマトのカルパッチョ – Kitairo tomato carpaccio; tomato is from Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido)
– Dill herb (ディルハーブ)
– Shio to Olive Oil (塩とオリーブオイル – Salt & olive oil)
* Jikasei Sumibi-yaki Garlic Baguette (自家製炭火焼北広島ニンニクとアンチョビーパン – Charcoal-grilled homemade garlic and anchovy baguette with garlic from Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido)
COURSE 2:
* Hotate no Kaiyaki (帆立の貝焼き – Grilled scallop in its shell)
– Yasi miso (野菜味噌 – Vegetables and miso soybean paste)
– Lemon balm herb oil (レモンバームハーブオイル)
COURSE 3:
* Green Aspara no Kobujime (グリーンアスパラの昆布締め – Konbu sea kelp-cured grilled green asparagus)
– Butter (バター)
COURSE 4:
* Nebokke Smoke Sumibi-yaki (根ボッケスモークの炭火焼 – Smoked then Charcoal-grilled Nebokke. Nebokke is a type of Okhotsk atka mackerel that, unlike the migratory schools typically found in open waters, has settled in a specific rocky reef area rich in food. Because they are less active and continuously accumulate nutrients, they grow larger and meatier than standard “Hokke”, boasting a rich, high-quality fat content with distinct sweetness.)
– Daikon oroshi (大根おろし – Grated daikon radish)
– Yama wasabi (山わさび – Horseradish)
COURSE 5:
* Kitakobushi ocha no Granité (きたこぶしのグラニテ – Granité (sorbet) made from tea made from Northern Kobushi magnolia leaves and branches)
COURSE 6:
* Zucchini, Manganji Togarashi, Nasu (ズッキーニ, 万願寺唐辛子, 茄子 – Zucchini, Manganji Japanese Chili Pepper, Nasu Japanese eggplant)
– Tori paitan soup, shoga, ninniku to shio no tare (鶏白湯スープ, 生姜, ニンニクと塩のタレ – Seasoning made with chicken paitan soup with ginger, garlic and salt)
FOR HIM:
* Kamifurano Hire Kaburi Wagyu no Kushiyaki (かみふらの和牛ヒレカブリの串焼き – Kamifurano Wagyu tenderloin cap skewer)
– Tonkotsu (buta no dashi) to katsuobushi & shoyu tare (豚骨, 鰹節と醬油のタレ – Tonkotsu (Pork and dried bonito flakes) broth with soy sauce seasoning)
FOR HER:
* Nakasatsunai-mura Jidori shio koji-zuke (中札内村地鶏塩麴漬け – Chicken from Nakasatsunai village in Hokkaido seasoned with Shio koji. Shio koji is made by fermenting a mixture of grain koji (steamed rice inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae mold), salt and water).
COURSE 7:
* Taraba-gani no kara-yaki (たらば蟹の殻焼き – Red king crab grilled on the shell)
– Yaki lemon (焼きレモン – Grilled lemon)
COURSE 8:
* Shiretoko Tori no Tsumire Soba (知床鶏のつみれ蕎麦 – Soba noodles with Shiretoko chicken meatballs)
– Himetake (姫竹 – Himetake are the young shoots of “Chishimazasa” (a type of dwarf bamboo in the “Sasa” genus), and are thinner and smaller than standard bamboo shoots). They are tender and low in bitterness.
COURSE 9:
* Sumibi-yaki Shiratama Zenzai (炭火焼白玉ぜんざい – Charcoal-grilled shiratama in sweet red bean soup (“zenzai”). Shiratama is a Japanese “dango” dumpling made from rice flour mixed with uruchi rice flour and glutinous rice flour. It is different from the method of making mochi, which is made after steaming glutinous rice)
– Hokkaido milk gelato (北海道ミルクジェラート)
– Tokachi azuki no anko (十勝小豆の餡 – Sweet red bean paste made from azuki from Tokachi, Hokkaido)
– Parmesan Reggiano cheese (パルミジャーノ・レッジャーノチーズ)
COURSE 10:
* 504 Kutchan Jaga-an Dorayaki (五四〇倶知じゃが餡じゃがどら焼き – Dorayaki with filled with sweet paste made from 540 Kutchan Jaga. Dorayaki is a Japanese confection consisting of two small, sweet, pancake-like patties made from a castella-style batter, sandwiched around a filling of sweet paste. 540 is a premium potato variety – specifically the “Kutchan jaga” brand harvested in Kutchan, Hokkaido – that has been aged for 540 days in specialized storage facilities utilizing show-cooling technology. It is surprisingly sweet due to the long aging process that causes the starch to convert into sugar, resulting in a rich, creamy sweetness reminiscent of sweet potatoes.)
– Dried tomato (ドライトマト)