Poropinai: Himemasu Lunch on the Shore of Lake Shikotsu

By Chaporo, a Sapporo local Published
Poropinai: Himemasu Lunch on the Shore of Lake Shikotsu

Quick answers

  • A lakeside park on the north shore with a view across Lake Shikotsu
  • In the June to August fishing season the restaurant serves himemasu grilled, fried and raw
  • Open from spring to November 3, 10:00–17:30; no reservations
  • The whole park is a large car park; about an hour from Sapporo

Poropinai is the lakeside park on the north shore of Lake Shikotsu, where the road from Sapporo comes down to the water. You can sit on the shore and look across the lake to the mountains, and in summer the restaurant on site serves himemasu, a small landlocked salmon caught in the lake, grilled, fried and raw. You park right on the lakeshore, and the restaurant is right next to it.

The lakeshore

Lake Shikotsu and the mountains across the water, seen from the stony shore at Poropinai

From the park you can take in the view of Lake Shikotsu from the water's edge. There are also pedal boats and fishing.

Himemasu at the Poropinai restaurant

Himemasu (kokanee, a landlocked sockeye salmon), known locally as "chip", spends its whole life in Lake Shikotsu instead of going out to sea. The restaurant uses only wild chip from the lake, so the himemasu dishes are served only in the fishing season, from June 1 to the end of August, and end early if the catch runs out. Outside that season the rest of the menu is still served.

The special set at the Poropinai restaurant: grilled, fried and raw himemasu

Prices below are from when I went and may have changed. The special set (2,300 yen) gives you himemasu three ways: grilled with salt, fried and as sashimi.

Katsu ramen at the Poropinai restaurant

The restaurant also recommends its katsu ramen (1,300 yen in 2026), a pork cutlet on rich soy-sauce ramen. It is not a common combination, but the fat of the cutlet goes well with the soup.

Curry with a fried himemasu at the Poropinai restaurant
A bowl of raw himemasu on rice at the Poropinai restaurant

There is also curry topped with a fried himemasu (1,600 yen) and a bowl of raw himemasu on rice (1,900 yen).

Season, hours and parking

WhatDetails
Restaurant seasonOpens in spring (April in recent years) until November 3; closed for winter from November 4. No reservations
Hours10:00–17:30 (last order 17:00); closes on some days without a fixed schedule
ParkingThe whole park is a large car park

See the official site (in Japanese) for the latest.

The restaurant is right in front of the car park, so you hardly have to walk. If you are traveling with someone who has trouble walking, it is easier than the restaurants in the Shikotsuko Onsen village, where you walk two to three minutes from the car park.

How to get to Poropinai

From central Sapporo: about an hour south on Route 453 to the north side of Lake Shikotsu. Go over the Poropinai Pass and down toward the lake; the Poropinai Observatory, a roadside lookout over the lake, is on the way down, and the park is on the right when you reach the shore.

From New Chitose Airport: about 40 minutes west on Prefectural Road 16 to the east shore, then north-west along the lake on Route 453; the park is on the left.

Near Poropinai

Marukoma Onsen, the inn with baths right on the shore, is a few minutes away, and Lake Okotanpe, Hokkaido's hidden lake, is up the road to the north-west.

Marukoma Onsen Day Bath: Hot Springs on the Shore of Lake ShikotsuA local's guide to the day bath at Marukoma Onsen on Lake Shikotsu: baths that feel part of the lake, the natural bath that rises from the stones, the sauna with a lake-water plunge, day-bath days and price, and the private bath. Lake Okotanpe Viewpoint: Hokkaido's Hidden Lake Above Lake ShikotsuA local's guide to the Lake Okotanpe viewpoint above Lake Shikotsu: one of Hokkaido's three hidden lakes, when the road is open, where to park and how to get there from Sapporo or New Chitose Airport.

On the east shore, the Shikotsuko Onsen village has another himemasu restaurant and the underwater sightseeing boat.

Shikotsuko Onsen: Himemasu, the Underwater Boat and the Red Bridge at Lake ShikotsuA local's guide to Shikotsuko Onsen on Lake Shikotsu: where to eat himemasu, the underwater sightseeing boat (price, season), the red Yamasen Railway Bridge, parking, accessibility and how to get there from Sapporo or New Chitose Airport. Lake Shikotsu Day Trip from Sapporo by Car: A Local's RouteA local's day trip to Lake Shikotsu by car: the Okotanpe viewpoint, a lakeside bath at Marukoma Onsen, lake trout for lunch and the underwater boat, plus the ice festival and winter tips.

FAQ about Poropinai

Q1. What can you eat at Poropinai?

In the June to August fishing season, himemasu, Lake Shikotsu's landlocked salmon: grilled, fried, raw on rice or in curry. Katsu ramen and the rest of the menu are served all season.

Q2. When is the Poropinai restaurant open?

From spring (April in recent years) to November 3, 10:00 to 17:30.

Q3. Is himemasu available all year?

No. It is served only in the fishing season, June to August.

Q4. Is there parking?

Yes, the whole park is a large car park.