ka Tarō Honpo, Otaru – A Taste of Local History and Traditional Craft Ika Tarō Honpo is one of Otaru’s long-established squid snack shops, and it carries a sense of local history that you can feel as soon as you step inside. Otaru has been a major fishing port since the late 19th century, and squid has always been one of Hokkaido’s most important catches. Shops like Ika Tarō Honpo grew from this fishing heritage, preserving the traditional methods of grilling and preparing squid by hand. The shop still follows these older techniques today—fresh squid is sliced, seasoned, and hand-grilled to bring out its natural sweetness. This style of squid snack has been popular among fishermen and travellers for generations, and you can taste that tradition in every bite. The signature grilled squid is fragrant, tender, and full of that classic Hokkaido flavour. It’s the kind of simple, honest snack that reflects the port town’s history. At around the same price as other local treats, it makes an excellent souvenir, especially if you want something truly connected to Otaru’s past. A charming little shop where you can enjoy a piece of the city’s maritime heritage—delicious, nostalgic, and very local.

Before I visited Otaru, I browsed on the internet to see which local specialties were recommended there. I noticed that some netizens regretted not purchasing more dried shredded squid at this store after returning to Taiwan. Subsequently, I was curious about its flavor. Upon stepping into the store, I smelled the mouth-watering aroma. Thus, I immediately picked up a few packs of dried shredded squid. While the prices were slightly pricey, the flavor was actually beyond all my expectations. Unlike other dried shredded squid, the flavor here was fresh and did not have any fishy smell. When you come to visit Otaru, I highly recommend paying a visit to this store.

A famous grilled squid spot in Otaru that you can smell from far away, anyone walking past will probably end up stopping here. I lined up right from the front of the shop, and the queue was super long. The squid itself was fresh and nicely grilled with sauce. Honestly, I thought it tasted quite salty, but somehow I still couldn’t stop eating it 😂

I love the spicy flavor the most! 🔥🦑 I tried several flavors, but this one is definitely my favorite. The bold flavor is so addictive!

This is a souvenir shop where pretty much only Japanese locals were lining up. As a foreigner, I joined the crowd out of curiosity. My honest opinion? Only the freshly grilled squid was truly delicious , really good. The rest? Not worth buying.