Never thought I would have so much approbation for a restaurant that serves just one type of food, but here we are! As the name implies, Shiumaiwa serves Shu Mais, and only Shu Mais! These large dim sum dumplings come in 5 different filling options. Ginger Chicken, Black Pepper Chicken, Deer, Garlic Wagyu and Lamb. Of course I tried them all… so you don’t have to! 

Shiumaiwa’s Shu Mais are entirely handmade and steamed on the spot; they take a good 15 minutes per order. The paper thin Shu Mai wrappers are wondrously soft and thin. We could not fathom how a wrap so delicate could hold such whopping amounts of meat without the slightest tear; yet melts away at the slightest bite. It has a subtlety sweet savory soft noodley texture, and was a major yet humble highlight of the dish. 

Heading the band of Shu Mais is the Ginger Chicken Shu Mai. Almost immediately, robust aroma of fresh ginger penetrating silky smooth diced chicken fills your mouth in the most gratifying way. Everything is in place , from seasoning to texture to portioning and creativity. I have not tasted, first of all, a Shu Mai in this flavor, and of such distinct quality. It was insane! This was so delicious, we couldn’t leave without a second batch. 

The other flavors were also well executed. The Black Pepper Chicken Shu Mai takes second place, with prominent but not overpowering black pepper seasoning. The chicken is super tender and juicy, and each mouthful gives a sensation of peppery zing and savory.  

Hokkaido is known for the huge Sika deer population, and deer hunting has been a way of life for many generations starting with the Ainu tribe. Thus it’s little wonder deer meat would be a common choice in their culinary. The Deer Shu Mai was quite tasty without much of a gamey aftertaste. It was marinated lightly and though in my opinion, it could have done better with a little more spices, I reckon, they wanted the meat’s natural flavor to show through, not camouflaged. I personally love deer meat, but have never had it this way; so I was very excited to try it in a Shu Mai!

The lamb, unfortunately, was overly gamey, although a little extra mustard did help make it more palatable. I take to lamb very well and though this did not throw me off too much, I do foresee many who won’t feel the same. 

The Garlic Wagyu was exactly that .. Buttery soft wagyu mince with a strong dose of garlic. The garlicky , beefy, juicy Shu Mai was perfect with the tart vinegar.

So that’s all there is.. all 5 types of Shu Mai in one lunch. We were stuffed! Cuz these were huge and packed Shu Mais! 

Jozankei is a great short getaway spot for a day trip if you haven’t much time. And Shiumaiwa is definitely one stop you gotta make if you want something local and simple. But is it worth the one-hour, 26km drive from central Sapporo? Yes it was…though I’d recommend a second activity just to make the trip even more memorable.  So what’s there to do in Jozankei?

Jozankei is one of Hokkaido’s most famous hot spring resort town, attracting millions of visitors each year. Surrounded by mountains, rivers and volcanoes, it’s spring water containing mild amounts of sodium chloride which is believed to help with natural healing of many health conditions from anaemia to liver diseases. 

We spent the afternoon experiencing river rafting with a company called Frilfslif. They organize outdoor activities in Jozankei all year round. We had a lovely time drifting along Toyohira River with a guide. The river is calm and quiet in winter, extremely beautiful amidst frozen waterfalls and snow covered forestry. If in luck, you’d be able to spot some wildlife even. It turned out to be a good day for us and apart from having a fun time roasting marshmallows and snow playing in perfect weather, we also saw a small family of wild deer among the dense trees. Not a common sight for us city dwellers. 

Shiumaiwa Yamadetaberumono  シウマイハヤマデタベルモノ @ Jozankei Onsen Higashi 4-chome 377, Minami-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, 061-2303 Phone: 070-1120-8558 

Friluftsliv @ Jozankei Onsen Nishi 4-chome 371, Minami-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, 061-2303 (In No no terrace) . Phone : 070-1534-9272

Disclaimer – This is not a sponsored post!