北寄貝 · ホッキガイ · hokkigai
Hokkigai
Hokkigai is surf clam — sweet and crunchy, with a signature blanched tip that blushes from beige to a vivid red-pink. A cold-water Hokkaido staple.
- Also known as
- surf clam, hokki
- Species
- Pseudocardium sachalinense (Sakhalin surf clam)
- Category
- Shellfish & clams (kai)
- Texture
- crunchy — sweet, clean
- Peak season
- Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
- Sustainability
- varies — Cold-water surf clam; status varies by fishery.
- Mercury
- Not in the FDA consumer table
- Pregnancy
- Eat in moderation
- Price tier
- $$
The clam that blushes
Hokkigai is a cold-water surf clam, and its signature is color: the tip of the foot is briefly blanched, turning from pale beige to a vivid red-pink, while the body stays raw. The result is sweet, clean and satisfyingly crunchy.
Hokkaido’s clam
It thrives in the cold seas off Hokkaido, which is where the best come from. Approachable and naturally sweet, it’s one of the friendlier shellfish for newcomers — try it beside the other clams.
Related neta
Akagai
Akagai is ark shell — prized for deep-red, crunchy flesh and a clean briny sweetness. Slap a fresh one on the board and it visibly flinches.
海松貝 mirugaiMirugai
Mirugai is giant gaper clam — the crunchy, briny siphon prized for deep oceanic sweetness and an emphatic snap. Frequently confused with (and faked as) geoduck.