Hokkaido: Secrets of Seicomart's Popularity and Recommended Products, Hokkaido's Beloved Convenience Store

No. 1 convenience store in Hokkaido

With 1,084 Seicomart stores in Hokkaido, Seicomart is the No. 1 convenience store chain in the prefecture, surpassing 7-Eleven's 997 stores (as of December 31, 2022). Hokkaido is the only place in Japan where a convenience store other than those operated by the three major convenience stores is ranked No. 1, indicating Seicomart's strong local presence.

There are stores in 175 of Hokkaido's 179 cities, towns, and villages, and even on sparsely populated remote islands such as Okushiri, Rebun, and Rishiri! We are truly a part of the infrastructure that supports Hokkaido.

Authentic cooking in the restaurant was very popular and saved the affected people of the province.

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ロゴツーリズム(@logotourism)がシェアした投稿

One of SECOMA's specialties is the "Hot Chef" section, which offers boxed lunches and prepared foods prepared in the store. Instead of simply frying or cooking, the rice is cooked in the store's kitchen, and katsudon (pork cutlet bowl) and onigiri (rice ball) are prepared by hand, and croissants are baked. The homemade taste that sets SECOMA apart from other convenience store products has attracted many fans, and about 86% of SECOMA stores have installed Hot Chef.

Hot Chef" also saved the lives of Hokkaido residents affected by the disaster: in September 2018, the entire Hokkaido area was without power for several days after the Hokkaido Bold Eastern Earthquake hit. While many other convenience store chains were closed, SECOMA used gasoline-powered vehicles to run cash registers and many stores remained open, supporting the lives of local residents in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. And while the people of the province were struggling to secure food supplies, SECOMA encouraged them by cooking rice in its "Hot Chef" gas kettles, which can be used during power outages, and providing onigiri (rice balls).

I still remember how happy I was to find only the orange lights of SECOMA shining while other supermarkets and convenience stores were closed for about a week.

Big rice ball

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yogichogi(@yogichogi_gogo)がシェアした投稿

These large rice balls are handmade in the restaurant and are filled with ingredients such as salmon, cod roe, and salted mackerel on rice cooked in the restaurant. The texture and sweetness of handmade rice and the warmth of freshly cooked rice are irresistible. All of the ingredients are delicious, but we recommend the "sujiko" and "bacon and okaka".

breaded pork on rice

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じゅんじゅん(@junjunchan0702)がシェアした投稿

Hot Chef" has become a popular corner of the restaurant. The sweet and sour soup, the sweet cutlet, the tender egg cooked in the restaurant, and the warm rice all combine to create a cutlet bowl that is beyond the level of a convenience store. It is a dish that will convert those who have moved to Hokkaido from outside of Hokkaido from being a Seven fan to being a Sekoma fan.

fried chicken

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lovetaga(@cs_taga12)がシェアした投稿

Juicy fried chicken covered with a spicy batter. The chicken is cut into large pieces and is very satisfying. Since you can eat it without getting your hands dirty by sticking a pin in it, many people end up buying it as an accompaniment on a road trip.

惣菜

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酒を飲んでばったり倒れ屋さん(@r_hin_o)がシェアした投稿

This series offers home-style side dishes such as kinpira gobo (fried burdock root), hijiki gomoku-ni (hijiki five-string stew), omelet, and grilled sanma (salted mackerel) for about 130 yen, which is great for those on vacation who tend to have an imbalanced nutritional balance. All of them are delicious and comforting, but I recommend the "konnyaku with baby vegetables," "kinpira-ni simmered wild vegetables," "boiled egg," and "grilled salted mackerel.

noodles

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おDeath(@death_ryo_death)がシェアした投稿

Pasta, yakisoba, and yakiudon are offered at a whopping 128 yen, a value-priced series that is unthinkable at any convenience store other than Sekoma. There is a wide variety, and new items are released from time to time, so you will want to buy one every time you visit Sekoma. We recommend the "Chicken Pepperoncino" and "Japanese-style Pork Udon Noodle". The "Chicken Plenty Peperoncino" is especially satisfying, with plenty of chicken meat for only 128 yen.

Moist Bean Bread

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#パンに沼る企画(@pan_obsess)がシェアした投稿

Mame-ban" is a round-shaped sweet bread filled with sweet red kidney beans, and is popular among Hokkaido residents as their local bread. SECOMA's Mame-ban has Koshi-an (sweet red bean paste) kneaded into the dough, giving it a subtle sweetness and a moist texture. Kintoki-mame (red kidney beans) are included in the sweetened bean paste, providing a delightful accent.

Wasabi Shio Ramen

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シェフじょーさん(@chef.josan)がシェアした投稿

SECOMA's original product is "Yama Wasabi Shio Ramen," which has been featured on national TV and is famous as "Mushiru Ramen" or "Ramen that makes you cry. Mountain wasabi grows wild in the mountains of Hokkaido and is called horseradish in Japan. This ramen takes a hit from the steam rising from the soup!　If you make the mistake of slurping it down like regular ramen, you will definitely choke on it and burst into tears. The flavor itself is salt-based and delicious, so if you are a fan of spicy food, you should definitely give it a try.

Kyogoku's famous water coffee jelly

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Kamimura Eiko(@nyaon66)がシェアした投稿

This coffee jelly is made from spring water collected at Fukidashi Park in Kyogoku, a town at the foot of Mt. Kyogoku's Fukidashi Spring Water" has been selected as one of the 100 best waters in Japan for its high quality and excellent water environment. The coffee jelly made with this famous water is not sweet at all, and you can adjust the taste to your liking by pouring the attached gum syrup and coffee fresh. This clean, refreshing taste is the perfect palate cleanser after too much feasting on your Hokkaido trip.

Hokkaido Creamy Soft

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aomin 𖠿 aomin＊room(@aomin_room)がシェアした投稿

One thing that amazes me when I go to a SECOMA is the extraordinary selection of ice cream. Moreover, there are only a few ice cream products from major confectionery manufacturers on the shelves, and most of them are private brands. The ice cream on display includes a variety of ice cream, such as popsicles made with Hokkaido fruit and Japanese mint (Japanese Hakka), cups of ice cream made with Hokkaido milk, and monaka ice cream.

All of the products are delicious and inexpensive, so we recommend them, but the one you must try is the "Hokkaido Creamy Soft". All of SECOMA's milk-based products are made with rich milk from Toyotomi Town in northern Hokkaido, and this soft serve ice cream is no exception. Characterized by its smooth texture and rich flavor, it is very popular at Hokkaido product fairs and supermarkets in Honshu. Flavors range from the standard vanilla and chocolate & vanilla to Hokkaido's unique flavors such as red melon and kokibi (corn).

Hokkaido Milk Candy

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さくら🌸Sakura(@sakulalala_)がシェアした投稿

It is a hidden gem, and I always buy it in bulk when I go to SECOMA! This candy, which makes full use of the flavor of milk produced in Toyotomi Town, is reasonably priced at 110 yen, but has a deep, rich flavor that is no less than the rich milk candies made by major confectionery manufacturers. If you are looking to buy candy as a souvenir from Hokkaido, this is the best product to buy! Flavors include milk, coffee milk, and red meat melon milk.

rusk

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KEI(@sae.3419)がシェアした投稿

It is a hidden gem in the bread corner, but it is actually a hidden gem. The price is 100 yen for a 100 gram package, a bargain price that only SECOMA can offer. The rusks are crispy fried bread ears and come in sugar, maple, caramel, and garlic flavors. The slightly hard texture and low oil content make them a truly irresistible snack...!　We recommend the simple Sugar.

Galana Galana Sour

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あっちゃん(@acchan.crf)がシェアした投稿

Galana is rarely sold outside of Hokkaido, but it is a carbonated beverage that has been familiar to residents of the province since childhood, along with cola. It looks brown, similar to cola, but tastes different from cola, with a unique sweetness and a slightly medicinal herbal taste. It is said to be effective in relieving nervous exhaustion and fatigue, and is attracting attention as a health drink. Since it contains caffeine, it is recommended as a drink during a road trip.

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Aymiiiiiiiii(@aymm216rm)がシェアした投稿

SECOMA also offers a wide variety of original alcoholic drinks, including the "guarana sour.

palm beer

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Yoshihiro Hikosaka(@y.h_nana)がシェアした投稿

SECOMA directly imports wine and other foreign liquors that are not available at other stores. One of these is Palm Beer, imported directly from the Palm Brewery, a historic brewery founded in Belgium in 1747.

This amber-colored amber ale, typical of Belgian beers, has a fruity, caramel-like flavor that sets it apart from domestic beers. It is recommended for those who like craft beers and foreign beers!　Sapporo Classic" is the most popular beer in Hokkaido, but "Palm Beer" is a beer directly imported from Belgium, the home of beer, but at an unbeatable price of 158 yen (tax not included), so you should definitely try this one as well.

Japanese Mint Mojito

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★𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗻★(@tomoyan.110)がシェアした投稿

This mojito combines Japanese peppermint from Takigami Town on the Sea of Okhotsk, where 95% of Japan's natural peppermint is grown, with rum and lime juice. The crisp aroma of the Japanese Hakka is followed by the refreshing sweet and sour taste of the lime. It is dry and not too sweet, making it perfect for pairing with a meal.

G7 Series

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Daiki Nakajima(@daiki.zhongdao)がシェアした投稿

The "G7" series is synonymous with SECOMA. This series of Chilean wines imported directly by SECOMA is priced at a reasonable 470 yen (excluding tax) and up, yet is well-priced and full of flavor. Currently, there are red, white, and sparkling wines, with a total of eight varieties available.

Incidentally, SECOMA's wine lineup includes not only the G7 series from Chile, but also more than 70 other products directly imported from Spain, Italy, France, Argentina, and various other regions.