Notsuke Scallops (Hotate) Hokkaido Large 300g

What are Notsuke scallops (hotate)?
These are sashimi-grade Japanese scallops — hotate (帆立) — from Notsuke (野付) on the eastern coast of Hokkaido. The product is the adductor muscle, the kaibashira (貝柱): the round column of muscle at the center of the scallop, with each piece individually vacuum-sealed. One box holds about 300g — nine M-size pieces. Sashimi grade means they can be eaten raw.

Notsuke sits where drift ice off the Okhotsk Sea seeds the water with plankton, and fast tidal currents carry that food straight to the scallops. Local fishermen point to this as the reason for their size and concentrated sweetness. The scallops grow for around four years before harvest. Unlike whole-shell scallops sold for grilling, these are cleaned adductor muscle only — no shell to open, no trimming — sealed one piece at a time so you thaw only what you need.

Specifications

How to enjoy

Thaw in the refrigerator before serving. Raw is where these shine — serve as sashimi or sushi, or slice thin for carpaccio with citrus, olive oil, and salt. The flavor is clean and sweet with a tender bite. They also take well to a quick sear on high heat for 30–60 seconds a side, leaving the center soft, or the classic Notsuke butter-soy finish. Because each of the nine pieces is sealed on its own, thaw only what you need and use raw preparations the day they're thawed.

Pairing notes — citrus and ponzu, sea salt, olive oil, soy and wasabi, butter, or a dry sake.