About Hokkai
How it all started
It’s 1989. Marinus Noordenbos, the son of a Dutch fisherman in IJmuiden, travels to Japan. He finds a job in a horse mackerel filleting factory in Numazu, at the foot of the famous Mount Fuji.
Slowly, he falls in love with the country, with a woman, and eventually even with the horse mackerel. That’s where our story begins.
Back in the Netherlands, now married to his wife Yukiko, he started Hokkai. Working out of a simple shipping container in a rough harbor area in IJmuiden making just one simple and humble product: Aji no Hiraki.
Preserving Japanese tradition
Today, Hokkai is an internationally operating company both producing and importing high-quality Japanese products.
As a wholesaler for the hospitality industry, a restaurant serving authentic Japanese sushi, and a shop with a wide range of products, we bring the taste of Japan to Europe.
Our products come from both Japan and the North Sea. Quality above all.
Our fish is produced on a small scale, with love and respect for Japanese traditions and preparation methods.
Curating the finest sake
In 2024, we started with the import of Nihonshu. Better known as: sake.
We love expressive sakes that make you thirsty and put a smile on your face, because ultimately, that’s what life is all about.
We work with small breweries that have unique stories and often produce traditional styles such as kimoto and yamahai.
We select based on purity, originality, structure, vision, and craftsmanship. Our mission is clear: to bring the finest sake to Europe and in doing so, honor Japanese food culture.
Our suppliers
Our roots in Japanese food culture are built through direct, ongoing collaboration with fisheries, breweries, and shokunin throughout Japan. We source at origin, spend time in production environments, and engage deeply with the philosophies behind each craft.
Nothing compares to visiting the source, hovering with your nose above a fermentation barrel, boarding a vessel to check the catch, and engaging in conversation with makers about their philosphy. These experiences form the foundation of how we source and curate.