In our (comparatively limited) travels through Hokkaido over the years, the most memorable meal was at Kappo Ryokan Wakamatsu in Hakodate. Hakodate seems to have access to the absolute best seafood, since the peninsula is wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, and the currents collide in the strait between Honshu and Hokkaido, leading to a variety of minerals and plankton. In fact, Hakodate has the best variety of top-notch seafood in our experience - there's a sushi restaurant within walking distance to Wakamatsu, and it was the most spectacular sushi meal we've ever tried. If it's in season, see if you can be served a variety of salmon called "Tokishirazu." The name stands for the fish "that doesn't know what time it is." In other words, it doesn't migrate like other salmon, and for some reason, the color of the meat and the flavor is far different from typical salmon... and is crazy delicious!

Hokkaido has a number of Onsen spots and charming ryokans (and towns), but it doesn't have a ton of luxury properties that would live up to the expectations of people on this forum - Wakamatsu included. A new ryokan called Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za (by the same owners of Hinanoza) opened in 2019. Naturally, it has an amazing hard product, but we have yet to stay there. Jozankei, Noboribetsu and Otaru are among the other notable locations that are teeming with good (but not many luxury) ryokans. As mentioned in my original post, Takinoya is renowned for being one of the top ryokans in Hokkaido (if not in Japan), but service was mixed and they curiously did not serve one Uni (sea urchin) dish! Ditto for Ginrinsou in Otaru. Super weird, considering the best Uni in the world comes from Hokkaido.