Wakkanai – the northernmost city of Japan in the Hokkaido region is blessed with countless number of sea urchins. In Wakkanai, having sea urchin with sushi and sashimi is absolutely mouthwatering. Learn how to make Sushi & Sashimi easily at home. Ichigo-ni is not only a local dish of Aomori but also for the northern coastal area of Iwate. It is a soup made of sea urchin and sliced abalone or awabi, added with salt and soy sauce. Here the name “Ichigo-ni” means “Boiled Strawberries.” Though, strawberries are not used to cook it. The sea urchins floating in the soup is said to resemble wild strawberries, that’s for why we name it as Ichogo-ni. Again this one of the great traditional food we eat in the New Year’s holidays. Once I ate it in one of the restaurants I have found downtown Hachinohe (a city located southeastern Aomori Prefecture), the dish was just excellent!