The popular hot snack "American Hot Dog" is a perfect combination of crispy batter and salty sausage. It is usually eaten with ketchup or mustard, but in the eastern part of Hokkaido, it is called "French Hot Dog" and is eaten in a unique style sprinkled with granulated sugar.

French hot dogs are a regional food that is distinct from American hot dogs. French hot dogs, which are popular in the eastern Hokkaido region, are characterized by using fish sausage and being sprinkled with sugar. In contrast, regular American hot dogs use meat sausage and are seasoned with ketchup or mustard. Incidentally, the term "American hot dog" is actually Japanese-English and is not used outside of Japan.

The history of sugar-covered French hot dogs dates back to an event held by Nagasakiya in Kushiro in 1976. At the time, Kushiro had many manual laborers with a penchant for sweets, and sugar was easily available, so sugar-covered French hot dogs became popular. A common snack seen in eastern Hokkaido at the time was local children eating tomatoes, strawberries, and potato dumplings covered in sugar. This local culture established sugar-covered French hot dogs as a standard flavor.

Hokkaido is the only region in Japan that produces sugar beets, the raw material for sugar. Nagasakiya first opened in eastern Hokkaido in Obihiro in 1970, and the Tokachi region, including Obihiro, is known as a major sugar beet production area. Nagasakiya then opened a store in Kushiro in 1976, and began serving sugar-dusted French hot dogs. The unique need for foods that are easy to consume calories in and warm the body and soul, unique to cold regions, led to the creation of this unique way of eating.

The sugar-dusted French hot dogs have a perfect combination of the crispy and sweet exterior and the salty sausage that spreads the more you chew! The secret to their popularity is the balance of sweetness and saltiness, and the fact that they are easy to eat. They are just the right amount of filling, making them perfect for a snack or light meal. It is no exaggeration to say that the custom of dipping French hot dogs in sugar in eastern Hokkaido is an example of a unique food culture that combines local tradition and creativity.

This way of eating is now spreading throughout Hokkaido, but it is still most definitely eaten in the eastern part of Hokkaido. When you buy an corn dog at a convenience store in eastern Hokkaido, the staff will ask you, "Ketchup, mustard, or sugar?" One thing to be careful of when eating it is that the sugar will fall apart, but the people of eastern Hokkaido find this cute and enjoyable.

If you visit eastern Hokkaido, be sure to try the sweet and salty French hot dog!

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