Betsukai Town, Hokkaido is the municipality that receives the donation for this thank-you gift under furusato nozei (hometown tax donation program). The production-area field on the listing says it is produced in Hokkaido, but the place of processing is not confirmed. This article covers a thank-you gift of frozen scallop adductor muscles (ホタテ玉冷), 1 box of 400g. When applying, you choose the piece size from 4 types and the delivery period from 7 options. The provider is 株式会社マルヒロ津田商店. We organized what the Rakuten listing and reviews say into five points: quantity, shelf life, ingredient labeling, gifting, and reviews. The three features we could confirm on the listing are that you can choose the piece size, that you can choose the delivery period, and that it is frozen with a best-before date of 90 days from the shipping date.
At a Glance
Key points
- 1 box of 400g, with 4 piece sizes to choose from. The guideline piece counts are about 37–40 for “小粒揃い” (uniformly small), about 18–28 for “バラエティ” (variety), about 15 for “大粒” (large), and about 8–13 for “大玉” (extra-large)
- You can choose the delivery period. Choose from “最強翌日配送★最短発送” (next-day delivery, earliest shipping), delivery by the end of each month from the end of November 2026 to the end of March 2027, or oseibo (year-end gift; delivered by December 15)
- Frozen, with a best-before date of 90 days from the shipping date. The listing says this is the number of days when stored in a household freezer
- Rakuten rating 4.84 (31,411 reviews). Viewed October 22, 2026
Watch out for
- You cannot specify a delivery date. In this article we could not confirm whether a gift applied for in December will arrive within the year (see “Shipping period” under “Basic Information” below)
- We could not find any text stating why it is “wakeari” (imperfect/irregular, sold at a discount). The product name shown on the Rakuten product page includes the words 不揃い (irregular) and 規格外 (non-standard), and an introductory image from the provider on the listing (an image with text in it) says there are differences in size, color and texture
Suits: People who want to choose the piece size and receive frozen scallop adductor muscles. People who want to choose when it arrives
The features are from the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing (viewed October 22, 2026). The rating is as shown on Rakuten (viewed October 22, 2026) and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
Basic Information
- Product name
- Betsukai Town, Hokkaido Wakeari Scallop Adductor Muscle 400g (Furusato Nozei)
- Donation recipient / provider
- Betsukai Town, Hokkaido (Rakuten Furusato Nozei) / Provider: 株式会社マルヒロ津田商店
- Amount
- 1 box, 400g (frozen scallop adductor muscles)
- Piece size
- 4 types: “小粒揃い” (uniformly small), “バラエティ” (variety), “大粒” (large) and “大玉” (extra-large)
- Delivery period
- Choose from 7 options: earliest shipping, delivery by the end of each month, or oseibo
- Storage
- Frozen. The listing says the best-before date is 90 days from the shipping date (when stored in a household freezer)
- Ingredients
- Scallop (allergen labeling field: not confirmed)
- State
- Frozen adductor muscles. We could not find either of the labeling categories “生食用” (for eating without cooking) or “加熱用” (for cooking)
- Noshi and gifting
- Simple noshi (gift wrapping label; sticker type) only with the oseibo option. Name printing is not available
This list transcribes what is stated on the listing. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
The ingredients are listed as scallop, but we could not find an allergen labeling field on the listing. If you have an allergy, ask the provider before you apply, or be sure to check the label on the product when it arrives (Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling” (accessed October 22, 2026)).
See the transcribed details, sources and “not confirmed” items (17 items)
This list transcribes what is stated on the listing. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
- Product name
- Betsukai Town, Hokkaido Wakeari Scallop Adductor Muscle 400g (Furusato Nozei)The product name shown on the Rakuten product page is a long string with many search words. Here we show only the part that describes the product.
- Type of food
- 冷凍ホタテ 貝柱 (frozen scallop adductor muscle; the “名称” (name) field in the product description. The amount field says ホタテ玉冷)Source: product description on the listing (viewed October 22, 2026)
- Amount
- 1 box, 400g. This article covers only applications for 1 box. How many people it serves is not stated, so it is not confirmedSource: option fields on the listing (viewed October 22, 2026)
- Options you can choose
- Piece size (all 1 box, 400g): “小粒揃い” about 37–40 pieces / “バラエティ” about 18–28 pieces / “大粒” about 15 pieces / “大玉” about 8–13 pieces
Delivery period (for 1 box): “最強翌日配送★最短発送” / delivery by the end of November 2026 / delivery by the end of December 2026 / delivery by the end of January 2027 / delivery by the end of February 2027 / delivery by the end of March 2027 / oseibo (delivered by December 15; payment by November 30)
As of viewing on October 22, 2026, none of the 1-box combinations was shown as sold outSource: option fields on the listing (viewed October 22, 2026) - Reason for wakeari
- We could not find any text in the product description stating why it is wakeari. The product name includes the words 不揃い (irregular) and 規格外 (non-standard), and an introductory image from the provider on the listing (an image with text in it) says there are various differences in size, color, texture and so onSource: the product name shown on the Rakuten product page, and the introductory images on the listing (viewed October 22, 2026)
- Storage method
- Frozen. The listing says that because the temperature in a household freezer changes easily, you should eat it as soon as possible after it arrivesSource: product description on the listing (notes)
- Best-before date
- The listing says 90 days from the shipping date (when stored in a household freezer)Source: product description on the listing
- How to thaw
- The listing describes putting the amount you need on a plate and thawing it in the refrigerator over about 5–7 hours. For when you are in a hurry, the listing describes putting it in a storage bag and keeping cold water running over it for about 30 minutes. The listing says to avoid thawing in a microwave or in hot water, because it can make it waterySource: product description on the listing
- After opening
- How long it keeps after thawing is not stated on the listing, so it is not confirmed
- Origin of ingredients
- Produced in Hokkaido (production-area field)Source: product description on the listing
- Place of processing
- Not confirmed. As its category of local product (地場産品), the listing says it is manufactured and processed within the municipality, but we could not find the location of the processing plantSource: product description on the listing
- State / how to eat (whether cooking is required)
- It arrives as frozen adductor muscles. We could not find a “生食用” or “加熱用” label, or any guidance on whether cooking is required. In the notes, the listing says that shellfish may carry bacteria regardless of freshness, and that people who are not feeling well may develop symptoms of food poisoning if they eat itSource: product description on the listing (notes)
- Delivery
- The listing says it arrives frozen. The listing says it cannot be delivered to some areas, such as Okinawa Prefecture and remote islands. The listing says you cannot specify a delivery date. The listing says donation applications cannot be canceled, and the thank-you gift cannot be changed or returnedSource: product description on the listing (notes)
- Shipping period
- The listing says items are shipped in order within the period you choose. The listing says shipping may take longer during the year-end and New Year holidays, the oseibo season and similar times. If you apply in December, whether the delivery-by-end-of-December-2026 option or the earliest-shipping option will still be available at that point is not confirmed (both could be selected as of viewing on October 22, 2026). The oseibo option requires payment by November 30Source: option fields and product description on the listing (viewed October 22, 2026)
- Noshi and gifting
- The listing says simple noshi (sticker type) is available only with the oseibo option. Name printing is not available. The listing says that for applications for more than one, the noshi is attached to the outer packaging. We could not find any mention of a gift box, gift wrapping or message cards. The listing says leaflets and other booklets are not enclosed. The listing says the sender name on the shipping label will be the donor’s name, and the sender name on the missed-delivery notice will be 北海道別海町サポート室 (the Betsukai Town support office)Source: product description on the listing (viewed October 22, 2026)
- Manufacturer
- The provider is stated as 株式会社マルヒロ津田商店. Whether it is the manufacturer or the processor, and its location, are not confirmedSource: product description on the listing
- Shop
- Betsukai Town, Hokkaido (Rakuten Furusato Nozei)
Donation amounts differ by portal and by the size you choose, and may change. Please check the current donation amount and availability at the link above.
What Public Reviews Say
We organized the Rakuten Ichiba product reviews by viewpoint. The rating figures are as of the time we viewed them and may change afterward. What follows are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.84 / 5 | 31,411 | October 22, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 27,402 / 4★ 3,496 / 3★ 277 / 2★ 100 / 1★ 135 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed October 22, 2026). The breakdown adds up to 31,410, which differs by 1 from the displayed count.
What we read: the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted November 2025 to October 2026; latest October 2026), 30 reviews at 1★ (out of 135; posted January to October 2026) and 30 reviews at 2★ (out of 100; posted December 2025 to September 2026), 120 in total. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
The reviews we read include some posted under the specification used before the current one (1 box of 400g in 4 sizes). The counts below are approximate figures we counted by reading the text, and they exclude posts only about delivery or how applications were handled, and posts saying they had not yet eaten it.
What Reviewers Praise
Large, thick pieces (about 30 of 60)
About 30 of the 60 reviews in the default order say the pieces are large or thick. Some reviews also say they chose the small size, but the pieces were not as small as they expected.
Sweetness and umami (about 12)
About 12 of the 60 in the default order say they tasted sweetness or umami.
Easy to use in cooked dishes (about 16)
About 16 of the 60 in the default order say they used it in butter sautés, pasta, hot pots, rice bowls and the like (as described by the reviewers).
Not bothered that it is wakeari (4)
4 of the 60 reviews in the default order say that although it is labeled wakeari, they were not bothered by its appearance or other aspects.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 22, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
Bothered by the smell (about 17 of the 60 at 1★ and 2★)
About 17 of the 60 reviews at 1★ and 2★ say they were bothered by a fishy smell or an odd taste. Among the 60 in the default order, there was also 1 such review at 4★.
How to check: the thawing method described by the provider is summarized in the “How to thaw” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Pieces smaller than expected, or less than expected (about 20 of the 60 at 1★ and 2★)
About 20 of the 60 reviews at 1★ and 2★ say the pieces were small or the quantity felt small. Many of them compare it with the previous specification.
How to check: the guideline piece count for each size is in the “Options you can choose” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Watery after thawing (4 of the 60 at 1★ and 2★)
4 of the 60 reviews at 1★ and 2★ say it became watery or released a white liquid after thawing.
How to check: the thawing methods the provider says to avoid are in the “How to thaw” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 22, 2026)
As for delivery, there were 2 reviews at 1★ saying that at the end of 2025 they expected it to arrive within the year, but it arrived in January (for both, the delivery period chosen is shown as delivery by the end of January of the following year). These 2 are not included in the counts above.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 22, 2026)
Summary: Is This the One for You?
Why choose it: You want to choose the piece size yourself, and you also want to choose when it arrives. If these two conditions apply, this thank-you gift fits. While keeping 1 box of 400g, you can choose the piece size from 4 types and the delivery period from 7 options.
- Guideline piece counts are shown for each piece size, from about 8–13 for “大玉” to about 37–40 for “小粒揃い”
- The Rakuten rating is 4.84 / 5 (31,411 reviews). Among the 60 in the default order that we read, many mentioned the piece size (about 30) and how easy it is to use in cooked dishes (about 16)
- The listing says it is frozen, with a best-before date of 90 days from the shipping date (when stored in a household freezer)
Other options: For another seafood thank-you gift from Betsukai Town, there is Betsukai Ikura in Soy Sauce.
The basis for this section is the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing and Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 22, 2026). These are review trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
Donation amounts, availability, and shipping times change. This article’s information-as-of date is October 22, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before you donate.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
This article organizes information published on furusato nozei listings and review sites. Information about the thank-you gift, such as amount, storage method, and ingredients, may change. Please check the listing for the latest information.
Comments on taste or quality are summarized from third-party posts cited with their source, and are not Ochinity’s own evaluation. Our approach to writing articles is described in our Editorial Policy.
Information as of: October 22, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Furusato Nozei “北海道別海町” (Betsukai Town, Hokkaido) listing, Rakuten customer reviews, Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”
