Enjoy ramen unique to Hokkaido! 18 places to visit in the region

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Sapporo Ramen Kifu Susukino Ten, about a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, is a ramen shop located along Susukino 5-jo Maple Street.

They do not have a regular closing day, and they are open for long hours straight from noon until dawn before the trains start running again.

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In Sapporo, Hokkaido, ramen with miso-based soup is a local staple, and this shop also serves Miso Ramen made with 100% clear broth, giving it a mild flavor.

The photo shows the special version, which comes with two extra slices each of chashu (braised pork) and nori (seaweed) compared with the regular one. Both versions feature medium-thick, very curly noodles.

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You can also top it with butter or corn to make the ramen just the way you like it. Every ramen also comes with ajitama (seasoned soft-boiled egg) made from carefully selected branded eggs.

The “Nama Shoyu Ramen” is a bowl with both a clean finish and rich depth. “Tanrei Shio Ramen” is another good option.

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Ramen Sapporo Ichiryuan is known for its ramen made with ingredients from Hokkaido and specially ordered noodles. The “ichiryu” in the name is said to refer to wheat from Hokkaido.

Although it is a very popular shop, the reservable seats that let you sit down without waiting are well liked. The shop is located a 2-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station.

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This is the "Genki no Deru Miso Ramen." The reason it gives you a boost is that it is topped with Hokkaido-grown gyoja-ninniku (alpine leek), which is packed with nutrients.

The most popular regular size comes with 155g of medium-thick curly noodles. If you order the deluxe version, it comes with thick noodles and 200g.

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The photo shows the "Atsuyaki Chashu Miso Ramen," a weekday-limited and reservation-only menu item. The chashu made with Yumeno Daichi Yongen Ton (Hokkaido four-breed pork) from Hokkaido is cut very thick.

It also seems that the "Shin Shoyu Ramen," which makes the most of scallops and oysters from Hokkaido without using umami seasoning, is only available on certain days.

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A 9-minute walk from Kikusui Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, Chugoku Ryori Bireika is a hotel restaurant on the 3rd floor of Premier Hotel-TSUBAKI-Sapporo that serves authentic Chinese cuisine.

The restaurant displays paintings and antiques unique to China, and during dinner time it features live musical performances.

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If you want ingredients from Hokkaido, the recommended choice is the "Tokachi Wagyu iri sanratanmen (hot and sour noodle soup with Tokachi Wagyu)." Since it has two chili pepper marks on the menu, it seems to have a bit of heat.

If you are not good with spicy food, the "Tokachi Wagyu to tappuri yasai no tsuyusoba" would be a good choice.

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The photo shows negi-iri tsuyu soba (soup noodles with green onion), and they also offer versions with chashu (braised pork), gomoku (mixed ingredients), ankake (thick sauce) with seafood, as well as a luxurious version with fukahire (shark fin).

The ankake tsuyu soba topped with bean sprouts, vegetables, and beef is called sanma-men (thick sauce noodle soup with bean sprouts and beef).

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Chuka Soba Shikisokuzeku is a restaurant that is always in pursuit of great taste and serves evolved ramen.

The interior, based on a white color scheme, feels clean and fresh, and there are 8 counter seats in total, spaced comfortably apart. The restaurant is about a 15-minute walk from Kanjodori-Higashi Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway.

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The soy sauce ramen combines tori chintan (clear chicken broth) simmered for 8 hours with wa-dashi (Japanese soup stock). Supporting the hand-kneaded noodles from Hokkaido is a blended soup made with saishikomi shoyu (twice-brewed soy sauce) from Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture, and soy sauce from Kyushu.

The special version comes topped with pork chashu from Rusutsu Village, Hokkaido, and more.

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The paitan (white broth) soup made with potatoes has the look of a vegetable potage, and you can choose either soy sauce or salt seasoning. This soup pairs best with noodles made from whole wheat flour from Hokkaido.

As a side menu item, try ordering a Rice bowl topped with slices of rare chashu (roasted pork).

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Taiyo Whale Sapporo Ekimae Ten, about a 1-minute walk from the underground passage exit of JR Sapporo Station, is a lively taishu sakaba (casual Japanese pub) known for its popular gyoza dumplings, and you can also enjoy noodle dishes there.

They offer many tasty, budget-friendly options, including a reasonably priced All you can drink menu available only from Sunday to Thursday, a cheap happy hour every day until 18:00, and All you can eat and drink.

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The "mapo-men (noodles with mapo tofu)," topped with large cut pieces of tofu that cover the noodles, has drawn comments saying that while spice levels vary by personal taste, it is relatively mild and easy to eat.

If you make gyoza (dumplings) the main dish at dinner, this also seems like a good choice to order as a finishing dish.

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The “Hiyashi Kara Negi Mazesoba” is also popular as a perfect dish to finish the meal. Mix in the egg yolk in the center as you eat.

They also serve various alcoholic drinks named after players connected to Hokkaido’s professional baseball team. It’s an irresistible spot for baseball fans.

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Hotei Tenshinpo Benzaiten is a restaurant serving authentic Sichuan cuisine that makes the most of its own original seasonings. The interior, based on red and black tones, has a calm modern atmosphere, and it has 2 Semi-private room spaces.

The restaurant is about a 1-minute walk from the Sapporo Streetcar Tanukikoji stop, on the 5th floor of the mixed-use commercial facility "Arche Building".

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A key point of Sichuan cuisine is how it builds heat, acidity, and numbing spice with seasonings. In some cases, it combines more than 15 different seasonings.

The “Benzaiten-shiki Mabo Men” comes topped with plenty of mabo dofu (mapo tofu), a hallmark of Sichuan cuisine. Enjoy its tasty spicy flavor together with the noodles.

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The dandanmen (Sichuan-style sesame spicy noodles) is a noodle dish with a rich sesame aroma, and they say eating it makes you feel the breeze of its home, Sichuan.

The menu has many items named Benzaiten-shiki and Hotei-shiki, so you can enjoy the restaurant's own original flavors. Hokkaido's local specialty, zangi (Hokkaido-style fried chicken), is also seasoned in the slightly spicy Hotei-shiki style.

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Kumachan Ramen is a ramen shop about a 9-minute walk from Nangō 13-chōme Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, with a lineup of spicy and tasty menu items.

The bright and calm interior includes counter seats that are easy for solo diners to use, as well as table seating for families and groups.

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The "akkaramen" has a bright red soup and looks spicy at a glance. This ramen is known for its rich, mildly spicy taste, and you can choose the spice level.

If you like spicy food, the second hottest level is recommended. Some Tabelog reviewers even took on the fifth level, which is said to be the hottest.

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The "Daa Rumen" is also recommended, topped with plenty of vegetables, with piping hot soup that clings well to the noodles. This one also comes in five levels of spiciness.

In addition to spicy ramen, they also serve the regular "Miso Ramen," which uses a soup carefully extracted from pork bones and chicken.

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Located on the basement first floor of a building directly connected to Sapporo Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, Hokkai Ramen Sapporo Ekimae Ten is a restaurant run by a company that specializes in dim sum.

The homey interior is said to be bustling with many businesspeople.

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The ultimate version of the fully loaded Miso Corn Butter Chashu Ramen.

The paitan (rich and cloudy) soup is made by extracting flavor from chicken bones and pork bones, then blending in several kinds of miso. The noodles use wheat from Hokkaido, and the special chashu (braised pork) is simmered in a secret sauce.

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The "Higawari Hokkai Set" available at lunchtime is a hearty meal that combines noodles and fried rice, and it also comes with salad.

At dinnertime, the recommended choice is the "Horoyoi Set," which lets you pick your favorites from more than 30 kinds of Chinese dishes and comes with an alcoholic drink.

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Yakitori Sakaba Shirokuro is about a 4 to 5-minute walk from the Sapporo Streetcar Nishi 8-chome stop. This hideaway spot sits a little away from the bustle of Sapporo and is well liked for its authentic yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) finished over charcoal.

Inside, calm lighting sets the mood, and there is a warm wooden counter.

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The "Tori Chintan (clear chicken broth) to niboshi (dried sardines) no Chuka Soba" is a bowl that makes a good way to wrap up dinner.

While paitan refers to a white, cloudy soup made by boiling over high heat for a long time, chintan = clear broth means a soup that is gently simmered over low heat to draw out its flavor.

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If you want to stick with ingredients from Hokkaido, a good pick is the "Yoichi Buta (Yoichi pork)" kushiyaki (grilled skewers). It is pork raised in Yoichi, Hokkaido, located around the base of the Shakotan Hanto (Shakotan Peninsula).

For Chinese style dishes in the same category as ramen, they also serve the 2-piece set of "Kurobuta (Berkshire pork) no Jumbo Shumai (giant shumai dumplings)".

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Located a 3-minute walk from Hosui-Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, Hakata Kawaya Susukino Ten is a place where you can casually enjoy Hakata (a district in Kyushu) specialty gourmet yaki ramen (fried ramen) in Hokkaido.

The lively, bustling interior has a total of 56 seats, with counter and table seating.

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You might look at the photo and be surprised, wondering if this is really ramen. Hakata’s specialty yaki-ramen (fried ramen) looks a lot like what you would call yakisoba.

They stir-fry boiled ramen noodles together with soup or sauce, making it a hearty dish packed with ingredients like meat and cabbage.

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Since the restaurant is called Kawa-ya, you will want to try their signature torikawa (grilled chicken skin).

They make it over 6 days by grilling chicken neck skin to render out the fat, then repeating the process of dipping it in tare (sauce) and letting it rest. It is also a good idea to eat yaki-ramen (grilled ramen) at the restaurant and get torikawa for Takeout.

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Sapporo Jingisukan Nakaramu is located about a 5-minute walk from Odori Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway. It has a U-shaped counter and terrace seating.

The staff grill the lamb for the jingisukan (grilled lamb dish) and bring it to the table already on the Teppan-yaki plate, so you do not need to worry about the smell or smoke.

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At lunchtime, you can order not only jingisukan (grilled mutton) but also ramen and curry.

The dish in the photo is called “Mukashi-fu Ramen Shoyu,” a bowl topped with classic ingredients like menma (seasoned bamboo shoots) and green onions. You can choose not only soy sauce broth but also a salt-based flavor.

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All of the set meal-style lunch options, including the "Jingisukan Plate set meal," come with rice and miso soup.

Jingisukan (grilled mutton) usually uses a special pot, so it tends to be a bit of a production to prepare, but when they serve it individually in a Teppan-yaki style, it feels easy to order.

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Sushi Sojuntori Hidaka in Ishikari is a sushi restaurant that also serves ramen and Hot Pot dishes, with a focus on local ingredients for local consumption.

The owner is a kikizakeshi (sake sommelier) and will Special select Japanese sake that pairs well with the food. It is a 15-minute drive from JR Teine Station, and parking is available.

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Speaking of Ishikari City, its local specialty is Ishikari nabe (salmon hot pot), a dish with salmon as the main ingredient. The dish in the photo, Ishikari Sake Shoyu Ramen, also uses salmon as a topping.

The noodles are made with Haruyokoi wheat from Ishikari, and the aroma of the salmon soy sauce is said to go well with the lettuce and smoked salmon. It also does not use any animal fats.

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They offer a set menu with 2 pieces of battera (pressed mackerel sushi), which is well seasoned and does not need soy sauce. Since this is a sushi restaurant, you will want to try the sushi too.

It seems you can also choose a set with 2 pieces of inari (seasoned fried tofu sushi). Of course, ordering the ramen A la carte is also OK.

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Kita no Ryoba Otaru Unga Ten is a restaurant about a 13-minute walk from JR Otaru Station, and it sells fresh seafood landed in Hokkaido and off the coast of Otaru.

You can also eat at the food court inside the restaurant. They also sell famous Hokkaido sweets and souvenir items.

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Not only the seafood dishes but also the house special ramen are recommended. In addition to Hokkaido-style miso broth, you can also order it with shoyu (soy sauce) or salt flavor.

You can also add extra toppings like corn or wakame (seaweed), or top it with butter for extra richness.

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The "chashu-men (ramen topped with sliced roast pork)" with 3 slices of chashu (sliced roast pork) is another good option. Here too, you can choose from 3 kinds of soup, including miso.

They also serve the luxurious "kaisene ramen (seafood ramen)," topped with shellfish, shrimp, and more. It is a bowl that gives off a real Hokkaido feel.

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Rakushoku Chuka Hien is a Chinese restaurant in Tomakomai City that serves ramen with a range of toppings.

The table seating is spaced comfortably, and there is also counter seating for solo diners. The restaurant is about 6 minutes by car from JR Itoi Station and has parking for 7 cars.

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The photo shows ramen topped with katsu in curry soup. It looks very filling.

They offer a wide variety of ramen, including gomoku ankake (mixed ingredients in thick sauce), Sichuan-style seasoning, and noodles topped with mapo tofu. The "sanratanmen (hot and sour soup noodles)" is a special ramen with both sourness and heat.

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On weekdays only, they offer set meals where you can choose both noodles and rice.

Choose from soy sauce or salt ramen scented with negi-abura (scallion oil), or "tantanmen (spicy sesame noodles)" made with house-made sauce and chili oil, paired with options such as fried rice cooked over high heat. Each item is served in a two-thirds portion compared with the regular menu.

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Tanoshii Renya, about a 10-minute walk from JR Takikawa Station, is a Yakiniku restaurant run by a livestock company. All of the meat they serve comes from Hokkaido.

There are 86 seats in total, including raised tatami seating with plenty of space and Semi-private room style seats with partitions.

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The most popular ramen at the shop is the "Kyukyoku no Miso Kimchi Ramen," and you can choose the spice level. They use house-made noodles made with wheat from Hokkaido, and the soup is made by drawing dashi from pork bones and chicken.

The "Yukgaejang Ramen," which is said to have a hint of sweetness within the heat, is also recommended.

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The photo shows Chinese-style soba noodles made with aigamo (cross-bred duck) soup, a local specialty. It has a mild soy sauce-based flavor, with a nice yuzu aroma.

Another recommended dish is the "motsu-nabe (offal hot pot) Miso Ramen," which makes the most of the fresh beef offal they can source in abundance because they are a livestock company. It has a mildly spicy seasoning.

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Despite the restaurant name Tsubasa Gyoza (Wing Dumplings), this restaurant in Hakodate City serves not only gyoza but also tosaimen (knife shaved noodles) made by shaving noodles from wheat dough and boiling them.

Inside, the restaurant has ozashiki (traditional tatami seating) as well as table and counter seating. It is about a 9-minute drive from Goryokaku Station on the South Hokkaido Railway, and there is parking for 4 cars in front of the restaurant.

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While hand-shaved dao xiao mian noodles are the specialty, the ramen also has a reputation for being very good. The "tantan ramen" is made without chemical seasonings and features a rich sesame soup.

You can choose from a non-spicy version, or ask for mild, regular, or double spiciness. The ramen with mala soup flavored with sansho (Japanese pepper) and chili peppers is also said to be popular.

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The photo shows shoyu toshomen (soy sauce knife-cut noodles), made by shaving pieces from a lump of wheat dough with a blade directly into boiling water. It is a noodle dish somewhat like udon, but what makes it interesting is that each noodle has a different texture and thickness.

This also comes with options like tantan soup, and they also offer the restaurant's original "curry toshomen (curry knife-cut noodles)."

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Nishijin in Hidaka-cho was once a sushi restaurant, but it now operates as a ramen izakaya (Japanese-style pub).

The counter seats inside are decorated with noren (traditional shop curtains) that give the feel of a yatai (street stall), and the restaurant also has fully private rooms. It is about a 2-minute drive from the Hidaka Tomikawa IC on the Hidaka Expressway, and parking is available.

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This is the shoyu (soy sauce) ramen. For an extra charge, you can get extra noodles, and they also offer a half-size ramen.

Although it costs extra, they can also add rice at the end based on how much soup you have left and make zosui (rice porridge) to finish the meal. That makes it easy to order based on how hungry you are.

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The photo shows a combination of shio ramen (salt-flavored ramen) and "han chahan (half fried rice)." You can add toppings such as nori (seaweed) and chashu (braised pork) to the ramen.

One menu item worth noting is the "Ramen Habanero." It uses very hot chili peppers. They also offer a mildly spicy option.

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Saikae, an oshokujidokoro (casual dining restaurant) in Biratori-cho, opened after running a crowdfunding campaign to bring back a once popular restaurant and successfully reaching its funding goal.

Inside, the seating is a mix of counter seats and koagari (raised tatami seating). It is a 23-minute drive from JR Mukawa Station, and parking is available.

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The photo shows "Saiko no Shoyu Ramen," made with garlic from Atsuma, Hokkaido. The kaeshi (seasoning base) used as the tare for the ramen soup concentrates the good flavor of the chashu.

Meanwhile, the "Kodawari no Tokusei Miso Ramen" uses a blended miso made from soybeans produced in the local town of Biratori.

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Ramen topped with a hearty cutlet that looks very filling. You can add the cutlet not only to shoyu (soy sauce) and miso ramen, but also to shio (salt-based) and mildly spicy soup ramen.

This restaurant is also popular for its curry made from a secret recipe, so the katsu curry is also said to be tasty and recommended.