Sapporo is a city located in the northernmost part of Japan, situated in the island of Hokkaido, and stands as the country’s northernmost major city. It features a beautiful natural environment with diverse seasonal landscapes, particularly showcasing a winter wonderland with widespread snowy scenes. Tourist attractions include public squares and parks such as Odori Park and Maruyama Park, offering various flowers and events throughout the seasons. Additionally, the Susukino district serves as a bustling downtown area, gathering a variety of dining options and entertainment venues.
In winter, Sapporo benefits from its proximity to ski resorts like Niseko, providing opportunities for enjoying skiing and snowboarding. During the summer, the city boasts an array of delicious locally sourced produce. Sapporo is recognized as an international city, hosting numerous cultural events and festivals.
Sapporo is renowned for its abundance of delicious ramen shops, with a particular emphasis on its popularity for miso ramen. Many well-known establishments in the city attract fans from all over Japan.
This article introduces the top 10 recommended ramen shops within Sapporo city.
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10. Keyaki けやき すすきの本店
Just a 5-minute walk from Susukino Station, “Keyaki” is a popular establishment with lines even in the late hours. Specializing in miso flavors, it’s a shop that competes solely on the excellence of its miso. The pride-worthy miso taste is truly outstanding! Compared to other Sapporo miso ramen, this one tends to have less oil, making it a great choice for those who aren’t fond of overly greasy ramen. Despite its popularity and long lines, if you go right after opening until around midday, you can usually enter relatively smoothly.
Keyaki Details
9. Ramen Sora らーめん 空
Located about a 7-minute walk from Susukino Station, “Ramen Sora” is a popular establishment with a branch even in Las Vegas. Their distinctive feature is adding freshly grated ginger to their rich miso ramen. While they offer miso, soy sauce, and salt options, if you have to choose just one, the miso is a definite standout! Renowned for its unique and rich yet sweet flavor, many are surprised by how well the combination of miso and ginger works.
Ramen Sora Details
8. Ramen Sapporo Akahoshi らーめん サッポロ赤星
A little less than a 10-minute walk from both Susukino Station and Odori Station, near the arcade end of Tanukikoji Shopping Street, you’ll find “Ramen Sapporo Akaboshi.” While Sapporo ramen is often associated with miso, if you ever crave soy sauce or salt flavors, Akaboshi is the place to be. The charm lies in its broth, rich in flavor yet surprisingly light, and the cost-effectiveness of a satisfying bowl for just 500 yen. If you’re enjoying drinks between Susukino and Odori and fancy a light yet flavorful ramen to wrap up your evening, this shop is undoubtedly the best choice.
Ramen Sapporo Akahoshi Details
7. Sumire すみれ
The renowned and widely known establishment “Sumire” is the originator of “Sapporo Miso Ramen.” Since its founding in 1964, it has been a long-standing and influential shop leading the Sapporo miso ramen scene.
Located just about a minute’s walk from Susukino Station, it is easily accessible. If you were to choose just one bowl as a memory of Sapporo, “Sumire” might be the ideal choice.
The surface of the soup is covered with lard, ensuring it remains piping hot even without visible steam. The rich and flavorful soup, well-paired with aged wavy noodles, is enhanced by the bold and fragrant combination of garlic and Japanese pepper, making it irresistibly delicious and easily slurped down. The simplicity of green onions and shredded char siu complements the miso flavor, creating a harmonious blend.
Sumire Details
6. Yukikaze 麺屋 雪風
“Yukikaze” is an incredibly popular ramen shop located in Susukino, Sapporo, known for its long lines. The “Noko(Rich) Miso Ramen” offers an impressive taste with its thick, flavorful soup, the richness of miso, and the delightful aroma of roasted oil. The broth is meticulously crafted from a blend of three types of pork bones, chicken broth, dried sardines, and bonito flakes, combined with three varieties of miso. The finishing touch involves infusing the soup with the fragrance of roasted oil. The wavy yellow noodles perfectly intertwine with the soup, making it irresistible. The broth, full of savory goodness, leaves a lingering satisfaction that makes you want to slurp every last drop. With its exceptional flavor, it’s no wonder there’s always a queue for this outstanding ramen.
Yukikaze Details
5. Sapporo Junren さっぽろ純連 札幌本店
” Sapporo Junren Sapporo Store” is approximately a 5-minute walk from Sumikawa Station. Along with “Sumire,” it stands as a representative of “Sapporo Miso Ramen.” While they offer miso, soy sauce, and salt options, if you’re visiting as a tourist, the miso ramen is highly recommended. The layers of lard ensure that the soup stays warm for longer, and the rich broth with a hint of spice is a distinctive feature.
Despite being located away from the central area of Sapporo, it is incredibly popular, often with long lines forming.
Sapporo Junren Details
4. Ōkami soup 狼スープ
Located approximately a 5-minute walk from Nakajima Koen Station, easily accessible from the Susukino area, is the miso ramen specialty shop, “Ōkami Soup.” What sets it apart is the rich soup that manages to feel refined, thanks to the influence of ginger and spices. A distinctive feature is its slightly thinner noodles compared to other miso ramen.
The minced meat in the soup adds a textured accent, making it a popular miso ramen that strikes a perfect balance between refreshing and satisfying.
Ōkami Soup Details
3. Ramen Shingen らーめん 信玄
Located about a 10-minute walk from Susukino Station, “Shingen” is cherished by the locals. There’s generally a queue whenever you visit, but the period from early afternoon to evening tends to be relatively less crowded. They offer not only miso ramen but also salt ramen and soy sauce ramen. The miso ramen is categorized by flavors named after different regions like Echigo, Shinshu, Tosa, Harima, Owari, and Mito. Highly recommended are the “Shinshu” (rich miso ramen) and the fried rice. It’s worth noting that the fried rice may sell out late at night, so the afternoon to early evening time frame is a strategic choice. If you’re in Sapporo for several days, this ramen shop comes highly recommended.
Ramen Shingen Details
2. Ebisoba Ichigen Main Shop えびそば一幻 総本店
Just a 3-minute walk from the Higashi-Honganji-mae tram station, “Ebisoba Ichigen” has expanded not only in Tokyo but also in Taipei and Hong Kong. If you’ve come all the way to Sapporo, make sure to visit this main temple. It’s a must-try for ramen enthusiasts!
The soup is made from the broth extracted from the heads of sweet shrimp (amanebi), offering three options to cater to different preferences: “Sonomama” with the original flavor of shrimp, “Hodohodo” with a creamy tonkotsu (pork bone) soup, and “Ajiwai” with a rich and flavorful broth. You can choose the intensity of the flavor to suit your taste. On top of the ramen, in addition to seasoned eggs and green onions, there’s also shrimp powder, enhancing the fullness of shrimp flavor and aroma throughout your mouth!
Flavors come in salt, miso, and soy sauce varieties, and you can further customize your ramen experience by choosing between thick and thin noodles. The side menu’s “Ebi Onigiri” (shrimp rice ball) is also highly recommended.
Ebisoba Ichigen Main Shop Details
1. Menya Saimi 麺屋 彩未
A 15-minute subway ride from Sapporo Station, followed by a 4-minute walk from Biei Station, brings you to “Menya Ayami,” where daily long queues are a common sight.
The highlight, undoubtedly, is their miso ramen. The miso ramen features medium-thick wavy noodles that blend perfectly with the mild-flavored miso soup. Toppings include char siu, bean sprouts, green onions, and ginger—keeping it simple yet flavorful. The ginger adds a refreshing touch, making this miso ramen light and nuanced compared to others like “Sumire” in Sapporo. Grated ginger on top enhances the overwhelming deliciousness as you dissolve it into the soup. The soup is so exquisite that you’ll want to savor every last drop until the very end.
In addition to miso, they also offer soy sauce and salt varieties.
Menya Saimi Details
Conculsion
Sapporo serves as the central hub for exploring Hokkaido, offering a diverse array of cuisine such as seafood, lamb, and soup curry in this bustling metropolis. Notably, Sapporo boasts numerous renowned ramen establishments, with miso ramen standing out as a local specialty. To fully savor the delicious food of Hokkaido, be sure to experience the local flavors at Sapporo’s ramen shops.
