Did you know that Sapporo is one of the three major ramen cities in Japan that led the ramen boom? (Hakata, Kitakata, and Sapporo) There are over 1,000 ramen shops just in Sapporo city. Among them, there’s even a ramen alley in Susukino, the busiest area in Sapporo, so I went to check it out.
What is Sapporo style ramen?
Sapporo ramen is known for its rich and hearty broth, which is perfect for the cold Hokkaido winters. One unique aspect of Sapporo ramen is the use of pork lard to maintain the soup’s warmth. The lard forms a layer on top of the soup, preventing it from cooling down too quickly. This is especially important in Hokkaido, where the winters can be long and harsh. The addition of pork lard not only keeps the soup warm but also adds a depth of flavor that is both rich and satisfying.
In addition to the pork lard, Sapporo ramen often features a variety of toppings that are unique to the region. These can include butter, corn, and seafood, which are not commonly found in other types of ramen.
Sapporo Ramen Street
Sapporo Ramen Street is literally a very narrow alley with several ramen shops gathered together. But when we went, there were only two places with lines – Teshikaga Ramen and Sapporo Ramen Haruka right next to it. I had seen reviews saying Teshikaga was a life-changing ramen, so we went there.
By the way, there’s also a Ramen Street at New Chitose Airport, with a bunch of ramen shops lined up. There’s a Teshikaga branch there too, and a place with a shrimp sign, Shrimp Ramen Iccac. So if you can’t make it to Susukino Ramen Street, you can try it at the airport at the end of your trip. We went to Shrimp Ramen Iccac at the airport later.
Sapporo Ramen Teshikaga
Anyway, while waiting in line, we checked out the menu and got a glimpse inside the shop, which was really bustling. The shop was small too.
We waited for about 15 minutes, and finally, it was our turn! Wow… the inside of the shop was really like a steam room. (We visited at the end of August) But the staff was super friendly, helping us order at the kiosk and showing us to our seats. You can choose different languages on the kiosk, so reading and ordering from the menu is no problem!
The seats were bar seats surrounding the kitchen. We could see the chefs making the broth and preparing the ramen right in front of us.
At the seats, there were chopsticks, shichimi (a Japanese seasoning mix of chili pepper and other spices), soy sauce, and minced garlic. I added some garlic to my ramen halfway through. First, enjoy the original taste of the ramen, then add these seasonings to experience a deeper flavor!
After a short wait, our ramen finally arrived! I ordered Chashu Ramen with Seafood, and my husband ordered Chashu Miso Ramen with Butter Corn. Both had unique toppings that we hadn’t seen in other Japanese ramen before as I mentioned.
Especially, the corn and butter were really unique, right? It seems like a menu you can only taste here in Sapporo. Compared to my broth, there was a slight taste of corn butter, which was interesting. But it wasn’t overpowering, so it went well with the ramen.
The seafood in my ramen was really generous. Look at these plump scallops.
And the ramen noodles were curly, which I liked better. Usually, Japanese ramen noodles are straight. I prefer curly noodles like Korean ramen.
And the best part about Teshikaga ramen was the smoky flavor in the broth. The smoky flavor really stood out and was very delicious!!
Eating ramen in a bustling shop while sweating was a bit exhausting, but it was a really fun experience. If you want to taste special ramen, definitely check out Ramen Street and especially Teshikaga Ramen!
By the way, there’s also a new ramen street in Susukino, so check it out if you’re interested.