16 Best Jingisukan Restaurants in Sapporo: From Long-Established Favorites to Casual Dining Spots

16 Best Jingisukan Restaurants in Sapporo: From Long-Established Favorites to Casual Dining Spots

Update date:2024/12/15

"Jingisukan, Hokkaido's signature grilled lamb and mutton dish, is a must-try when visiting Sapporo. A favorite among locals, it features tender meat grilled with vegetables, often on a distinctive dome-shaped pan. Lamb and mutton are also good sources of protein and iron, adding to the dish's appeal.

This guide introduces 16 recommended Jingisukan restaurants in Sapporo, from long-established establishments with time-honored recipes to specialty restaurants serving fresh, unfrozen lamb and casual all-you-can-eat spots. Discover the different flavors and cooking styles of this Hokkaido specialty and find the perfect place to enjoy Jingisukan in Sapporo."

What Is Sapporo Jingisukan? A Brief History of Hokkaido's Signature Dish

Jingisukan is a Hokkaido specialty of grilled lamb or mutton, inspired in part by Chinese-style grilled sheep dishes encountered in Manchuria. During the early 20th century, sheep farming expanded in Hokkaido to produce wool, making sheep meat more widely available. In 1936, one of Sapporo's earliest restaurants serving Jingisukan opened, helping introduce the dish to local diners. It gradually gained popularity after World War II and became a beloved part of Hokkaido's food culture.

Marinated Jingisukan vs. Fresh Lamb: What's the Difference?

Jingisukan is typically served in two styles: lamb or mutton marinated in a savory sauce before grilling, and fresh, unfrozen lamb grilled plain and dipped in sauce afterward. Both are cooked on a distinctive dome-shaped iron grill, with the meat placed in the raised center and vegetables arranged around the edges. As the meat cooks, its flavorful juices flow down and season the vegetables.

Yamagoya

Yamagoya is a Jingisukan restaurant in Sapporo known for its tender, fresh lamb and a signature sauce passed down since 1956. Made with apples and soy sauce, the rich, flavorful sauce pairs perfectly with the lamb. The menu also features hogget, meat from sheep between the lamb and mutton stages, as well as an unlimited supply of bean sprouts, onions, and cherry tomatoes sourced from Hokkaido farmers.

For something different, try the fresh lamb and Hokkaido Ezo venison platter or the bite-sized minced sheep meat. With its carefully selected meats and traditional sauce, Yamagoya offers a distinctive taste of Hokkaido's Jingisukan culture.

Hiratsuka Jingisukan Susukino

Hiratsuka Jingisukan Susukino is a spacious restaurant in Sapporo with 100 seats, including counter seating, tables, and private rooms. Ideal for everything from casual meals to group gatherings, the restaurant offers separate smoking and nonsmoking areas and a ventilation system designed to reduce smoke and lingering odors.

The menu features carefully selected meats sourced by a head chef with decades of experience specializing in grilled meat. Guests can enjoy premium lamb, flavorful mutton, and juicy lamb chops, along with limited-quantity Japanese Black Wagyu beef. With its wide selection of quality meats and comfortable dining atmosphere, the restaurant is a great place to experience Sapporo's Jingisukan culture.

Higenoushi Minami 5-jo

Higenoushi Minami 5-jo is a Jingisukan restaurant in Sapporo offering two ways to enjoy lamb: traditional dome-shaped pans and charcoal grilling over a shichirin (small charcoal grill). Marinated lamb is grilled separately over charcoal to keep its seasoning from mixing with the flavors of fresh, unseasoned lamb. The menu features tender lamb shoulder loin, rare lamb fillet, lamb marinated in the restaurant's original old-fashioned sauce, and premium mutton rib loin.

The stylish interior offers counter seating, tables, and semi-private areas separated by partitions, making it comfortable for solo diners, families, and groups. Lockers are also available for storing personal belongings, allowing travelers to enjoy their meal without worrying about their luggage.

Hitsujiya

Located a 5-minute walk from Susukino Station, Hitsujiya is a long-established Jingisukan restaurant in Sapporo with over 50 years of history. The restaurant serves fresh, hand-cut lamb grilled on a traditional helmet-shaped iron pan and enjoyed with its signature dipping sauce. Guests can also try maru Jingisukan, a traditional Hokkaido favorite made with thin, round slices of rolled sheep meat, as well as locally sourced Ezo venison supplied directly by hunters.

Known for its carefully selected meats, Hitsujiya offers an authentic taste of Hokkaido's food culture. The nostalgic Showa-era interior adds to the experience, making it a welcoming spot to enjoy traditional Jingisukan in a relaxed, old-fashioned atmosphere.

RAZAN Charcoal-Grilled Yakiniku Susukino

RAZAN is a stylish yakiniku restaurant housed in a renovated stone warehouse dating back to the early Showa period (1926–1989). The historic stone walls create a nostalgic, relaxed atmosphere, while smokeless grills help minimize lingering odors. With counter seating and private rooms, the restaurant is ideal for solo diners, couples, and small groups. As smoking is permitted, guests must be over 20 to enter.

The menu includes Jingisukan made with fresh lamb seasoned before grilling, bringing out its rich flavor while retaining the distinctive taste of lamb. It pairs especially well with rice or drinks. Guests can also enjoy premium Wagyu beef, including rare cuts, and homemade Korean dishes. RAZAN offers a memorable combination of traditional Hokkaido flavors and a distinctive historic setting.

Shin Sapporo Jingisukan

Located near JR Shin-Sapporo Station and Shin-Sapporo Subway Station, Shin Sapporo Jingisukan specializes in fresh, unfrozen lamb carefully selected by a head chef with decades of experience in grilled meat. Strict temperature control preserves the lamb's natural tenderness, rich flavor, and sweetness. Another highlight is the house-made dipping sauce, aged for approximately 60 days and prepared with ingredients selected according to the season.

The restaurant also serves rare cuts, including lamb tongue, which requires careful handling to maintain its freshness. Guests can watch the chef at work from the counter while enjoying authentic Hokkaido Jingisukan grilled on a traditional helmet-shaped iron pan. It's a welcoming spot to discover the rich flavors of carefully prepared lamb.

Jingisukan Higenoushi Honten

Higenoushi Main Restaurant is a popular Jingisukan restaurant in Sapporo, offering a wide selection of carefully chosen lamb and mutton cuts. Highlights include tender lamb shoulder loin, high-quality Suffolk cross lamb, and flavorful mutton rib loin. For something different, try the salt-cured lamb soaked in brine or the old-fashioned marinated lamb coated in the restaurant's original sauce. Jingisukan courses are also available, making the restaurant a great choice for special dinners and group gatherings.

Renovated in 2025, the stylish, spacious interior features counter seating on the first floor, tables on the second floor, and newly added semi-private seating on the third floor. Conveniently located near Susukino Station, the restaurant also provides lockers for personal belongings. Whether dining alone or with friends, guests can enjoy authentic Hokkaido Jingisukan in a comfortable setting.

Jingisukan Youshi Susukino

Located a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station, Jingisukan Youshi Susukino specializes in carefully selected fresh, unfrozen lamb. Its specially designed large Jingisukan pan minimizes smoke and odors. Unlike traditional pans, it cooks vegetables in the center and meat around the edges, allowing the lamb's flavorful juices to season the vegetables. Guests can enjoy the meat with the restaurant's original rock salt blend or house-made soy sauce and miso dipping sauces. For the final course, guests can choose miso, salt, or soy sauce ramen and add grilled meat and vegetables as toppings.

The restaurant offers relaxed counter seating and tables for groups of up to eight. All-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink packages are also available, making it a great choice for sightseeing dinners and group gatherings in Sapporo.

Hokkaido Jingisukan MASAJIN Susukino Honten

Hokkaido Jingisukan MASAJIN Susukino Honten is a popular restaurant in Sapporo specializing in carefully selected, fresh lamb. Its thick, tender cuts offer rich flavor and delicate fat, enhanced by a secret sauce slowly aged to bring out the lamb's natural taste. Staff guide diners on how to grill the meat, making it easy for first-time visitors to enjoy authentic Jingisukan. Charcoal grilling adds a delicious smoky aroma and brings out the meat's savory flavors.

The restaurant also offers a variety of side dishes, including noodles served at the end of the meal with a flavorful broth made by diluting the dipping sauce with dashi (Japanese soup stock). With its high-quality lamb and welcoming service, MASAJIN is a great place to experience Hokkaido's signature grilled meat dish.

Sankatei

Sankatei is a yakiniku restaurant in Sapporo specializing in carefully selected meats and Korean dishes. A lunchtime favorite is the Lamb Jingisukan Lunch Set, featuring exceptionally tender lamb served with rice, soup, kimchi, salad, and a choice of coffee or a soft drink. This satisfying set offers a great way to enjoy Hokkaido's signature grilled lamb dish at an affordable price.

Another highlight is the restaurant's signature handmade Morioka cold noodles, a favorite among locals. The chewy noodles are served in a refreshing, slightly spicy chilled broth, making them a satisfying choice even after a hearty yakiniku meal. With adjustable spice levels, the dish is also suitable for those who prefer milder flavors.

Don Don. Yakiniku

Don Don. Yakiniku is a hidden gem in Sapporo known for its flavorful marinated Jingisukan, available for ¥880. The menu features a variety of lamb cuts, including shoulder loin and tongue, alongside Wagyu beef, pork, and chicken. All-you-can-drink courses and happy hour specials make it an appealing choice for casual dinners and group gatherings.

The restaurant also offers hearty lunch sets, including fresh lamb Jingisukan and a combination of beef skirt steak and short ribs. Lunch sets come with rice, soup, salad, and a small side dish, with free rice refills. Advance reservations are required for lunch, so be sure to book ahead.

Taihaara Susukino Minami

Taihaara Susukino Minami is a yakiniku restaurant in Sapporo's Susukino district, featuring a retro-style interior with dark wood furnishings and distinctive red ventilation ducts. Its signature Jingisukan is made with fresh, lean lamb known for its tenderness and mild flavor. The restaurant recommends lightly grilling the meat and enjoying it rare, or dipping it in egg yolk for a yukhoe-style experience.

Another highlight is the seared Wagyu beef sushi made with Ikeda beef from Hokkaido, which pairs well with wine. For a late-night treat, try the Aburi Jingi Tsukimi Don, a rice bowl topped with flavorful lamb seared with a blowtorch right in front of diners. The restaurant offers counter and table seating and can accommodate private gatherings of 20 or more guests, making it a welcoming spot for a memorable yakiniku dinner.

Yakiniku Shubo Mizubasho

Located a short walk from Susukino Station, Yakiniku Shubo Mizubasho offers a wide selection of grilled meats, with a focus on Hokkaido Wagyu beef. Highlights include Wagyu rib loin, fresh lamb shoulder loin, and Hokkai Jingisukan, a distinctive version made with pork instead of lamb. The restaurant features counter seating, tables, and private rooms with traditional horigotatsu sunken-floor seating, making it suitable for solo diners, couples, and families. Smokeless grills help keep the dining experience comfortable.

For those looking to sample different styles of Jingisukan, the restaurant offers a tasting course featuring fresh lamb, marinated lamb, pork Jingisukan, and traditional round slices of rolled sheep meat. The menu also includes a variety of horumon (organ meats), including cuts from Hokkaido cattle. Fresh Wagyu liver, available on weekends, is another popular choice among regulars.

Yakiniku Shubo Mizubasho

Yakiniku Sekai Champion Honten

Located a short walk from Hosui-Susukino Station in Sapporo, Yakiniku Sekai Champion Honten specializes in A5-grade Japanese Black Wagyu beef and offers three all-you-can-eat courses. Diners can enjoy carefully selected cuts, including rare selections such as shinshin (knuckle center) and misuji (top blade), as well as a variety of horumon (organ meats). The menu also features salt-seasoned Jingisukan, making it possible to enjoy both Hokkaido's signature grilled lamb dish and premium Wagyu beef in one place.

Three all-you-can-eat courses are available, along with a selection of side dishes such as yukhoe, Wagyu beef sushi, and thinly sliced raw meat dishes. Pair the meal with the restaurant's homemade Setouchi lemon sour, made with freshly grated lemons, for a refreshing complement to the rich flavors of the grilled meat.

Nama Lamb Jingisukan Be

Located a 10-minute walk from Nishisen Rokujo tram stop in Sapporo, Nama Lamb Jingisukan Be specializes in carefully selected, aged lamb and mutton. The owner personally prepares and ages meat sourced seasonally from Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, and Hokkaido to bring out its natural flavors. The menu features lamb shoulder loin, rump, and richly flavored mutton, along with rare cuts such as lamb tongue and liver.

Each cut is served with a specially paired dipping sauce that complements its unique flavor and texture. Seasonal vegetables grilled in the lamb's flavorful fat are another highlight, offering a delicious way to enjoy authentic Hokkaido Jingisukan.

Sapporo Jingisukan Darumaotoshi

Sapporo Jingisukan Darumaotoshi specializes in fresh, unfrozen lamb sourced through the restaurant's own suppliers and sliced to order, ensuring tender, juicy meat. A recommended cut is the lamb shoulder loin, prized for its balanced lean meat and fat, mild flavor, and limited availability from each animal.

The menu also features popular lamb chops and round slices of lamb, along with distinctive options such as aged salt-seasoned Jingisukan, Jingisukan steak, and rare lamb fillet. With its wide selection of cuts and preparation styles, the restaurant offers a chance to explore the different flavors and textures of Hokkaido's signature grilled meat dish.

Discover Authentic Jingisukan in Sapporo!

Sapporo is home to a wide variety of Jingisukan restaurants, each offering its own take on Hokkaido's signature grilled lamb dish. From carefully selected cuts of meat to secret sauces passed down through generations, these restaurants offer flavors unique to the region. Explore the recommended spots and enjoy an authentic Jingisukan experience during a visit to Sapporo.

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