Restaurant Details

Anyone familiar with Sapporo’s Susukino nightlife district recognizes the iconic sight of Kani-Shogun Sapporo’s main branch: poised as though clambering up the side of the building, the restaurant sports a giant king crab — tarabagani — rising high above the Susukino skyline, looking like something Godzilla would fight in a monster movie.

Expectedly, the main focus of the restaurant is crab, which features heavily in almost all of the restaurant’s dishes. It’s in the name, after all: “kani-shogun” means exactly what one would expect it to — ruler of crabs. This refers not just to the aforementioned tarabagani, but also the snow crab (zuwaigani) and horsehair crab (kegani), sometimes just called hairy crab.

These magnificent crabs are prepared in several different ways, with multiple types of crab dish appearing within the same course menu for guests to compare and contrast. What might be surprising is that the restaurant’s most popular signature isn’t from Hokkaido, but Kansai, nearer to the south of Japan, around Kyoto and Osaka.

It’s the kani-suki hotpot, which gets its name from the popular hotpot-style udon dish called udon-suki. Like the noodles of its namesake, the crab in kani-suki is boiled in a light but umami-filled dashi broth, with various vegetables, mushrooms and other ingredients.

Other standout dishes include a whole leg of grilled red king crab, or hon-tarabagani, said to be the most delicious of all of Japan’s crabs, as well tsumire meatballs made out of crab, or even crab shumai dumplings.

In spite of being a crab specialty restaurant, Sapporo Kani-ya also offers some of the best wagyu available in Japan — the pride of Gifu Prefecture, Hida beef. Finely marbled even for a branded wagyu, Hida beef’s extremely high oleic acid content gives it an unmatched umami, and the low melting point means the beef actually melts at room temperature, giving it an incredible mouthfeel.

All this in a restaurant that’s supremely comfortable and relaxed. A fishing motif runs through the entire premises, all the way from the sunken kotatsu seating (horigotatsu) on the first floor — with a waterfall running through it — to the sukiya-style private rooms on the fourth.

Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch Remarks

• Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.

• Guests are requested to note that the restaurant may not be able to accommodate certain dietary restrictions.

• The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.

• The restaurant cannot always guarantee that it can provide guests with their preferred seating options after a reservation due to availability.

• The pictures provided are for illustrative purposes.

Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch Business Days

Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch Address

2-14-6 Minami 4 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0804, Japan

Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch Access Info

• Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch is a 2-minute walk from Exit 2 of Susukino Station on the Namboku Subway Line and a 2-minute walk from Hosui Susukino Station on the Toho Subway Line.

Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch Phone Number

Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 72 hours before the dining start time to receive a full refund.