Ramen from Sapporo

Sapporo is one of Japan’s top ramen locations, many of them alongside the Ramen Alley. It is also considered the birthplace of miso ramen.

Sapporo is the biggest city on Japan’s northern island, Hokkaido, and it’s kind of the ramen capital up there. The region gets super cold in the winter (we’re talking snow festivals, skiing, the works), so the food culture leans toward hearty, warming dishes—and ramen fits right in.

What makes Sapporo stand out in the ramen world is miso ramen. Back in the 1950s, a local chef decided to experiment by mixing miso (fermented soybean paste) into the broth, which was unusual at the time—most ramen elsewhere in Japan was soy sauce–based or salt-based. That rich, slightly nutty miso flavor turned out to be perfect for Hokkaido’s chilly climate, especially when paired with thick, wavy noodles that hold up to the heavy broth.

Toppings are also a big deal in Sapporo ramen: you’ll often see corn, butter, bean sprouts, and sometimes even seafood—things Hokkaido is famous for producing. That butter-and-corn combo on miso ramen has become iconic.

So when people talk about regional ramen styles in Japan, Sapporo almost always gets mentioned because it essentially created a whole new branch of ramen culture. It’s a destination for ramen lovers who want to try the “real” miso ramen in the place it was born.

If we’re talking about the main ramen styles you’ll find in Sapporo, it pretty much comes down to variations on the miso ramen tradition, but there are some classic takes worth pointing out: