Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch
Fugu / Crab / Other Seafood
Sapporo’s most iconic crab specialist, serving up even red king crab from grilled to hotpot to sashimi.
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.
The most expensive and luxurious option at Sapporo Kani-ya Kyoto, the Kaiou (literally “crab king”) Special Kaiseki Course offers Japan’s finest crabs in abundance, prepared in a number of different ways. Most importantly, it offers the hon-tarabagani — red king crab, the undisputed monarch of crabs — in hotpot, as well as a whole grilled leg of it, as well as deep-fried. In between courses of crab, the restaurant also serves Gifu’s famous Hida beef, one of the most luxurious wagyu breeds, famed...
The most expensive and luxurious option at Sapporo Kani-ya Kyoto, the Kaiou (literally “crab king”) Special Kaiseki Course offers Japan’s finest crabs in abundance, prepared in a number of different ways. Most importantly, it offers the hon-tarabagani — red king crab, the undisputed monarch of crabs — in hotpot, as well as a whole grilled leg of it, as well as deep-fried. In between courses of crab, the restaurant also serves Gifu’s famous Hida beef, one of the most luxurious wagyu breeds, famed...
The highlights of the Kaitoku Special Kaiseki Course are the soft, flavorful abalone steak, and the hon-tarabagani — red king crab — claw tempura. As a shabu-shabu mini hotpot, the restaurant also serves Gifu’s famous Hida beef, one of the most luxurious wagyu breeds, famed for its marbling.
The highlights of the Kaitoku Special Kaiseki Course are the soft, flavorful abalone steak, and the hon-tarabagani — red king crab — claw tempura. As a shabu-shabu mini hotpot, the restaurant also serves Gifu’s famous Hida beef, one of the most luxurious wagyu breeds, famed for its marbling.
Crab suki is a traditional hotpot dish that started in the Kansai region, of crab stewed in a light dashi broth, and ended up being so popular that it started being offered by this restaurant from Sapporo. It’s this dish that takes the center stage in a great deal of Hokkaido Kani-Shogun’s course menus, supported by other luxurious dishes like crab tempura and the star of Gifu’s wagyu brands, Hida beef grilled on a ceramic plate, traditional toban-yaki style.
Crab suki is a traditional hotpot dish that started in the Kansai region, of crab stewed in a light dashi broth, and ended up being so popular that it started being offered by this restaurant from Sapporo. It’s this dish that takes the center stage in a great deal of Hokkaido Kani-Shogun’s course menus, supported by other luxurious dishes like crab tempura and the star of Gifu’s wagyu brands, Hida beef grilled on a ceramic plate, traditional toban-yaki style.
The hugely popular kani-suki crab hotpot aside, the highlight of the Kaisou Course is the whole snow crab, split in two and grilled. This is supplemented by a bevy of other delicious crab dishes, including a snow crab and king crab sashimi assortment, selection of boiled crab and of course the grilled red king crab leg.
The hugely popular kani-suki crab hotpot aside, the highlight of the Kaisou Course is the whole snow crab, split in two and grilled. This is supplemented by a bevy of other delicious crab dishes, including a snow crab and king crab sashimi assortment, selection of boiled crab and of course the grilled red king crab leg.
A course for those who only want to eat king crab. Almost every course in the Ezomatsu Course is hon-tarabagani, or the red king crab, without question the finest crab that Japan has to offer. Grilled, tempura, hotpot? You don’t have to choose — all of them are served in this course menu.
A course for those who only want to eat king crab. Almost every course in the Ezomatsu Course is hon-tarabagani, or the red king crab, without question the finest crab that Japan has to offer. Grilled, tempura, hotpot? You don’t have to choose — all of them are served in this course menu.
The Nire Course bills itself as a tasting comparison, and sure enough, allows guests to try crab in a huge number of ways, including as tsumire meatballs, as tempura, as hotpot, and many more.
The Nire Course bills itself as a tasting comparison, and sure enough, allows guests to try crab in a huge number of ways, including as tsumire meatballs, as tempura, as hotpot, and many more.
Even the most basic kaiseki course at Hokkaido Kani-Shogun oozes luxury. The Crab Kaiseki Course is an introduction of some of the best crab guests are likely to eat in their lives, with particular emphasis on the snow crab, or zuwaigani, and punctuated by a whole grilled leg of the hon-tarabagani red king crab.
Even the most basic kaiseki course at Hokkaido Kani-Shogun oozes luxury. The Crab Kaiseki Course is an introduction of some of the best crab guests are likely to eat in their lives, with particular emphasis on the snow crab, or zuwaigani, and punctuated by a whole grilled leg of the hon-tarabagani red king crab.
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 3 days before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Restaurant location
The northern island prefecture of Hokkaido offers a beautiful natural landscape whose diverse environment produces high-quality local meat, vegetables, and seasonal seafood to create regional cuisine and famous dairy products.
We strive to be as accurate as possible and keep up with the changing landscape of Japan’s food and travel industries. If you spot any inaccuracies, please send a report.
10 meals
Frequently Asked QuestionsDoes Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch have closing days?
What are some of the signature dishes at Hokkaido Kani-Shogun Sapporo Main Branch?
SEAT RESERVATIONSuyama
Kyoto elegance at its finest, in the middle of Hokkaido.
SEAT RESERVATIONShimoyamite Naeizuru
Taste the first days of spring in the dishes at Sapporo’s top French-fusion kaiseki restaurant.
SEAT RESERVATIONAjidocoro
Surround yourself with nature while reaping its fruits, in a homely Japanese ambiance.
SEAT RESERVATIONNukumi
Once the highest rated restaurant in the Michelin Guide Hokkaido, this kaiseki restaurant continues to bring a legacy of excellence to its new location in central Sapporo, at the top of Nakajima Park.