Sapporo Kani-ya Main Branch

Restaurant Details

In 1987, the famed Sapporo Kani-ya opened here in Sapporo’s nightlife district of Susukino: not a humble corner shop like one might have expected, but a massive, towering multi-storey building that celebrates the greatness of Japan’s finest crabs.

And what a celebration it is. Unmissable from the street with its all-glass facade, Sapporo Kani-ya is one of the largest crab specialty restaurants in the whole of Hokkaido: a staggering nine whole floors of dedication to the Japanese crab, with 550 total seats accommodating devotees from all over Japan — and outside of it.

Each floor boasts a different aesthetic; the second floor, called Kairakuden, is modeled after a traditional Japanese pleasure boat, while the third-floor Kaiyutei has sunken kotatsu seating (also known as horigotatsu), painted in striking shades of red and white. Every floor is like setting foot into a different world, making each meal at Sapporo Kani-ya an entirely different experience..

Kani-ya literally translates to “crab shop,” and Sapporo Kani-ya decidedly lives up to its name in this regard. The hugely extensive menu boasts specimens of some of the most popular crabs in Japan, namely the king crab (tarabagani), snow crab (zuwaigani) and horsehair crab (kegani), sometimes just called hairy crab.

These magnificent crustaceans are prepared in a number of different ways, with multiple types of crab dish appearing within the same course menu for guests to compare and contrast. The most popular dish at the restaurant, ironically, is not a Hokkaido dish, but rather a hotpot of Kansai origin called kani-suki, 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. Naturally, as the birthplace of kani-suki, this dish is particularly popular in Kansai, but thanks to Sapporo Kani-ya, its popularity has steadily spread all across Japan.

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 as tsumire meatballs made out of crab, or even crab shumai dumplings.

Strangely — but not unwelcome — for 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.

Sapporo Kani-ya 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.

Sapporo Kani-ya Main Branch Business Days

Sapporo Kani-ya Main Branch Address

2-11 Minami 4-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 064-0804

Sapporo Kani-ya Main Branch Access Info

• Sapporo Kani-ya 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.

Sapporo Kani-ya Main Branch Phone Number

Sapporo Kani-ya 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.