Rich and spicy — their signature ‘Ajiso Ramen.’

Senju

TEXT/YUSUKE TOKOSHIMA, PHOTO/NAOKO TAKAHASHI

Located in the basement of a mixed-use building just off central Sapporo. Owner Mr. Aoyama trained at a Western-style restaurant before honing his craft at one of Sapporo’s long-established ramen shops and going independent. Come lunchtime, the shop fills quickly with office workers, and a line forms in no time — sometimes joined by school trip students who somehow heard about the place. Twelve years since opening, it has firmly established itself as one of Sapporo’s representative ramen shops. “We get customers who travel a long way to visit. We can never let them down.” It’s the quiet pressure of simply having to be delicious, every single day. Today too, he carefully checks the condition of his ingredients before starting the prep work.

Ajiso Ramen costs 730 yen. The broth combines pork bone, chicken, and seafood with generous amounts of garlic and ginger, incorporating techniques from Western cuisine for a remarkably deep flavor. Distinctive spices like sansho pepper add fragrance. The medium-thick, curly egg noodles cling well to the broth, offering great chew and elasticity. It's topped with a lightly seasoned soft-boiled egg, thick chashu pork braised until meltingly tender, green onions, and menma bamboo shoots — a crystallization of the owner's dedication.

Senju

Kita-Odori Building B1F, Odori Nishi 8-chome 2-39, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
TEL.011-281-1101
Hours: 11:00 AM–7:30 PM (Last Order)
Closed: Sundays