The streets are crowded during lunchtime with office workers. It took about 10 minutes to get a seat and another 10 minutes for the order to arrive. It's a chain restaurant, so the taste is consistent. I had cold soba noodles, which had a decent amount and tasted pretty good. Soba noodles are always a good choice for lunch.

I had a busy day, so I decided to have some quick and easy soba noodles. I chose the cold soba with a raw egg yolk, tempura crumbs, watercress, green onions, naruto fish cake, and seaweed on top. The noodles were a bit soft, but the broth was good. I should have asked for a soba dipping sauce. I finished my meal quickly.

I went back to GW and went shopping near Sapporo Station. Two of us entered this shop on the underground pedestrian walkway to move to the main street, where we have been a bit of a nuisance. It's a bit deep inside the building, so only people who know about it might enter. We arrived just after the opening time, so we were able to enter smoothly. The atmosphere inside the shop is calm, and I have been here a few times before. My partner and I ordered the cold noodles and they came out quickly with little wait time. The cold noodles were as good as always, but I also recommend the one with shiitake mushrooms on top. When it comes to sesame noodles, it's Hakkai-san. The staff are also very efficient, so you can enjoy your meal with peace of mind.

It's been a while since I visited Gomasoba Yakumo at Sapporo Kokusai Building for a soba lunch. I usually order the parent and child rice bowl with simple soba set, but this time I was tempted by the limited-time kaki seiro and decided to try it along with the five-item rice ball. Yakumo is my favorite soba restaurant, but this might be the first time I've ordered a seasonal menu item. The seasonal kaki seiro is served with warm broth and cold soba, using steamed Hiroshima oysters known as the "milk of the sea." Oysters are in season now and are highly nutritious, and they paired perfectly with Yakumo's delicious soba broth. It was a delightful meal.

In the past, this place used to be quick with their service, and I often used it for lunch. I really liked the "salmon chirashi" here, but when I visited after a long time, it was no longer on the menu (tears). I ordered the shrimp and mushroom soba, which is cold soba served with dipping sauce. I had the impression that the service here was really fast, but this time I had to wait quite a bit. Even though it was a normal wait time. The soba noodles were topped with so many ingredients that it was almost overwhelming (bitter smile). When I poured the soba dipping sauce, I noticed that it was a light color. The wasabi that was served seemed a bit dry... I took a bite, and the soba dipping sauce was unusually sweet. Was it always like this before? Since it had been a while, I couldn't quite remember. The tempura shrimp and mushrooms also seemed smaller than before. So, I thought, maybe I won't visit again. It's a chain-like soba restaurant, but I feel like it has deteriorated more than I expected... The prices have gone up, but the quality seems to have gone down.

I usually don't eat warm soba at soba restaurants other than standing soba shops, but I make an exception for Nishin soba and curry nanban. It's even better if there is curry nanban at a standing shop. I often visit Yakumo because it's easy to get to from my workplace, but unfortunately, the nearby branch of the same shop in a commercial facility closed down, so I hardly go there during lunch hours anymore. Today, I was able to somehow get in around 1:30 PM. I was torn between ordering steamed soba and curry, but today I felt like having curry. It was neither good nor bad, but I like it.

■March 15, 2023 (Wednesday) 11:00 visit Sometimes you just crave the richly flavored curry at a soba restaurant, which is why I ordered the Curry Nanban Soba for 950 yen (tax included). The broth has that unmistakable taste of the soba restaurant, with a sweet flavor followed by a kick of spices that I love. The abundance of quail meat and green onions is simply irresistible. And the tender quail meat is just so delicious! I was tempted to get a large portion, but in the case of Curry Nanban Soba, if you pile too much soba in the same-sized bowl, it tends to clump together. I didn't want that to happen, but I'm not entirely sure. I might try the large portion of Curry Nanban Soba next time. If it comes in a big bowl with plenty of broth, I would be happy. I will definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal!

■March 14, 2023 (Tuesday) around 11:30 AM visit I love soba with a sesame fragrance and stopped by during my travels. This time, I ordered: - Duck soba (large serving) for 1,300 yen (tax included) I was impressed by the large serving of mushroom soba I had before, but the large serving of duck soba is more like a typical amount you would expect at a soba restaurant. It's a satisfying lunch for men. The dipping sauce, made with duck fat and plenty of green onions, is smooth and delicious. The duck meat is sliced slightly thick, not tough, and has a rich, wild flavor that is very appealing. Pouring plenty of soba broth at the end is also a nice touch. Thank you for the delicious meal. I will definitely visit again.

■2023.03.13 (Mon) around 11:00 AM visit I visited Sapporo with the support of the national travel assistance. I had visited this shop before and was impressed by the shiitake mushroom soba (cold). Shiitake mushroom soba (cold) large serving 1,100 yen (tax included). Hmm, it's still the best! When you eat it as it is, you can feel the sesame fragrance even more. I thoroughly enjoyed it with my favorite shiitake tempura. It's a considerable amount for a large serving. I will definitely visit again! Thank you for the meal.

Popular curry restaurant Colombo and Chinese restaurant Hokkai are located in the International Building. I was curious about Yakumo, which has a signboard advertising "Oyster Soba". Since oysters are in season, I decided to go in with my mother. We visited around 7 pm on a weekday, and the place was not crowded, probably because it was close to the last order. We ordered the Oyster Soba for 900 yen. Since I was tired from a day trip, I also ordered a draft beer for 600 yen. The dish arrived shortly after. The Hiroshima oysters, about four of them, were plump and delicious. The soba had a countryside flavor with a hint of sesame, but it also had a touch of refinement. The broth was slightly sweet, perhaps infused with the essence of the oysters. I would like to try the cold soba next time. Thank you for the meal. #Recommended by Nishimura-san

■2023.1.30 Revisited Once again, I received travel support from Kanagawa and came to visit. I immediately started to crave the taste and aroma of sesame soba, so here I am for a revisit. This soba restaurant is a place I would recommend not only to those who enjoy mixed soba, but also to soba enthusiasts. You can enjoy delicious soba without any reservations at a reasonable price. I ordered the large portion of cold maiko mushroom soba (tax included: 1,050 yen) and was surprised when it arrived. I couldn't help but exclaim to the staff, "This is amazing," to which they calmly replied, "Please enjoy." First, I tried the soba without dipping sauce, and as always, the gentle sweetness of the sesame and the balance with the aroma of the soba were excellent. Last time, I ordered three pieces of maiko mushroom tempura as a side dish, but this time, the maiko mushroom soba came with four almost equally sized tempura pieces, making it more cost-effective. The tempura is delicious when freshly fried and dipped in sauce, but it's even more delicious when eaten with salt, which the staff kindly provided. I recommend trying it with salt for an even more enjoyable experience. I'm glad I came here hungry. I will definitely visit again. Thank you and goodbye to the restaurant.

Sapporo International Building B2F, Kita 4-jo Nishi 4-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido. Located along Ekimae Street in central Sapporo, the Sapporo International Building has dining floors on the basement 1 and basement 2 levels. It is a building directly connected to the underground pedestrian space, Chikaho, which links Sapporo Station and Odori Station. Upon entering the building from Chikaho and proceeding straight ahead, you will find Gomasoba Yakumo. Yakumo, which has several branches in Sapporo, is a popular restaurant. There is a menu display on the left side of the entrance and a long bench for waiting on the right side, where 7-8 people are crowded together. Surprisingly, there is no waiting board! When entering the restaurant, the staff will tell you to wait at the entrance since there is no designated waiting area. As a result, it can be chaotic to keep track of the order in which people arrived, and customers need to be aware of who came before them. The staff and customers alike do not keep track of the order, so when asked, "Next, party of one?" you enter the restaurant if you realize it's your turn. It was a Saturday afternoon around 1 pm, and the restaurant was almost full of diverse customers including tourists with suitcases, businesspeople, solo elderly individuals, and families. The interior of the restaurant is designed in a traditional Japanese house style, with table seats along the walls and some raised seating areas. The counter seats surround a hearth in the center. I ordered the Kaki Seiro for 1200 yen, a seasonal menu item made with oysters. Instead of the Kaki Soba, I opted for the warm broth with cold soba noodles topped with oysters. The soba noodles here are unique, made with sesame seeds kneaded into the dough, giving off a subtle sesame fragrance. The warm broth came with four Hiroshima oysters, which were mentioned to be steamed at high temperatures. This method resulted in plump and juicy oysters, allowing you to enjoy them in their best state. Dipping the soba noodles into the broth, I could taste the essence of the oysters. I also added chopped green onions and chili pepper on the side for extra flavor. The restaurant provided soba-yu (hot soba water) at the same time as serving the Kaki Seiro, as the broth was too strong to drink on its own. When leaving, the young cashier at the register did not greet me.

I visited around 12:30 on a weekday. The restaurant is conveniently located directly connected to Sapporo Station on the subway Namboku Line, right near the ticket gate. During lunchtime on weekdays, it's always crowded with office workers in the area. There are usually about 10 people waiting in line to get in. Inside the restaurant, there are many 4-person tables and tatami seating, as well as individual seats around a hearth. I ordered the large serving of soba noodles (580 yen + 150 yen) and it took about 10 minutes for it to be served. The soba noodles were firm and smooth, with sesame seeds kneaded in. The dipping sauce was cold and fragrant with bonito, with a medium spiciness. The condiments were green onions and wasabi. The hot soba water served in between was plentiful and piping hot. Despite being busy, the female floor staff moved briskly and efficiently, calling out to seat customers. This local soba chain is popular among office workers for its consistent quality. It's a place where you can be satisfied even if you come every day.

When it comes to sesame soba, it's Gomasoba Yakumo. When you feel like eating soba while shopping, Yakumo appears. It's spelled "Yagumo" not "Yakumo," right? It's a popular choice for business lunches, and the fact that they serve the sansho pepper in a small packet shows the effort put into the operation. It's a reliable choice. Thank you for the meal.---With the motto of offering delicious and diverse menu items with pleasant service, Gomasoba Yakumo operates six stores in Sapporo and Kitahiroshima, mainly near subway and JR stations. We proudly serve our signature sesame soba for lunch and dinner, as well as various rice bowl dishes and set menus. In addition, at all stores except for Kitahiroshima, we offer izakaya-style dishes, including at our Sapporo Parco store.

■November 28, 2022 First Visit I was intrigued by the sesame soba, so I decided to stop by during lunchtime on a weekday. Around 12:30, there were about 10 people waiting in line outside the restaurant. Since people who had finished eating were leaving one after another, I was seated within about 10 minutes. The menu was all reasonably priced, and I was eager to try the sesame soba. I ordered: - Large serving of Mori Soba - Side dish: 2 pieces of Matsutake mushroom tempura - Side dish: 1 piece of shrimp tempura The Mori Soba came with a generous amount of dipping sauce, and a serving pot was also provided. The sauce was rich and had a crisp taste, which made it perfect for enjoying the soba to the fullest. The soba had a good texture with a nice fragrance, especially the gentle sesame flavor that harmonized well with the soba aroma. It was undeniably delicious! I wish there was a sesame soba restaurant like this near my place. I love eating Matsutake mushroom tempura with salt, so I asked for it, and they promptly brought me salt and a small dish. The tempura had a slightly thick initial coating that was crispy but became slightly sticky afterward, which was a bit disappointing. However, enjoying the Matsutake mushroom tempura with salt after the amazing sesame soba experience was truly blissful. As for the shrimp tempura, it was decent and added a nice touch to the meal. I should have just ordered more Matsutake mushroom tempura instead of the shrimp tempura (laughs). Lastly, I indulged in three servings of soba-yu, which was a given after such a satisfying meal. Even after eating all that, the total cost was only around 1,200 to 1,300 yen. This is what a true soba restaurant experience should be like, and I left the restaurant thinking about how great it was. I will definitely visit again during my travels and revisit when I come back to Sapporo. Highly recommended restaurant! ■December 1, 2022 Second Visit On the last day of my trip, I couldn't resist the temptation of the "sesame soba" and decided to be the first in line when the restaurant opened. I intended to try something different today, but ended up ordering the same as last time (laughs). This restaurant has definitely become one of my go-to places. Today, the Matsutake mushroom tempura had a thin, crispy coating, which was even better than before. Maybe they had just started frying them since I was the first customer in line this morning (laughs). The previous visit was during a crowded rush hour, so it was a completely different experience today... *Note: The photos are of the same menu items, and I have also added pictures of all the menu pages for reference.

In September 2022, I visited a soba restaurant in Sapporo, Hokkaido. In Hokkaido, there wasn't a strong "soba culture" like Edo-style soba. Soba in Hokkaido is more commonly found in local soba shops, with hand-pulled soba and high-end soba shops being less common. I remember my father taking me to a sushi restaurant near his work, which has now become a fancy high-end sushi place called "Kin Sushi." Back then, it was just a regular sushi spot that anyone could enjoy. In Sapporo, there are popular local chains like "Gomasoba Tsurugi (now Yuzuru)" and "Gomasoba Yakumo." These restaurants serve machine-made soba with a strong-flavored dipping sauce, popular among locals. The atmosphere is bustling, especially during lunchtime with office workers. The female staff are busy but attentive, serving soba with a sweet dipping sauce. I witnessed an older gentleman confidently order sake with his meal, reminding me of the saying, "If you don't drink sake, don't enter a soba restaurant." It would be nice if this soba shop also transformed into a place where you can enjoy sake during lunchtime. I aspire to be a cool old person like that gentleman.

I wanted to have a casual drink. I love having a casual drink at soba restaurants! I entered around 7:00 PM, expecting to find a casual drinking set, but it wasn't displayed at the entrance or on the menu. When I asked the staff, they said, "We're about to close soon, is that okay with you?" It's quite an early closing time lol. Since there was no other choice, I ordered the "tanuki soba for 780 yen." The soba was indeed well-made, with delicate tempura and toppings like fish cake and egg. It's not bad, but would I eat this tanuki soba at this price regularly? Probably not... It might be difficult to have a casual drink here. Thank you for the meal (^o^)

Sapporo Municipal Subway Sapporo Station is right by the ticket gate. Since it is directly connected to the underground building, it is very convenient and attracts a wide range of customers. The target demographic may vary between weekdays and weekends, but one thing remains constant for the people of Sapporo: a reliable and safe sesame soba restaurant. The Mori Soba, priced at 561 yen, showcases the skillful handling of soba by a woman who used to stand in front of the kettle. The soba noodles, with a nice balance of firmness and thickness, bring out the flavor of sesame well. Dipping the noodles in the sweet broth, they are coated thoroughly. While all the stores serve the same soba, the deliciousness may vary (depending on personal preference). This one served a generous portion. Although the wasabi was a bit lacking... In a society promoting SDGs, eco-friendliness is also necessary. The staff members are all quick and agile, moving swiftly around the floor. The retro Showa-era interior layout may make some seats hard to see, but the staff's proactive service is excellent. In fact, the busier it is, the easier it seems for them to move around. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

For today's lunch, I went to "Gomasoba Yakumo" located in an old building near Sapporo Station. This is a place I used to visit a lot when I worked near the station. It's been a long time since I last came here. I ordered the parent and child donburi soba set, which cost 840 yen (excluding tax). I chose warm soba. It arrived in about 10 minutes. The soba had a dark black color of the sauce, but it wasn't too salty. The slightly thick sesame soba had a smooth texture. The parent and child donburi had the egg cooked too much, but the taste was good. However, the egg absorbed all the broth, so there wasn't a good balance with the rice. Overall, the portion of soba at Yakumo is quite generous even for a mini size. I was able to get full and satisfied. It was a delicious meal.

During this time, about a month ago, I went to Tokyo and did some restaurant hopping. Even though there wasn't anything special, I'll go ahead and post about it (laughs). After returning to Sapporo, I visited my familiar restaurant, "Goma Soba Yakumo Sapporo Kokusai Biru-ten," with a current rating of 3.36 as of 03/01/2022. The consistent taste brought back memories of home. My Tokyo trip was enjoyable and I was able to post on Tabelog, so that's good. I wonder when I'll be able to travel again. Thank you for the meal! I'll definitely visit Goma Soba Yakumo Sapporo Kokusai Biru-ten again!