I visited Sapporo for a training session on the 18th and 19th of October. I took the afternoon off today to prepare for the morning training, so I decided to head to Sapporo early. I searched for a nearby and cozy place to boost my spirits, and found a restaurant I had bookmarked. I chose Torigen Sapporo. It was a little past 5 pm when I arrived, and the place was not crowded. I sat at the counter and checked the menu. I thought it was a yakitori place, but it turned out they only served chicken skewers. So, I ordered a beer and 5 chicken skewers. The staff explained that the skewers were actually chicken offal skewers, and they were served only with salt, no sauce. Very straightforward! As soon as the skewers arrived, I had a feeling they would be delicious. The beer was great, and the skewers were tasty, with a strong saltiness but cooked just right. Each skewer had a slightly different part of the chicken. I finished the 5 skewers in no time. I then noticed they had kakesoba (soba noodles in broth), so I had to try it! I took the offal off the skewers and put it on the soba. It was a common way to eat in places like Iwamizawa and Bibai, but I wondered if it was okay to do it here. The soba had a normal taste, but adding the offal made it more flavorful. It was enough for dinner. I had two beers, then switched to sweet potato shochu. I ordered 5 more skewers and finished my meal. The atmosphere was nice, and I enjoyed eating delicious skewers and drinking in a cozy space. It was a blissful moment. I was surprised to find such a place not far from Sapporo Station. I stay at this hotel often, so I will definitely visit this restaurant again. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

Let's explore the world of Sobao's night soba! The long-awaited restaurant that I've always wanted to visit... Finally, there was one seat available at the counter and I was able to get in!! ◇Pickled vegetables as appetizer ◇3 chicken skewers ◇Homemade sausage ◇Fried fish cake ◇Soba noodles with 2 chicken skewers on top ◇And of course, deliciously went for a second round of 2 chicken skewers...haha *I have included photos of each dish. Now, the restaurant I've been wanting to visit. While it's a yakitori place, the specialty here is motsu skewers!!! Instead of leeks, they use onions between the meat. You can enjoy various parts of the meat and it's a happy motsu skewer. Well, the temperature inside the restaurant is nice, and the staff's energy level is at its max!! Starting with a beer from the moist towel! It goes well! haha The pickled vegetables as appetizer are just right! The chicken skewers, sausage, and fish cake all go well with alcohol...(*⁰▿⁰*) And to finish, soba noodles with 2 chicken skewers on top!! I read somewhere that the culture of putting motsu skewers into soba noodles started when a customer put yakitori into soba noodles. Anyway, the chicken broth from the motsu skewers is a perfect match!! It's a simple soba dish for the finish, but it has that finishing touch, and the strong flavor of the motsu skewers...Tonight was also amazing.

An izakaya located east of Hokkaido University. The chicken skewers for 176 yen are delicious. They are small but have a good chewy texture. It reminds me of Bibai Jidori chicken. It's a mix of lean meat and offal, which I like. It's a lively and friendly izakaya. Recommended.

Long time no see. The first bite is unbelievably salty, but as you chew, you realize that this is the perfect amount of salt. The meat is delicious, and the onion coated in fat is also amazing. A frosted beer mug, which you don't see often these days, is perfect for this season. I don't usually like it, but it's great in winter. Hot sake would probably be good in winter, but I'm not good with the cold, so I can't walk all the way here. Still, I'd like to come in the cold season. The soba noodles at the end are just delicious. The best.

The grilled chicken skewers (offal skewers) and chicken broth soba noodles were delicious. The soba noodles were served in the usual style with grilled chicken on top. The restaurant was very crowded, but I appreciated the efficient and quick service provided by the young staff members in serving food and drinks smoothly.

I visited the restaurant on a regular night without a reservation, arriving after 8 pm and luckily finding an available counter seat. The customers were mostly locals who worked in the area, and the restaurant allowed smoking throughout, so it may not be suitable for those who dislike smoke. This is a "Bibai yakitori" restaurant, which according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, refers to skewers of various parts of chicken such as skin, internal organs, and onions grilled together on one skewer. The yakitori here is seasoned with just salt and pepper, using onions instead of green onions, and typically ends with a piece of thigh meat. The combination of sweet onions and chicken offal brings out a delicious flavor. Locally, it is said that it is common to order soba noodles as a finish to the meal and enjoy it with "Bibai yakitori" inside. The menu also includes "soba noodles (498 yen)." I started with a "bottled beer (748 yen)," which was a Red Star. This already gave me a good impression of the place. Pickled vegetables were served as a complimentary dish, followed by the "Homemade Sansho Pickled Tofu (440 yen)." I had never heard of Sansho pickles before, but it had a spicy flavor with a hint of alcohol, which paired well with the drinks. I then ordered grilled items: 3 skewers of chicken (176 yen each), 2 skewers of green onions (484 yen), and a plate of green peppers (484 yen). The owner skillfully grilled each skewer over charcoal, paying attention to detail. The variety of textures and flavors in each skewer was impressive, especially the onions which provided a sweet and refreshing contrast. The vegetable skewers were large and satisfying, perfect for a break between the chicken skewers. The restaurant also had a wide selection of drinks, including various types of shochu and large bottles of chuhai. I ended up ordering 3 more chicken skewers, this time with a yolk on top. Finally, as recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, everyone finished their meal with soba noodles, though no one actually put the chicken skewers inside. Overall, I found a restaurant that suited my taste preferences, despite the smoking policy. It was a great dining experience.

I visited "Torigen Sapporo" on January 11th. It was my first time visiting this restaurant. The original store is "Torigen" in Shibetsu, but unfortunately it is now closed. I knew that there were branches in Asahikawa and Sapporo, so I finally made a reservation to visit the Sapporo store with two other people. The original Torigen in Shibetsu was mainly a yakitori restaurant with only "chicken meat" and "giblets" on the menu. At that time, they would order Asahi beer and skewers in batches of ten. The skewers were small, but the prices were cheap (around 50-60 yen per skewer at that time). The skewers were seasoned with a pepper base, without any sauce. When I first tried Bibai yakitori, I thought, "Hmm, is this Torigen's giblets?" because I didn't know about Bibai yakitori back then. I invited my daughters who like chicken meat and giblets to join me for the visit. We made a reservation for 5:30 pm, a relatively early time. The restaurant had a navy blue curtain with red letters "Torigen". When we entered, they confirmed our reservation. The restaurant had counter seats on the left side, table seats on the right side, and a raised seating area at the back. Our reservation was for the raised seating area. There were three groups of four customers already seated. The staff consisted of four people, including a part-time staff member wearing short sleeves, even in winter. We informed them of our reservation and were escorted to the raised seating area. The first drink was confirmed, most likely a beer. They served us cabbage, cucumber, and carrot pickles as a complimentary appetizer. We ordered: - 20 chicken skewers for 3520 yen - Cold tofu with homemade miso pickles for 440 yen - Fried chicken - Chilled tomatoes - Giblets simmered in sauce They also recommended some daily specials, but the prices were not listed. Maybe they were market price? The price for the appetizer was also not displayed. The chicken skewers included various parts of the chicken. To ensure they didn't get cold, they served us 10 skewers first. The chicken meat was sandwiched between onion slices. I like the crunchy texture of the chicken. They occasionally included kinkan fruit, but not always, which was a bit disappointing. However, the quick service was great. I think they make the skewers small so they can serve them quickly. We enjoyed the skewers. At the original Torigen in Shibetsu, they reused bamboo skewers for better meat distribution, but I wonder if they do the same here. The cold tofu with homemade miso pickles was good, but I wish the pickles were spicier. The chilled tomatoes were simple and refreshing. The dressing was mayonnaise and salt. The fried chicken was crispy with green onions inside. I really liked it. We had about 9 drinks in total, and the total bill was around 13,000 yen. Thank you for the meal.

Sapporo Station North Exit in December 2022, a charming red lantern♡ A traditional yakitori restaurant popular among nearby office workers. The restaurant exudes a nostalgic Showa era atmosphere, with a lively year-end party atmosphere in the back tatami room. A strong drink like a highball for 495 yen that will definitely get you drunk. I'm happy with the rock ice that comes with it. The appetizer costs 330 yen, and it's a salty pickled dish with a toothpick stuck in it, perfect for drinking sake. The chicken skewers I came for may have gone up in price a bit, but I still ordered 10 skewers. They were so delicious! I couldn't tell which part of the chicken I was eating, but even as someone who doesn't like offal, it was amazing. Let's add more! I got another 10 skewers because I was greedy. Can't forget to eat some vegetables too. I don't know the price of the "chilled tomatoes," but I think it's around 550 yen. They were sweet, juicy, and perfectly ripe. You can have them with salt or mayonnaise according to your preference. The food here is really delicious. I'm satisfied, satisfied (о´∀`о) Thank you for the meal! (^ω^)

I made a reservation and visited a popular restaurant where all seats were full. We started with a cheers with cold beer! The appetizer was pickled vegetables and we ordered 10 chicken skewers, fried and grilled dishes, and simmered giblets. Unfortunately, there are no photos, but the fried and grilled dishes were amazing! The skewers were well seasoned with salt, which went well with the drinks. We continued with highball after the beer. It's a great place to visit with a reservation. Thank you for the meal! 😊

I have never been to a yakitori restaurant in Hokkaido! So, I decided to visit "Torimoto Sapporo"! When I got there... there was only one type of yakitori available??? I ordered 4 skewers of chicken and also ordered fried chicken and chicken stew. The chicken skewers that arrived were not just thigh or skin, but various parts of the chicken intestines grilled. It was actually quite good! The fried chicken was not thick tofu, but a light fried tofu with lots of green onions inside. It was really delicious! I also enjoyed the chicken stew, which was like a vegetable-rich Chikuzen stew. The fish cake skewers were delicious too, with cheese inside the fish cake. I really liked the chicken skewers, so I added 2 more skewers each time. I debated whether to have soba as a finish, but I think I'll save that for next time. Despite some cultural shock, I had a fun and delicious meal! Thank you for the meal!

When you slip through the noren curtain, you are greeted with a lively shout, inviting you to sit down immediately and place your order. A frosty Asahi Super Dry draft beer, delivered in a clinking ice-cold glass mug straight from the Hokkaido factory, kicks off the show. You enjoy a small dish of pickles with a toothpick in hand, while pouring down the beer. Quickly, you order another round of draft beer, followed by a quick serving of grilled beef intestine skewers, which you devour in one bite before washing it down with more beer. Even after switching to sake, the pace of eating remains the same. You quickly devour additional skewers and head to settle the bill. Despite a short 20-minute stay, the satisfaction level is high. If you want to linger longer, reservations are a must at this long-standing popular restaurant. Despite changes in working energy from the Showa era to the present day, the unchanged charm of this cultural heritage, Torigen, remains. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Just a 5-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station North Exit, right next to the main gate of Hokkaido University, is a specialty restaurant for Bibai Yakitori. It is a long-established restaurant that follows the lineage of a famous shop that originally had its main store in Shibetsu. I became captivated by Bibai Yakitori after eating at "Mifune" in front of JR Iwamizawa Station before. As a fan of old shops, I had decided that my first toast upon arriving at Sapporo Station would be at Torigen. Carrying heavy luggage, I head there on foot before checking into the hotel. The excitement of the journey to the restaurant is unbearable. I can't wait to quench my thirst with a Sapporo beer. When I enter the restaurant, it is bustling with office workers and elderly regular customers. I was surprised by the energetic voice of the young master. The historical yet clean interior of the shop, the distance between the staff and the customers, the liveliness, everything is wonderful. [Order] - Bottle of beer (¥748) - Lemon Chu-hi (¥495) - Chicken skewers (¥176) x7 - Motsu stew (price unknown) - Appetizer (price unknown) The total bill is ¥3685. First, I quench my thirst with ice-cold beer. It's a shame it's not Sapporo Classic, but I also love Asahi. The appetizer is a pickled dish with a perfect amount of saltiness. Chicken skewers are the only menu item for Yakitori. Grilled over charcoal, slightly salty seasoning, making the beer go down too easily. Each skewer allows you to taste various parts of the chicken. The Motsu skewer is a mix of lean meat and offal. It's common to order 10 skewers, but since I'm dining alone, I ordered 7. Among them, only one skewer was a hit, so I saved it until the end. The rich chicken fat, strong elasticity, crispy texture of the onion as an accent, and the spicy kick of shichimi pepper fill your mouth. The "kashiwa soba" with the leftover skewers is a must-try to finish off the meal. The daily menu includes items like chilled tomatoes, fried tofu, grilled squid, etc. Sides are also plentiful. The highball with plenty of liquor is a delight. The restaurant opens at 5 pm, and due to its popularity, reservations are a must. If they run out of the prepared "chicken skewers," they close. On some days, they close at around 7:30 pm, just 2 and a half hours after opening, but on this particular day, even though it was a weekday, I left the restaurant around 8:30 pm and the lights were already off. Follow me on Instagram @moritapan7, where there are also videos.

A cup full of chicken skewers♡ Actually, make that two cups♡ No, three cups♡ After a dinner meeting, my friend and I wanted to go to a second place for drinks. It's been a while since I last visited, but I used to come here quite often. This was before smartphones and Instagram, so it's been a long time. The prices have gone up quite a bit. Our usual order is chicken skewers and beer... or sake (cold). The chicken skewers come with chicken offal and onions randomly skewered on the stick, and we usually order them in sets of 10. It feels like a good deal when there's a kumquat on the skewer♡ It's a great place for a second or even third round. It used to be empty with only old men reading newspapers, but now it's popular and crowded.

This is a well-known restaurant for Bibai Yakitori. I've been there about 4 times. The atmosphere inside is like a battlefield, and I love it. The salt flavor is quite strong. When you put it in your mouth, you instantly feel the strong salty taste (almost like Ajinomoto seasoning), but as you chew, the strong meat flavor stands out. The crunchy onion with a layer of fat is also delicious. The smoky aroma is also good. Every bite makes you groan with delight. It's irresistible to wash it down with beer, hot sake, or shochu. The soba as a finale is beyond delicious. The refined yakitori is good, but this down-to-earth quality is also the charm of yakitori. You can feel the taste rooted in the coal mine, the history. Thank you for the delicious meal every time.

There is a restaurant in Hokkaido that specializes in grilled chicken skewers, with two popular varieties being Bibai Yakitori (intestine skewers) and Muroran Yakitori (pork skewers in sauce). This particular restaurant serves only offal skewers. I remember it being located near Hokkaido University. The menu is simple, with only offal skewers available. The prices are reasonable, so I usually order around 10 skewers at first, then end up ordering another 5 because they are so delicious. Before I know it, I have eaten a lot of offal skewers. Each skewer has a different part of the offal, so you never get tired of eating them. It's a place where you need to be careful not to overeat, but I definitely want to go back again.

I visited the restaurant after a long time. They had raised their prices a bit. We enjoyed yakitori, fried chicken, grilled squid, beer, and sake. It was me and three senior colleagues. The photo is from a secret menu, so it might be against the rules for the restaurant? I also wanted to try the simmered beef tripe, but it's a winter limited menu. As we all pass sixty, we start to seek a bit more freedom, think about what to do with our family homes, and face a turning point. How will we spend our time in the future? I want an Apple Watch, but I'm starting to lean towards analog. We had a lively discussion on these in-between topics. Let's go there again soon!

Probably around the 10th visit. It's best to go early or the seats will be taken or the curtain will be closed. Reservations are recommended. My usual order is "beer and 10 skewers." Then, you can add one skewer at a time to eat warm skewers at the right timing. The grilled chicken skewers are made by randomly skewering various parts of the chicken and grilling them over charcoal, with the perfect grilling and seasoning being the work of a skilled craftsman. You can sprinkle shichimi to taste. It's great that the beer here is always ice-cold. There are some places where the food is delicious but the alcohol is lacking. At Torigen, both the food and the alcohol are delicious! Please try the soba noodles as a closing dish. Feel free to put the grilled chicken in the soba noodles.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, I had to cancel my reservation for bird hot pot, and this visit was my first since then. I visited without a reservation at 5:00 PM and luckily there was a seat available. Started with a lemon sour toast. The appetizer was the usual pickles. We had 10 pieces of chicken skewers, chicken breast sashimi, small squid simmered, fried chicken, and half portion of soba noodles. It was a long time since I enjoyed chicken skewers. Both the young and senior hostesses seemed lively, so I look forward to getting my revenge on the bird hot pot. (June 2022)

Coal mine workers' energy is real in Sapporo ☆ The famous grilled skewers (yakitori) have a salty seasoning, so if you try them for the first time, you may find them "salty," which makes sense ◎. It's a perfect dish for sweating in the hot summer. Enjoy it with Asahi Super Dry draft beer straight from the Hokkaido factory, gulp it down. This popular restaurant requires reservations even on weekdays. If you peek in before a meeting, it's still crowded. But if you have a reservation for 7:00, you're good to go, lucky to get a seat. A quick 30-minute showdown, order 10 skewers right away, and they are served without any wait. Enjoy the texture and flavor of each part with one bite. So, quickly order 10 more skewers. Even though they probably didn't predict our order, during the Golden Time (when it's busy), the order to serving time is quick. Finish up quickly and ask for the bill. We wanted a short battle, and it turned out just as we hoped. "Sorry for the short time at the table," their thoughtful words were heartwarming. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

May 2022: JR Sapporo Station North Exit is sure to sell out! A reservation is a must for this yakitori restaurant. I arrived on a weekday at 5:30 pm and surprisingly, it was not crowded. But soon after, more customers arrived and the place quickly filled up. A draft beer (ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ DRY in a medium-sized glass costs 550 yen and is ice-cold! The appetizer price is unclear, but I estimate it to be around 300-350 yen. The menu is limited, with today's recommendation being an unspecified price. I ordered two chicken skewers and grilled asparagus. To my surprise, the chicken skewers were actually chicken offal skewers, which I usually don't like. But after trying it, it was delicious! I ended up ordering two more skewers. The saltiness and juiciness of the skewers were perfect, and the grilled asparagus was also delicious, priced around 400 yen. I also ordered a homemade sausage as an extra, which was crispy and easy to eat. Regular customers here usually order in quantities of 10 skewers at a time. The skewers were excellent and delicious. Thank you for the meal! (^ω^)

I was able to visit after a while. The yakitori here has various organs skewered on one stick, similar to the famous Bibai yakitori in Hokkaido. It's always crowded and a popular spot. The fried chicken here is also delicious. The soba noodles at the end are a must-have. The broth is so tasty that you can drink it up in no time. It's common to eat the soba noodles with the yakitori inside. Highly recommended yakitori restaurant.