8 Recommended Pork Bowl and Ramen Restaurants to Try for Lunch in Obihiro and Tokachi
When it comes to local gourmet food representing the Obihiro and Tokachi area, the pork bowl (butadon) is the star. It is a dish featuring savory grilled pork coated in a sweet and salty sauce served over rice, with an aroma that alone is enough to whet your appetite. From long-established shops to new faces, each restaurant competes with its own unique cooking methods and secret sauces. There are also popular ramen shops that draw long lines. Here, we introduce famous restaurants serving delicious pork bowls and ramen that are perfect for lunch.
- 1Ganso Butadon no Pancho
- 2Tokachi Butadon Ippin Obihiro Main Store
- 3Butadon no Tonta
- 4Butadon-dokoro Butaya
1Ganso Butadon no Pancho
The birthplace of butadon, with over 90 years of history.
This is the original specialty shop for pork bowls, founded in 1933 (Showa 8). We use fresh loin meat for our pork bowls. It is carefully grilled over charcoal and coated in a sweet and savory secret sauce. The fluffy, tender finish is a result of the charcoal grilling. The flavor of the fat, fully brought out by the charcoal and the sauce, makes it go perfectly with rice.
There are four types of pork bowls: Matsu, Take, Ume, and Hana. The amount of meat increases from Matsu to Hana, and Matsu is the most affordable. It is said that because the first owner's wife was named "Ume," he ranked Ume higher than Matsu to show appreciation for her hard work in running the shop.
Dedicated to preserving the original taste, they refuse to open any branch locations.
Even now, with more and more pork bowl shops following in its footsteps, this is an unshakably popular restaurant that still draws lines. The pork bowl, invented by the first owner in Tokachi where pork is deeply integrated into the food culture, has become a taste representative of Obihiro and continues to be loved across generations. The reason for this may be that, in order to preserve its taste as the original, they cherish the words left by the first owner: "No matter how busy we get, we will not open branches, and we will conduct business where we can see our customers' faces." Inside the shop, it is a traditional sight for customers to share tables during busy hours.
- Ganso Butadon no Pancho
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19, Nishi 1-jo Minami 11-chome, Obihiro, Hokkaido MAP 
Approx. 2-minute walk from JR Obihiro Station
11:00–19:00
Mondays, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays
0155-22-1974
None
2Tokachi Butadon Ippin Obihiro Main Store
A popular restaurant directly managed by a traditional sauce manufacturer.
A pork bowl specialty shop opened in 2000 by "Sorachi," a company that has been manufacturing Jingisukan and yakiniku sauce in Hokkaido for many years.
Loin is the standard cut of pork used. To ensure the quality of the ingredients is not compromised, the sauce is unheated and undergoes a low-temperature aging process. As the sauce-marinated meat is grilled, it is coated with the sauce multiple times to ensure the flavor fully penetrates the meat. Hokkaido-grown rice is used, cooked slightly firm so that it has the perfect texture when coated in the sauce. It is a bowl packed with many carefully considered details.
You can even watch the grilling process up close.
As you would expect from professionals in sauce-making, the compatibility between the meat and the sauce is outstanding. The seasoning, which brings out the delicious flavor of the pork, has gained popularity to the point where queues can form during lunch and dinner hours.
An open-style kitchen is located in the center of the restaurant, where they use only Binchotan charcoal to grill the meat, repeatedly brushing it with sauce to lock in the umami. While waiting for your meal, the sounds and aromas of the cooking right in front of you are sure to stimulate your appetite.
In addition to the Obihiro main store, there are 6 locations in Sapporo and 1 location in Chitose.
- Tokachi Butadon Ippin Obihiro Main Store
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- 3-5, Nishi 21-jo Minami 3-chome, Obihiro City MAP
- Approx. 6-minute drive from JR Nishi-Obihiro Station
- 11:00 - 21:00
- Every Thursday
- 0155-41-1789
- Free
3Butadon no Tonta
A butadon restaurant started by a butcher shop where you can choose your preferred cut of meat.
In 2004, the previous owner, who ran a butcher shop, opened a specialty pork bowl restaurant. It is rare for a pork bowl shop to allow customers to choose their preferred cut from three types—loin, belly, and fillet—at the time of ordering, a feature unique to a shop with roots as a butcher. Each cut has its own characteristics: the loin has a good bite, the belly offers the sweetness of the fat, and the fillet is tender and juicy. If you are unsure which cut to choose, we recommend the "Loin and Belly Assorted Pork Bowl." Since it comes with two types of cuts, you can enjoy the differences in texture and flavor.
Catering to a wide range of customers, with both raised tatami seating and counter seats available.
The pork is carefully selected from high-quality Tokachi-raised meat, hand-sliced one by one without the use of machines, and grilled on a wire mesh. The sauce has been handmade for about 50 years, ever since the previous owner ran the butcher shop, and they are also committed to using only Tokachi-grown rice.
In addition to table seating, the restaurant has raised tatami seating and counter seats, aiming to be a place that is welcoming to everyone, from tourists and families to solo diners. Since moving in 2017, the number of seats and parking spaces has been significantly increased, allowing even more people to enjoy this popular taste.
- Butadon no Tonta
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- 2-17 Higashi 10-jo Minami, Obihiro City, HokkaidoMAP
- Approx. 8 minutes by car from JR Obihiro Station
- 11:00–18:00 *Closes when sold out
- Open every day *Closed during year-end/New Year holidays and for temporary closures
- 0155-24-4358
- Free
4Butadon-dokoro Butaya
A rich butadon made with rare "Kamikomi" pork.
The pork bowl comes in two ranks, regular and special, and you can choose between loin or belly for each. The meat used for the special rank is the rare "Kamikomi pork," said to be found in only two or three out of every 100 pigs. This Tokachi-produced pork features plenty of fat marbled into the lean meat, giving it a juicy flavor. The belly meat, in particular, is popular with repeat customers who appreciate the rich sweetness of the fat. The loin, with its deep meaty flavor, also has a dedicated fan base. Both are carefully grilled slice by slice and coated in a sweet sauce. Each serving uses about 200g of meat, making for a very hearty meal.
You can also enjoy a set meal with Asahikawa ramen.
In addition to the pork bowl, the ramen is also well-regarded. The owner is a former ramen chef, and you can enjoy authentic Asahikawa ramen prepared with great care. For those who want to enjoy both, we recommend the pork bowl and ramen set menu. The most popular option is the set that includes full-sized portions of both for a truly filling meal. On weekdays, the shop is bustling with local office workers, and on weekends and during homecoming seasons, it gets so crowded with families that lines form outside. In the seven years since opening, it has quickly become rooted in the local community and captured the hearts of regular customers.
- Butadon-dokoro Butaya
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- 21-1 Nishi 23-jo Minami, Obihiro City, HokkaidoMAP
- Approx. 4-minute walk from JR Nishi-Obihiro Station
- 11:00–15:00 *Until 18:00 during Golden Week and Obon
- Mondays (Open if it is a public holiday)
- 0155-37-3130
- 15 spaces
5Ramen Misuzu
They take pride in their soup, prepared with ingredients from Tokachi.
The most popular menu item is the "Kodawari Misuzu (Soy Sauce)." It was created with the idea of "customer preference" in mind, as many regulars would add chashu pork and bamboo shoots to the original simple "Misuzu Ramen." You can also enjoy miso and salt flavors.
The base soup used for all ramen is made by slowly simmering pork bones, seafood, and vegetables without boiling them, resulting in a clear finish. It is characterized by a rich, full-bodied flavor that is still refreshing on the throat.
A popular restaurant that has been loved by the locals for years.
We have been open for over 30 years in the arcade in the center of Obihiro city. This is a ramen shop with many regular customers who have been visiting for three generations. Our motto is to use local ingredients as much as possible, such as insisting on Tokachi-produced pork bones, seafood, and vegetables for our soup, and using a high percentage of Tokachi-grown wheat flour in our noodles. We are one of the shops leading the ramen culture of Tokachi.
The interior has a total of 22 seats at the counter and tables. The cozy and comfortable shop has a modern atmosphere based on white, and it is reputed to be easy for even solo female customers to enter.
- Ramen Misuzu
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- 20 Nishi 2-jo Minami 8-chome, Obihiro City, Hokkaido MAP
- Approx. 5 minutes on foot from JR Obihiro Station
- 11:00–19:30 *Closes when sold out
- Wednesday
- 0155-23-4706
- None
6Ramen Tonpei
Fans are flocking to this soup, which features a rich seafood broth.
A popular ramen shop that draws long lines on weekends. In addition to salt, soy sauce, and miso, you can also enjoy "bean sprout ramen" and "bamboo shoot ramen."
The base is a clear soup made by simmering whole chicken, pork bones, and chicken carcasses to draw out the animal-based umami and richness while removing excess fat. For the soy sauce flavor, a soy sauce tare made with dried frigate tuna and mackerel flakes is used, while the salt flavor is paired with a salt tare made using scallops and salt from Shiretoko deep-sea water. The balance between the animal and seafood-based soups is exquisite, resulting in a flavor that retains a strong seafood aroma without any unpleasant aftertaste.
There is also a unique focus on the noodles and seasoned oils.
The attention to detail extends beyond the soup and tare to the seasoned oil and noodle selection. The seasoned oil, essential for ramen, is carefully prepared by stir-frying dried sardines, shrimp, and other ingredients to add a unique flavor. Furthermore, considering the compatibility with the soup, they have chosen low-hydration medium-thin noodles sourced from a noodle factory in Asahikawa. You can fully enjoy both the umami of the soup and the aroma of the wheat in a single bowl.
Since they close as soon as they sell out, they may take down the shop curtain before the official closing time. It is recommended to visit as early as possible.
- Ra-men Tonpei
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- 2-2 Nishi 2-jo Minami 2-chome, Obihiro City, Hokkaido MAP
- Approx. 19-minute walk from JR Obihiro Station
- 11:00–14:30 *Closes when sold out
- Tuesdays, 1st and 3rd Thursdays
- 0155-22-4308
- None
7Natural Ramen Menkichi Kino Branch
A body-friendly ramen made with a meticulous selection of ingredients.
A shop serving body-friendly ramen, where they adhere to the belief of "not adding unnecessary things" by minimizing additives and valuing natural ingredients in their noodle-making process. As a way to add depth to the flavor, they use alkaline ionized water in all cooking processes, including soup preparation and noodle making. The medium-thick curly noodles, which are made in-house and aged before use, are characterized by their firm texture and smooth throat feel. Made only with Tokachi wheat flour, salt, and a small amount of kansui, the noodles pair perfectly with the deep umami of the soup, which is extracted from genuine bonito flakes, kelp, pork bones, and chicken carcasses.
We recommend the set menu with pork rice bowl.
The "Mini Pork Bowl Ramen Set," a great value meal that lets you enjoy both ramen and the hidden favorite, the pork bowl, is a menu item with many repeat customers. The pork, grilled over a net while coated in a homemade sauce, is juicy and fragrant, making it the perfect companion for rice. The ramen comes in three basic flavors: "Soy Sauce," "Salt," and "Miso." We also recommend the "Motsu-ni (stewed offal) Ramen," which features a spicy soup topped with plenty of spicy offal, and the "Thick-Sliced Seared Chashu Ramen," which allows you to fully enjoy our signature chashu pork. There is also a raised seating area, so even those with small children can enjoy their ramen in comfort.
- Natural Ramen Menkichi Kino Branch
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- 17-1 Kino Odori Higashi, Otofuke-cho, Kato-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- Approx. 14 minutes by car from JR Obihiro Station
- 11:00–20:00
- Wednesday
- 0155-30-8780
- Free
8Ramen Suzuya
A specialty ramen shop featured in the Michelin Guide.
A ramen shop located in Hiroo Town, about an hour's drive from Obihiro city. It was awarded a "Michelin Plate" in the Obihiro/Tokachi area in the "Michelin Guide Hokkaido 2017 Special Edition."
With a rich menu ranging from "Old-fashioned Soy Sauce Ramen" to "Special Soy Sauce Ramen" and "Tantanmen," each dish has its own dedicated fans. The base soup is a rich blend made by slowly simmering pig trotters and whole chickens over low heat, with the thickness adjusted to suit each menu item. We recommend the "Spicy Soy Sauce Ramen," which is crafted to ensure you can taste the depth of flavor amidst the heat.
There are days when they sell out by the early afternoon.
Since its founding in 2002, this popular shop has had lines out the door on weekdays despite its suburban location. The soup, which takes a long time to prepare, is limited in quantity and sometimes runs out by early afternoon. While some menu items may not be available on certain days, regular customers who visit frequently often ask, "Do you have [item name] today?" before ordering. It is said that even if your first choice isn't available, you are guaranteed to leave satisfied.
If you are a first-time visitor and are overwhelmed by the many menu options, we recommend starting with the "Special Soy Sauce Ramen" for its irresistible aroma, allowing you to fully enjoy the shop's signature flavor.
- Ramen Suzuya
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- 71-4 14-sen, Monbetsu, Hiroo-cho, Hiroo-gun, Hokkaido MAP
- Approx. 60 minutes by car from JR Obihiro Station
- 11:00 AM until sold out
- Sunday
- 01558-5-2226
- Free
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Access About 5 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Tomamu Station
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