[Digging Travel] Zero Bungeo Tour of Seolguk Overshadowed by Ramen and Jingisukan

(16) 'Pioneering Tour' with Sapporo Experts
Interest in the Region, Cases of Coexistence and Innovation
OMO Rangers Guide the 'Inner Life of the City'

Although news of spring is spreading everywhere, Hokkaido, Japan, is still a snowy land. The number of Korean visitors to this area has surged so much that recently, more than half of the international passengers at New Chitose Airport have been Korean tourists. Thanks to its vast land, wide plains, and sea, Hokkaido, known as Japan’s food base overflowing with fresh seafood, vegetables, meat, and dairy products, naturally offers travelers a chance to explore local cuisine and enjoy magnificent snowy landscapes.

Susukino in Sapporo is considered the largest entertainment district in northern Japan, referring collectively to the area from Nishi 2-chome to Nishi 6-chome.
[Photo by visit-hokkaido]

Susukino, a representative attraction in Sapporo, began during the Meiji era with just seven buildings and has grown into an entertainment district with over 3,500 shops today. Amidst the forest of buildings and countless maze-like shops, a highly popular expert-level program has recently emerged that neatly organizes and introduces Susukino’s highlights. Hoshino Resort, a resort chain with 107 years of history, recently launched various services to enjoy the city under its city hotel brand OMO. On this day, special gourmet information was provided by the OMO Ranger of OMO3 Sapporo Susukino.

The OMO Ranger, a local expert, personally explains and recommends city attractions and restaurants, and also conducts night tours with participants upon request. Considering that most entertainment venues in Susukino operate from 6 p.m. until early morning, this tour was held at night.

Miso ramen from 'Ramen Yokocho' in Sapporo, Japan. By presenting the meal voucher provided by OMO3 Hotel, you can taste three half-sized bowls of ramen, each of a different variety.

Sapporo is known as a battleground for ramen shops. Numerous ramen restaurants are scattered throughout the city, and the famous original ramen street, “Ramen Yokocho,” is a top attraction where lines form long before the shops open. Upon entering a shop recommended by the OMO Ranger, the owner warmly welcomed us. Here, presenting a meal voucher provided by the OMO3 hotel allows you to enjoy a half-sized bowl of ramen. Each guest receives a total of three meal vouchers. You can enjoy various types of ramen, from Sapporo’s specialty miso ramen to shio ramen and shoyu ramen.

Lamb Jingisukan met in Hokkaido. Asparagus lamb, a Hokkaido-grown lamb, is about twice as expensive as regular imported lamb.

Jingisukan (Genghis Khan) is an essential dish representing Hokkaido. How did such a menu emerge in Japan’s food culture, which was distant from lamb? In 1918, the Japanese government established sheep farms in five locations across Japan, including Sapporo, aiming to produce domestic wool for military uniforms and blankets. It is widely believed that Jingisukan was born while researching the sheep raised and ways to utilize lamb meat at that time.

Now, Jingisukan restaurants are commonly found throughout Japan, including Sapporo, but Japan’s self-sufficiency rate for lamb is only 0.7%, most of which comes from Hokkaido. The sheep raised in Hokkaido are fed asparagus and are called “Asparagus Sheep.” They are priced about 1.5 to 2 times higher than regular imported lamb and are characterized by a more tender taste.

Signs and interior views of the Susukino Zero (0) Block restaurant district. The unique character of each shop and the history of this place, spanning from the pioneering era to the bubble era, give the impression that various periods are frozen within the space.

After filling up on the gourmet tour, the OMO Ranger leads the way to Zero (0) Block. This is a mixed-use residential and commercial building built in downtown Sapporo in the 1950s. Descending underground, a shopping area with snack bars and pubs unfolds. Originally, this place was a public market, and after the building was constructed, it became a shopping street. It was renovated in the 1970s to take its current form. The OMO Ranger explained that each shop is full of character, and despite the building’s age, there is still a long line of applicants hoping to open stores here.

Through a program that carefully introduces even places unnoticed by tourists, and unlike ordinary hotels focusing on their own sales, the OMO Ranger’s efforts to revitalize the region through small space explorations reveal a positive example of regional coexistence.