Day Trips from SapporoShirokuma Shokudo in Otaru: Crab Miso Cream Pasta and Beef Bowls
By Chaporo, a Sapporo local Published 
Quick answers
- A quiet Western-style restaurant at the end of Otaru Canal, away from the crowds
- Crab miso cream spaghetti with a baguette, and beef toro flake rice bowls
- Lunch without reservations; dinner by reservation only
- Closed the 2nd and 4th Wednesday and Thursday; use coin parking nearby
Shirokuma Shokudo is a yoshoku restaurant (Japanese-style Western food) in Otaru serving both seafood and beef. It is a little off the main street, at the far end of Otaru Canal, so it takes a short walk to reach, but it is quiet, with few tourists.
Crab miso cream spaghetti
The one I recommend most is the crab miso cream spaghetti (the photo at the top): rich crab miso and cream go perfectly together, and it comes with a baguette so you can wipe up every drop.
Beef toro flake bowls
The beef toro flake bowl, made with free-range beef from Bone Free Farm in Tokachi, is excellent too. The sauce uses only additive-free seasonings, and the fat of the frozen beef flakes melts into the hot rice.
For a treat, there is also the beef toro flake bowl topped with sea urchin.
Hours and parking
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Lunch | Weekdays 11:00–14:30 (last order 14:00); weekends and holidays 11:00–15:30 (last order 15:00); no reservations |
| Dinner | 17:30–22:00 (last order 21:00); reservation only |
| Closed | The 2nd and 4th Wednesday and Thursday of the month; check its Instagram for the monthly calendar |
| Parking | One space in front; otherwise use coin parking nearby |
| Phone | 0134-31-4690 |
See its Instagram.
How to get there
From Sapporo: about 40 minutes on the Sapporo-Otaru Expressway to Otaru IC (Kinzan PA on the way has a convenience store and toilets).
From New Chitose Airport: about an hour and a quarter. The restaurant is in Ironai, near the north end of Otaru Canal.
Near Shirokuma Shokudo
Sakaimachi Street in Otaru: Sweets, Glass Shops and Where to ParkA local's guide to Sakaimachi Street in Otaru: Kitakaro, LeTAO, Kitaichi Glass and the music box museum, how to get there by car from Sapporo, and the car park that is free with a purchase.
Otaru Canal: Night Lights, the Canal Cruise and Where to ParkA local's guide to Otaru Canal: when the gas lamps and warehouses are lit, the canal cruise, how to get there from Sapporo by train or car, and where to park.
Otaru Day Trip from Sapporo by Car: A Local's Route and Where to ParkDriving to Otaru from Sapporo? A local's one-day route through Yoichi, Shukutsu, the canal and Mt. Tengu, with drive times, tolls and where to park near Otaru Canal.
FAQ about Shirokuma Shokudo
Q1. What should I order?
The crab miso cream spaghetti or the beef toro flake bowl.
Q2. Do I need a reservation?
Not for lunch; dinner is by reservation only.
Q3. Is there parking?
Only one space; use coin parking nearby.