When I was in Sapporo, Japan a few months ago, I was excited to see a highly-ranked ramen-ya built around a vegan ramen broth. Sapporo is famous for its ramen, and I fully planned to sample the local broth. It’s not a secret that while I’m not the strictest vegan, I’m generally quite veg-forward in my diet. That meant a vegan version of the local specialty was too good to pass up — I had to check it out. While I’m not the strictest vegan, I generally maintain a veg-forward diet, so this discovery was particularly thrilling for me.

Fukunoki Ramen Shop Location

Fukunoki is located on a side street in the bustling Susukino district of Sapporo. It’s located conveniently near to the Tanukikoji Shotengai (狸小路商店街), Sapporo’s main shopping street and the closest subway stop is Nishi-Jūitchōme Station (西11丁目駅) on the Tōzai Line.

The location is well marked with a big banner outside featuring some of the shop’s specialties.

The entrance to the ramen shop is easy to find and located to the left of the sign through a small entryway.

The signage prominently notes that the shop’s offerings are Halal. Of course that won’t matter if you were coming for a vegetarian ramen as I was.

Dining at Fukunoki Ramen

When I arrived, I was quickly seated at one of the individual tables. Like many shops in Japan, Fukunoki caters to solo diners with private tables with portions. The table was prepared with key toppings including “original red pepper” which seemed similar to shichimi togarashi.

I quickly looked through the menu.

While curry in Japan is always a highlight, I settled for a Vegetable Tomato noodle ramen with extra soy meat. A little wait later and a mouth-watering bowl of tomato-broth hot ramen was in front of me.

I was hungry so that’s all the photos I have of the food. Suffice it to say, I was stuffed at the end. After eating, I confirmed that I could place an order of rice to make a “risotto” with the leftover broth (common at many Japanese ramen shops) but I did not opt for that in this case.

Fukunoki Ramen Shop Bottom Line

Sapporo is renowned for ramen but Fukunoki stands out as an option with a fully Halal and vegan-friendly menu. The specialty is a rich tomato-based broth which is popular with both locals and many visitors to Sapporo. All of the ingredients served at Fukunoki are fresh and chemical-free. That said, keep in mind that the shop is cash-only, so make sure to use a debit card without international ATM fees to pull out cash before heading here. Located in the bustling Susukino district a short walk from Tanukikoji, Fukunoki is definitely worth a stop if you’re a vegan traveler in Sapporo. Even if you’re not a veg traveler, it can be a delicious way to mix things up before you head to the Royal Lounge at Sapporo Airport.