Tempura Araki

Sapporo's Most Decorated Tempura Counter

Opinionated About Dining's Highly Recommended list in 2023 to a top-116 ranking across all Japan restaurants in 2025. That trajectory tells you something important: this is not a venue coasting on local reputation. It is actively improving, the wider critical community has noticed. If you have eaten here before and wondered whether to return, the answer is yes; the kitchen is in a better place than it was on your last visit.

The Space

Tempura Araki operates out of a ground-floor room in Sapporo's Chuo Ward, south of the city centre. Counter dining is the format here, which means your seat puts you close to the frying station; you watch the oil, the timing, the batter as each piece comes together. This proximity is part of the offer. The room is designed for focused eating rather than long social evenings, the atmosphere reflects that. If you came with a group expecting a roomy private setup, manage expectations: tempura counters of this style reward small parties or solo diners over large tables.

Why the Sourcing Argument Matters Here

Hokkaido is one of Japan's most consequential sourcing addresses. The prefecture supplies a significant share of the country's premium seafood, vegetables, dairy, a tempura kitchen in Sapporo has access to ingredients that restaurants further south have to pay a premium to import. At Tempura Araki, that geographic advantage is the foundation of the menu. Tempura is a format where ingredient quality is almost impossible to disguise: batter this light and technique this precise strips away any room to compensate for mediocre produce. The 2025 OAD ranking of #116 across all Japan, not just tempura, not just Hokkaido, signals that the sourcing choices here translate into something the broader critical community finds worth the detour. For context, venues ranked in the OAD Japan top 150 sit alongside Michelin-starred restaurants in major urban centres; reaching that tier from Sapporo, without a Tokyo or Osaka address, carries weight. Tempura Araki opens Tuesday through Saturday from 6 pm to 10:30 pm and is closed Sunday and Monday. There is no published phone number or website in the current record, so the most reliable approach is to ask your hotel concierge to call ahead, or check a Japanese reservation platform such as Tableall or Omakase. Given the OAD recognition and limited dinner-only hours, booking at least one to two weeks out is sensible, particularly on weekends. Walk-in attempts are a risk not worth taking for a destination of this calibre.

How It Compares

Explore More in Sapporo

Tempura Araki sits within a strong Sapporo dining scene. For sushi at a comparable level, Arima and Sushi Miyakawa are the names to consider. If kaiseki is your format, Hanakoji Sawada is the benchmark in the city. For something more casual, Menya Saimi handles ramen at a serious level, Nukumi is the address for Hokkaido crab done properly. Other Sapporo restaurants worth knowing include aki nagao, Hidetaka, and Higebozu. See our full Sapporo restaurants guide for the complete picture, browse our Sapporo hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide to plan around it.

Tempura Beyond Sapporo

If you are building a Japan itinerary around serious tempura, Numata and Shunsaiten Tsuchiya are the Osaka comparators worth knowing. Elsewhere in Japan, HAJIME in Osaka, Harutaka in Tokyo, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, and 1000 in Yokohama represent the broader tier of serious destination dining across the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I order at Tempura Araki?

• The kitchen runs a set menu format typical of serious tempura counters, you do not order à la carte. Let the course unfold as designed. The sourcing focus on Hokkaido produce means the seasonal vegetable and seafood pieces are where the kitchen's geographic advantage shows most clearly. Do not rush the meal or skip courses.

Can I eat at the bar at Tempura Araki?

• Counter seating is the primary format at Tempura Araki, in this style of restaurant, the counter is the dining room. You will be seated at the counter as a matter of course, not as a secondary option. This is standard for high-end tempura in Japan and is part of what makes the experience worth the trip.

Is Tempura Araki good for solo dining?

• Counter-format tempura restaurants suit solo diners well. You get a direct sightline to the chef, the meal moves at a pace set by the kitchen rather than by table conversation, there is no awkward table-for-one dynamic. Sapporo's dining scene has options across formats, but for a solo meal at this quality level, Tempura Araki is a strong choice. See our Sapporo guide if you want alternatives for the rest of your trip.

How far ahead should I book Tempura Araki?

• Booking difficulty is rated Easy, but that can shift as OAD recognition grows, the jump from #187 to #116 in a single year suggests demand is rising. One to two weeks ahead is a reasonable buffer for weekday seatings; aim for two to three weeks on weekends. The restaurant has no published website, so use a hotel concierge or a platform like Tableall or Omakase to secure the reservation.

Can Tempura Araki accommodate groups?

• Seat count is not published, tempura counters of this style typically run small. Groups larger than four should check directly, ideally through a concierge who can call ahead, before assuming the format works. For larger group dining in Sapporo, Hanakoji Sawada or Nukumi may offer more flexible arrangements depending on your group size and budget.