Located west of Tokachi-Obihiro Airport amidst vast pastoral landscapes, Shirakaba quickly fills with heat and excitement at noon.

Director Yoshie Sakai shares: "Our secret is simply maintaining my grandmother’s handmade process since our diner days."

By focusing on a single menu and avoiding mass expansion for over 60 years, their additive-free sauce won the Seasoned Jingisukan Grand Prix in 2022, beating 68 competitors nationwide.

Shirakaba uses a unique style: tossing the meat in sauce upon ordering, then dipping it again after grilling. The soy-based sauce, packed with Aomori apples and Kitami onions, mellows the sheep aroma while enhancing umami.

The key to the flavor is the soy-based sauce developed by the founder, featuring Aomori apples and Kitami onions. It’s massaged into the meat upon order and used as a dip, enhancing the meat's natural umami while mellowing any gamey scent.

1. The Seasoned Pan is the Secret Ingredient
A custom iron grill is essential to the Shirakaba experience. As Ms. Sakai notes, "The more a pan is seasoned through use, the more delicious the meat becomes." These pans have absorbed the savory juices of countless meals over decades; they aren't just cookware, but the very history of the restaurant. This "seasoning" acts as the ultimate spice. Even when they get new custom pans, they are hand-polished meticulously to ensure the perfect sear. Look closely, and you’ll see the Shirakaba name engraved on the iron.

2. High Heat and a Rapid Sear
The golden rule here is to get the pan scorching hot. Once the heat ripples, place onions around the rim and drop the meat right into the center! To avoid "stewing" the meat, they only serve onions as a side to keep moisture to a minimum. When you hear that aggressive sizzle and see clouds of fragrant smoke, that’s the sign of perfection.

To avoid "stewing" the meat, they only serve onions as a side to keep moisture to a minimum. When you hear that aggressive sizzle and see clouds of fragrant smoke, that’s the sign of perfection.

The sweet, caramelized aroma of the secret sauce hitting the hot iron is so appetizing, you could finish a bowl of rice on the scent alone.

3. Eat Instinctively: Follow Your Senses
Once grilled to a golden brown, take your first bite plain. The concentrated umami of the incredibly tender meat will explode in your mouth. Choose between the rich, characterful Mutton or the Lamb with its perfect balance of lean meat and fat. Next, dip a piece generously into the sauce and eat it with a mouthful of rice. The fruity sweetness of the apple and onion-infused sauce binds the meat and rice together in a moment of pure bliss. You won't be able to put your chopsticks down!

Hokkaido is home to countless Jingisukan restaurants, but Shirakaba is more than just a place to eat—it is a unique destination in its own right. There is an experience here that simply cannot be found anywhere else. To book a flight to Tokachi-Obihiro just for this flavor is not an exaggeration. A level of culinary emotion that truly matches the journey is waiting for you.

Source & Cooperation: DO tabi by AIRDO
Reprinted with permission from "DO tabi," the official travel site of AIRDO.

In Cooperation with: AIRDO Co., Ltd.
Founded to help revitalize Hokkaido’s economy, AIRDO is based in Sapporo and operates 11 routes linking Hokkaido with Honshu and Fukuoka. Guided by its vision of accessible, high-quality travel, it offers a warm, customer-focused flying experience.

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