Wagyu Sai is a yakiniku restaurant in Sapporo located just 2 minutes on foot from Susukino Station (Exit 1) on the Namboku Municipal Subway Line. Wagyu Sai lets you cut and grill your own thick slices of Japanese black beef from Hokkaido. For many, this is the go-to spot for meetings, parties, anniversaries, and more. All seats are private, located in their own rooms away from the entrance.

The signature dish is diced Hokkaido Sagami Japanese Black Beef Sirloin (3,020 yen/100g). The beef is cut into six thick, juicy cubes. Other Hokkaido black beef diced steak dishes you can order are ichibo (top sirloin cap), rump, and special sirloin and tenderloin cuts. Each piece has its own unique goodness, including red meat, lean cuts, and marbled cuts with lots of fat.

First, set the meat in the middle of an iron plate where the heat is strong. When the surface is browned, move the meat to the edge and cook the inside to your liking. The thickness condenses the taste of the meat and the fat for a delicious and authentic flavor. It almost feels as if you're eating teppanyaki rather than yakiniku.

There's more than diced steak. The other parts of Hokkaido Japanese black beef are excellent, too! The Sagami Steak Course includes an all-you-can-drink option. Select from the 5,000 yen Tsubaki Course to the more extravagant 10,000 yen Gyoku Course, which includes grilled spiny lobster.

All seating is in private rooms, so you can enjoy your meal peacefully away from other guests. You can also ask for one of the rooms overlooking the night view from the 8th floor. However, those are first-come, first-served, so make reservations to guarantee your spot!

The grills are smokeless, so the air in the rooms circulates in about 5 minutes. Precautions are in place not only against infection but smoke and odor as well!

Only 3 minutes from Namboku Municipal Subway's Susukino Station (Exit 5) is a Sapporo yakiniku restaurant that serves affordable Shiraoi beef, straight from the farm, in a classy atmosphere. It's a new way to enjoy delicious, carefully-prepared meats from a sophisticated menu.

The most popular dish is the Sukiyaki Sirloin (2,178 yen, 2 pieces). Large, thinly-sliced cuts of Shiraoi beef sirloin are served with sukiyaki-flavored sauce. Wide like sandals, and beautifully marbled, the presentation is as great as the taste!

Because the slices are so thin, they cook rather quickly. The sweet flavor of the fatty meat spreads in each bite, brought out even more when combined with the raw egg yolk and sukiyaki-flavored sauce. This is only one of the ways to enjoy the deliciousness of Shiraoi beef!

Shiraoi beef top loin (left), and top rib seaweed roll (right) (770 yen for 2 pieces). They are served roasted, so you can also enjoy the juicy, fatty cuts as sushi.

Other recommended cuts are the Chateaubriand Rare Cut (top, 6,248 yen), the popular Onion Tongue Wrap (center, 1,078 yen), the Thick-cut Beef Tongue (middle left, 1,738 yen), and the 3-piece Assortment Platter of the day's specially-selected cuts (2,178 yen). All the meats shown above are Shiraoi beef.

The all-you-can-drink course includes a wide range of drinks, from the standard gathering course (3,850 yen) to the premium course (10,450 yen).

You can sit in the spacious open hall or in the private rooms that accommodate 2-8 guests. For special events, you can also rent out the space for up to 50 people. Since the meats are cooked on a smokeless roaster, you don't have to worry about spreading infection or the strong smell of meat.

High-quality wines are available that enhance the meat's flavor when enjoyed together. It's a relaxing, warm atmosphere decorated with wood grain and plenty of indoor plants!

Many tourists visit as well. Menus are available in English, Chinese (traditional/simplified), and Korean.

Three minutes from the Namboku Municipal Subway's Susukino Station (Exit 2) lies the sister shop of the long-established Wagyu Ishizaki, founded in 1972. They serve the rare Ezo Tajima beef, farmed in Ebetsu City near Sapporo. Wagyu Ishizaki is outstandingly fresh and cooked and served in-house. Because the meats are fresh and not aged, they have smooth fat and lack the typical beef aftertaste. This makes it a popular dish, even with people who don't normally like beef!

The Grilled Shabu, as seen on the signboard menu (Sirloin 4,000 yen, Rump 2,600 yen, 2 pieces each). Restaurant staff will wrap vegetables in the meat and cook it to perfection before serving. The meat eaten together with vegetables is a refreshing taste!

This dish is popular with the regulars: Thinly-Sliced Rare Steak (Marbled 4,000 yen, Red Meat 3,000 yen). The beef is cooked in chunks to a rare state, finely sliced, and served. Try this rare sliced steak with their special sauce, and enjoy the delicious, original taste of Ezo Tajima beef!

The thickly-sliced Japanese Beef Tongue (4,000 yen, 100g) boasts a condensed, rich flavor and a chewy texture.

Courses start from 8,000 yen for the Ishizaki course, which includes steak, yakiniku, and seafood. There are a variety of courses depending on your needs and budget, from birthday and anniversary courses, to premium courses with high-class ingredients such as grilled sirloin steak, Chateaubriand, and the finest beef cuts.

Inside seating is in private rooms (the photo shows a Japanese-style room with a sunken kotatsu. Western-style rooms with tables and chairs are also available). Thanks to the smokeless roasters and interior materials, the air in the rooms circulates in about 2 minutes, so there's no need to worry about spreading infection or the lingering odor of meat.

English menus are available. Some staff members can also speak basic English (Pocketalk may also be available).

Text by: Minna no Kotobasha
*Information in this article is as of February 2021. Please see official websites for the latest updates