雨は、やさしく (Ameha Yasashiku in Sapporo, Hokkaido)

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雨は、やさしく

Ame wa, yasashiku. The rain is gentle. What a nice name for a ramen shop. Thus began my 2020 summer-in-Hokkaido adventure. For those who don’t read past the intro paragraph, Amehayasashiku serves miso ramen topped with an unexpected liver paste and tempura burdock root. It’s a unique bowl that is a pleasant surprise in a sea of standard miso ramen shops in Sapporo.

Yes. this was the start of a mini annual adventure up to Hokkaido. Normally, I head to the northern reaches of Japan for two to three weeks every summer. I bring the motorcycle, using my two wheels to reach the four corners of this vast island. Camping, hiking, onsens, and food. It’s a wonderful routine that I look forward to, along with a few weeks in Europe to finish out the hot summers in Tokyo as far away from Tokyo as possible. Of course, in 2020 everything was thrown into the fan. International travel was off the menu, and even travel within Japan was frowned upon. I like to think that someday people won’t know what I’m talking about. This was the year of COVID-19.

With my airline miles building, I spent a few on a trip to Sapporo and Rishiri Island. Sapporo was just for a night. Just enough time to try a couple of shops.

Like most Hokkaido shops, Amehayasashiku has miso, shoyu, and shio on the menu. First-timers should go for the upper left on the ticket machine. White liver niboshi ramen. Choose miso. Or choose shoyu or shio. Tradition dictates that most miso ramen shops also serve shoyu and shio.

The bowl is instantly recognizable.

A homemade liver paste is blended with niboshi. It’s fishy, creamy, and rich. Aromatic shiso leaves sit on top.

Some deep-fried gobo burdock roots are another unique topping. Liver and burdock, who knew this combo would work so well. At its heart, it was a great bowl of miso ramen, with some added bonuses. This is what a great bowl of ramen should be.

Of course, if you don’t want the only-here toppings, they have a standard Sapporo-style miso ramen on the menu for you to order.

The rain is gentle. I’d find out the hard way that this isn’t the case in Hokkaido, but at least our Sapporo adventure was blessed with a beautiful sky.

By the way, the shop is a little out of the way. I chose to rent a bicycle using the Porocle bike share system. It requires a little work to get it going, but you can link your Japanese transportation card and just swipe at any of the hundred or so bike share stations. Sapporo is flat, with dedicated bicycle lanes in some areas. Enjoy it!

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