Japan Food Series: Donbe at Nijo Market in Sapporo – A Seafood Rice Bowl Worth Seeking Out

Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa

Onsen Ichiba – Restaurant Overview

2 Chome-8 Minami 3 Johigashi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0053, Japan

Donbe is a seafood restaurant located inside Nijo Market, one of Sapporo’s most well-known food markets. The restaurant specializes in sashimi rice bowls (kaisendon), a style of dish that highlights raw seafood served generously over rice. Like many market-based eateries in Japan, Donbe is focused on freshness, speed, and quality rather than atmosphere or presentation flair.

The setting is casual and busy, designed to handle a steady flow of customers throughout the day. You’re here to eat well, not linger. That market-style efficiency fits perfectly with the food being served. When a restaurant like this works, it’s because the ingredients do the heavy lifting – and Donbe clearly leans into that philosophy.

This stop was part of my Japan Food Series and felt like a natural choice given its location and focus. If you’re coming to Nijo Market expecting seafood, this is exactly the kind of restaurant you hope to find.

Would return? Yes.

Nijo Market – Why It Matters

Nijo Market is one of the oldest public markets in Sapporo, with roots stretching back to the early Meiji era. While it’s smaller and more compact than markets like Tsukiji (Tokyo) or Nishiki (Kyoto), it plays an important role in Sapporo’s food culture. The market is best known for seafood – particularly crab, scallops, sea urchin, and salmon roe – all of which are strongly associated with Hokkaido.

For visitors, Nijo Market is often an introduction to Hokkaido’s seafood abundance. It’s walkable, centrally located, and filled with stalls selling fresh fish, dried seafood, snacks, and souvenirs. Restaurants inside the market, like Donbe, benefit from immediate access to high-quality ingredients, and that proximity often shows on the plate.

Eating at a market restaurant like this feels different from dining elsewhere in the city. There’s a sense of immediacy – you’re eating seafood that hasn’t travelled far, prepared simply, and served quickly. That context sets expectations, and Donbe delivered within that framework.

Sashimi Rice Bowl – Special Premium

The Special Premium Sashimi Rice Bowl from Donbe was excellent and immediately stood out as a highlight of my time in Sapporo. This bowl included a wide assortment of seafood, including sea urchin (uni) and crab, both of which are premium ingredients even by Hokkaido standards.

What impressed me most was the consistency across all the seafood. Every type of fish and shellfish in the bowl was very fresh and extremely tender. There were no weak components or filler pieces – each element felt like it deserved its place. The uni was creamy and rich, adding depth to the bowl, while the crab was sweet and delicate, offering contrast in both flavour and texture.

One detail I appreciated was the soy sauce provided at the table specifically for rice bowls. It was clearly chosen to complement raw seafood and rice rather than overpower it. Using the right amount enhanced the fish instead of masking it, which is exactly what you want in a dish like this.

The rice itself was pretty good – well-cooked, lightly seasoned, and supportive rather than dominant. While it didn’t stand out as the star, it did its job properly, which is crucial in a sashimi bowl.

Overall, this felt like a premium seafood experience that justified its name. It was generous, satisfying, and well-balanced, making it easy to see why people seek out this bowl specifically.

Order again? Yes.

Sashimi Rice Bowl – Six Kinds of Seafood

The Six Kinds of Seafood Sashimi Rice Bowl from Donbe offered a slightly more approachable and equally enjoyable experience. While it didn’t include the ultra-premium items found in the special bowl, it still showcased Donbe’s strengths very clearly.

The salmon and tuna were excellent – fresh, clean-tasting, and cut generously. The salmon had that familiar richness and softness, while the tuna was firm yet tender, providing a nice contrast.

The salmon roe (ikura) was particularly good here. Each egg had a satisfying pop when eaten, releasing its briny flavour without feeling overly salty. Texture matters a lot with ikura, and this was done right.

The scallop was another standout. It was extremely tender and mildly sweet, adding a soft, almost silky bite to the bowl. The minced fatty tuna (negitoro) rounded everything out nicely, bringing richness and cohesion to the dish.

Like the premium bowl, this one benefited from the same thoughtful soy sauce pairing and solid rice base. While it was a step down in luxury, it didn’t feel like a compromise in quality.

Order again? Yes.

Comparing the Two Bowls

Both bowls were very good, but they served slightly different purposes. The Special Premium bowl felt indulgent and celebratory, ideal if you want to experience Hokkaido seafood at its most luxurious. The Six Kinds bowl felt balanced and comforting, offering variety and freshness without going all-in on premium ingredients.

What mattered most was that neither bowl felt like a tourist trap. Given the market location, that’s always a concern – but Donbe avoided that pitfall by focusing on ingredient quality and proper execution.

Final Thoughts

Donbe was one of the stronger seafood meals I had in Sapporo and a great example of why eating at local markets can be so rewarding. The freshness of the seafood was undeniable, the portions were generous, and the flavours were clean and well-balanced.

The Special Premium Sashimi Rice Bowl stood out as a highlight, particularly for its uni and crab, while the Six Kinds of Seafood Bowl delivered consistency and excellent value. Small details—like the dedicated soy sauce for rice bowls—showed that the restaurant understands how to elevate simple dishes without overcomplicating them.

As part of my Japan Food Series, this stop reinforced the idea that Hokkaido’s seafood reputation is well earned. Nijo Market may be compact, but restaurants like Donbe make it a worthwhile destination for anyone interested in experiencing the region’s ingredients at their best. If you’re visiting Sapporo and plan to explore Nijo Market, Donbe is absolutely a place worth prioritizing.