clock's Curry

 Image: Beef cheese curry + Oh-mori rice and curry ¥1,750 + ¥200(US$12 + US$1.20)

Many tourists from other regions of Japan may regard soup curry as a popular local form of curry rice in Hokkaido as I mentioned in this article earlier. However, I would like to introduce a unique curry rice restaurant that is not classified as soup curry, located in Maruyama, which is famous as a posh district. Although some blogs state that it opened in 1993, it is unclear when it officially began operating.

In the early 2000s, when I was a university student, I visited this curry restaurant countless times with my friends from secondary school, university, and my part-time job. After lunch, we also enjoyed chatting over cups of coffee there. 

Since graduating from university, plenty of restaurants have appeared and disappeared. Nearly all the places I used to frequent have closed down. 

Nonetheless, some of them have survived the global financial crisis in 2008, the downturn following the Tohoku Earthquake in 2011, and the pandemic in 2020. This is a testament to how much these restaurants have been loved by locals.

The curry restaurant clock is one such establishment. To be honest, it is surprising that the restaurant remained open for so long, even though its location is not easily accessible to everyone. 

I will briefly introduce clock as one of my favourite restaurants, although the information is admittedly quite personal. What matters most is that it has managed to stay open despite these hardships. 

Additionally, the restaurant is very popular among locals, so the staff may not necessarily be accustomed to serving customers in other languages. This can be a great opportunity to try speaking in Japanese. 

clock's Curry (クロック)

 The official website is only available in Japanese.

Address : 

〒064-0944  Asahiyama Plaza 1st floor (ground floor), 2-25, Nishimachi 9, Maruyama, Chuo-ku, Sapporo

A 30-minute walk from Maruyama Park Subway Station on the Orange Line

Phone : 

+81-11-642-2678 (Japanese Only)

Map: clock

Business Hours:

Tuesday to Sunday

11:30 to 22:00

If Monday is a public holiday, the restaurant will be closed on Tuesday and closed on the first Tuesday of each month.

Category:

Japanese Curry Rice

★★★★★ : Quality

★★★☆☆ : Cost

★★☆☆☆ : Access

★★★★★ : Atmosphere

★★★★★ : Cleanliness

★★★★★ : Menu

As shown on the map above, the restaurant is located between two mountains, Asahiyama and Maruyama. It is situated near the top of a hill. If you do not have a car, I would recommend taking a taxi from Maruyama Koen(Park) Subway Station as buses from the station run roughly once an hour. 

Map: Bus route

However, walking to the restaurant could be one of the options as the area is rich in nature and Maruyama Zoo is located nearby, so you can visit the zoo first on your way to clock. That said, I would not recommend walking when it is snowing.

Although there is a car park, it is not very large. Therefore, I would recommend avoiding lunchtime if you plan to drive there.

Image: Signs are a good landmark - February 2026

The menu offers a variety of curries, including chicken, beef, pork, seafood, omelette, and sausage. Drinks and desserts are also available.

Image: Chicken curry + Oh-mori rice and curry ¥1,250 + ¥200(US$8.50 + US$1.20)

Image: Menu - February 2026

It is a curry made by slowly simmering plenty of vegetables and fruit into a purée to create richness and depth of flavour. The slow-cooked beef melts in your mouth. The mild, thick roux blends perfectly with the cheese, creating an irresistibly addictive flavour, according to the official webpage.

I suppose this is what makes its taste and texture so unique. Clock's curries are sweeter rather than spicy. Thus, you can choose the level of spiciness from Mild(hutsu: ふつう), Hot(karakuchi: からくち), Extra Hot(gekikara: げきから), and Super Hot(gekikara-ijoh: げきからいじょう). I usually choose karakuchi but actually it is not hot at all and remains quite sweet.

Image: Rakkyou & Hukujin-zuke (らっきょうと福神漬け)

In Japan, it is quite common for curry restaurants to serve rakkyou and hukujin-zuke free of charge. So, if you are interested in them, do give them a try. I usually add hukujin-zuke (the red ones in the image) to my curry rice.

Image: The interior is café-like

What I particularly like is not only the curry itself but also the warm atmosphere of the restaurant. Because of that, I used to take female friends there to enjoy chatting. So I have many memories of this place, and I am very delighted to be visiting the restaurant again for the first time in about 20 years.

Moreover, it comes as a surprise to me that the taste has not changed at all, and that the price is now far higher than it used to be.

I really enjoyed clock's curry during my stay in Japan. I hope that I will be able to visit clock again the next time I stay in Sapporo.

Image: Entrance - February 2026