Sapporo is Japan’s 5th most populated city
and the capital of Japan’s northernmost prefecture Hokkaido.
Like Hokkaido as a whole, Sapporo is known for its long winters
mild summers
amazing cuisine
and for being a worthwhile destination in any season.
Although located in the far north of the country, Sapporo is only a 90 minute plane ride from Tokyo.
The Tokyo-Sapporo connections is actually one of the busiest air routes in the world
and makes reaching the city easily reachable.
Compared to other major Japanese cities, Sapporo is still young
having grown into the metropolis it is today only relatively recently.
To give some historical context
in 1857 the city of Sapporo had a population of only seven people.
This was towards the end of the Edo era when most of Hokkaido
which was then called Ezo
was predominantly inhabited mainly by the indigenous Ainu people
who relied mainly on hunting, fishing and trading.
It wasn’t until some years later at the start of the Meiji period
that the Ainu were assimilated into Japanese society
when Japan started colonizing Ezo on a large scale
in order protect against the threat of invasion from Russia.
Around this time the island was renamed Hokkaido
and Sapporo established as its administrative center.
Foreign specialists were brought to help with the city’s development
and in some ways, Sapporo, with its rectangular grid and numbered blocks
resembles North American cities which were developed around the same time.
Over the next century the city grew quickly
and in 1972 gained international recognition as the first Asian city to host the Winter Olympics
and today visitors can go to the top of the Okurayama Ski Jump which was used in the games.
Now, Sapporo has become a major international destination
with a plethora of sightseeing options to explore.
So, here are our Top 5 Recommendations in Sapporo.
Number Five: Mount Moiwa
On the southwest side of Sapporo lie several forested mountains.
Of these, Mount Moiwa has become a popular sightseeing destination
not only for its breathtaking panoramic view of the city
but also for offering one of the best night views in all of Japan.
The building complex on the summit, which was renovated in 2012
consists of a theater
restaurant
and of course the observation deck from which visitors can take in the iconic
It’s also become a popular place for lovers to leave a lock.
To reach the top, walk 10 minute from the Ropeway Iriguchi streetcar station
to the Mount Moiwa Ropeway which ascends most of the mountain.
The ropeway takes about 5 minutes and connectsto a unique mini-cablecar
which climbs the rest of the way to the summit.
Number Four: Historic Village of Hokkaido
To the east of the city center
on the western edge of the vast Nopporo Forest Park
is the Historic Village of Hokkaido.
On a life-size scale, this large open air museum depicts what life was like for the
pioneering colonists who came to settle the wild frontier of
Hokkaido in the late 18 and early 19 hundreds.
The grounds are divided into four sections:
There’s the town section with over 30 buildings
and even a horse-drawn trolley down main street
and also sections showing a model fishing villiage
farm village
and mountain village.
If you decide to visit the Historic Village of Hokkaido
we also highly recommend the nearby Hokkaido Museum
which is only one bus stop or a 10 minute walk away.
This museum does a great job covering the history of the island
starting as far back as the first human civilizations
and spanning all the way to modern day.
Number Three: Moerenuma Park
On the outskirts of Sapporo to the northeast is Moerenuma Park.
This large and unique park features expansive lawns punctuated by massive structures
and points of interest.
Moerenuma Park was designed by the renowned Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi.
Sadly, after completing the park’s design
Noguchi passed away without ever seeing the project come to fruition.
Nonetheless, the city of Sapporo went ahead with construction
and completed the park in 2005.
Moerenuma in an excellent place to spend half a day or more.
Among the park’s many points of interest, some of the more notable are:
Hidamari, which is a large glass pyramid building featuring with a gallery inside
and Mount Moere, which is a 62 meter tall man-made hill
and the tallest point in the park.
From the top visitors can enjoy an excellent view of the entire park
as well as downtown Sapporo in the distance.
There’s also Play Mountain, which is a shorterman-made hill across the park
and also has decent views.
The Sea Fountain in the middle of the park which has daily shows
And the forest area in the east which features many play areas for kids
All in all Moerenuma Park has a relaxing atmosphere
and is a pleasant place to explore away from downtown Sapporo.
Number Two: Food
One of the biggest attractions of Sapporo is its food
specifically its fresh seafood
ramen noodles and beer.
Some of the best places to experience the delicious local seafood
are at the city’s two famous public markets:
the Nijo market which is near the TV Tower
and the Curb market which is in the west side of the city.
Here we recommend having a donburi dish called “Kaisendon.”
Kaisendon is a bowl of rice topped with a combination of raw seafood
such as crab, shrimp,
sea urchin, salmon roe and tuna to name a few.
Next, is ramen.
All across Japan, different regions specialize in various flavors of these famous noodles.
Sapporo’s take on the dish is made with a miso based broth
and is usually topped with Hokkaido specialties such as corn and creamy butter.
Miso ramen was invented in Hokkaido and can be found throughout the city
but two locations stand out as excellent places to try the dish.
The first is in a narrow alleyway in the Suskino district called Ramen Yokocho
which is lined with many small noodle shops specializing in miso ramen.
And the second is in the “Sapporo Republic of Ramen”
which occupies the 10th floor of the ESTA building attached to Sapporo station
and also features many miso ramen specialty restaurants.
Of course, the name Sapporo has been made famous worldwide
by the beer label of the same name which is one of Japan’s oldest and most popular brands of beer.
One of the best places to learn about and sample the city’s legendary brew
is at the Sapporo Beer Museum
which has displays about the history of the company
as well as a tasting area.
Next door is also the Sapporo Beer Garden.
Coincidentally this is also an excellent place
to try another unique local specialty cuisine item
which is called "Genghis Khan".
Named after the 13th century Mongolian ruler, this dish consists of
grilled mutton and vegetables
and is said to pair excellently with beer.
Lastly, if you are in Sapporo during late July and early August
be sure to visit Odori park which is located one subway stop or a 15 minute walk from Sapporo Station.
During this time every year tents, seating and food stalls are set up in the park
stretching over one kilometer transforming Odori Park into the country’s largest beer garden.
Number One: The Sapporo Snow Festival
One of the best known winter events in all of Japan is the Sapporo Snow Festival
which is held for one week each year in early to mid February
and attracts over 2 million visitors to the city.
The most famous attractions of the snow festival are the many large snow sculptures
found throughout Odori Park.
Aside from the giant sculptures, Odori Park also has many performances and events
an abundance of food stalls, ice skating
and also a night illumination.
Also during the festival, the Sapporo TV Tower on the eastern end of Odori Park
has extended hours and is an excellent place to get a unique view of the festival.
Nearby, in the Susukino district is where you’ll find several blocks of intricately carved ice sculptures.
At night these are also lit up, and the roads are blocks to car traffic
so pedestrians can admire them up close.
The third section of the snow festival is found at Tsu Dome
on the outskirts of the city.
This is a family-oriented area
which has snow slides, food stalls and a stage for events.
If you plan to visit Sapporo for the Snow Festival
we highly recommend booking your accommodation at least two or three months ahead of time
as most lodgings around the city become fully booked close the time of the event.
We hope this top five list gives you a good place to start when planning your trip to Sapporo.
For more information about any of the places mentioned in this video
or to explore another region of Japan
click the links on the screen now or head over to japan-guide.com
your comprehensive, up-to-date travel guide first-hand from Japan.
Thanks for watching, be sure to subscribe and click the notification bell for more videos about japan
Happy travels.