Sapporo is home to Susukino, the largest downtown area in Hokkaido. The famous Sapporo Clock Tower is located near Odori Park, which runs through the center of the city. Jozankei Hot Springs are located on the outskirts of the city, making Sapporo a versatile urban tourist destination.
Sapporo is also home to the winter festival, Snow Festival, the Susukino entertainment district, the famous Clock Tower and TV Tower, as well as the Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill with the statue of Dr. Clark and the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, a famous venue for ski jumping competitions, in the suburbs. Jozankei Hot Spring is located in the upper reaches of the Toyohira River, which flows through the city, and visitors can enjoy bathing in this hot spring at their leisure.
This area is located in western Hokkaido. Sapporo is famous for the Sapporo Snow Festival, a winter festival, and is home to the Susukino entertainment district, Sapporo Clock Tower, Odori Park, TV Tower, Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill, famous for its statue of Dr. Clark, and Okurayama, a mecca for ski jumping. Hokkaido Shrine is just a stone's throw from the city center, and the surrounding area is ideal for strolling, with fashionable boutiques and general merchandise stores scattered throughout the area.
Jozankei Onsen Hot Spring is located upstream from the Toyohira River, which runs through the city, and is crowded with tourists due to its easy accessibility from the city center.
Chitose City, where Chitose Airport is located, is home to Lake Shikotsuko, a famous sightseeing spot. Lake Shikotsu is located in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park and is known as the northernmost ice-free lake in Japan, and its maximum depth is more than three times deeper than that of Lake Biwa. It is also famous for its high transparency, which is comparable to that of Lake Mashu.
Around Lake Shikotsu are Okotan Camping Ground, Bifue Camping Ground. There are also the Poropinai Camping Ground and the Morup Camping Ground, where you can enjoy camping while sightseeing. There are also hot springs, and you can relax and recover from your sightseeing trip at Lake Shikotsu Youth Hostel, Lake Shikotsu Ito Hot Spring, Lake Shikotsu Hot Spring, and Marukoma Hot Spring.
History of Sapporo
Since 1869, when the Sapporo Main Government Office was established as a base for Hokkaido development, Sapporo was rapidly pioneered by the influx of Tondenbou (military troops). In the Meiji period (1868-1912), Sapporo Agricultural College and a beer brewery were established in Sapporo, and in the early Showa period (1926-1989), regular air services between Tokyo and Sapporo began.
In 1950, Sapporo hosted the first Sapporo Snow Festival, and in 1972, it hosted Asia's first Winter Olympics. In the same year, Sapporo became an ordinance-designated city.
Sapporo's Local Gourmet, Food Culture and Specialties
As an area with magnificent natural beauty, abundant ingredients from the sea, mountains, and rivers are distributed, and a variety of cuisines can be enjoyed throughout the year. There are many dishes that originated in Sapporo, such as Sapporo miso ramen and soup curry, as well as a wide variety of gourmet food such as potato butter and fried potatoes made from potatoes, which are the nation's top harvest.
Because of its proximity to the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, there are also many restaurants that use an abundance of fresh seafood such as hairy crabs, kinki, silver cod, hokke, salmon, salmon roe, salmon roe, herring, etc. "The conveyor belt sushi restaurants operating in this area are no longer on the conveyor belt sushi level.
In addition, many of the food products produced by local food manufacturers are brands never seen in Honshu, making the area an intriguing place to taste just by shopping at the local supermarkets.
Baked goods and snacks are popular as souvenirs, but the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market also offers a delivery service of marine products and fruits for tourists, making it a good place to pick out souvenirs.
The hot springs are located in a naturally beautiful valley covered with virgin forest.Hot spring water gushes naturally from the cracks in the bedrock on the riverbanks and riverbed. The hot spring resort is located along the Toyohira River 26 km south of downtown Sapporo, less than an hour's driv...»
Moiwa, 531 meters above sea level, is located almost in the center of Sapporo City.From the summit, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Sapporo, Ishikari Bay on the Sea of Japan, and Mt. In the Ainu language, the mountain is called "Inkarsibe" (a place where people always go up to ke...»
Hitsujigaoka Observatory is located in the hills in the southeastern part of Sapporo.Monuments related to Sapporo, including a statue of Dr. Clark, the father of the pioneering spirit, are erected on the site. Below, flocks of sheep grazing in the vast pastureland provide an idyllic view typical of...»
This safari park consists of three facilities: North Safari Sapporo where you can interact with animals, Dangerous Forest where you can see dangerous animals up close, and North Safari Adventure where you can enjoy seasonal activities....»
The tallest observation deck in Hokkaido is located in the JR Tower, a station building directly connected to JR Sapporo Station.From the observation deck on the 38th floor, 160 meters above ground level, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree view of the city of Sapporo spread out all around. From the so...»
The 147.2-meter-high TV tower stands at the starting point of Odori Park, which divides the central part of Sapporo into north and south. The view from the observatory, 90 meters above the ground, changes with the seasons,The panoramic 360-degree view from the observatory, 90 meters above ground, v...»
The Chocolate Factory of Ishiya Confectionery, famous for "Shiroi Koibito," looks like a beautiful Western castle. In addition to the Shiroi Koibito production line, there is a workshop where visitors can try their hand at making sweets, a collection of antiques and an exhibition on the history of ...»
The Daibutsuden, designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, houses a gigantic 13.5-meter-high, 1,500-ton statue of the Great Buddha. The dome-shaped space is located under a small hill in Makomanai Takino Cemetery, and only the head of the Great Buddha can be seen sticking out of a hole in th...»
Located in Nopporo Forest Park, this open-air museum tells the story of Hokkaido's pioneer days. In the vast 54-hectare site, historical buildings from the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa Periods of Hokkaido's pioneer days have been relocated and restored from all over Hokkaido to recreate scenes of...»
The brick building of the Beer Museum introduces the history and brewing process of Sapporo Beer for more than 120 years. The museum also has a tasting corner for a fee. The store sells a variety of souvenirs such as Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters goods....»
This comprehensive park was designed by the world-renowned sculptor Isamu Noguchi. The park itself is a huge campus where nature and art merge....»
The Sapporo Clock Tower was built in 1878 as a demonstration hall for Sapporo Agricultural College, the predecessor of Hokkaido University. Since then, it has been ticking away the time for about 130 years. It is designated as a National Important Cultural Property....»
The Maruyama Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Hokkaido, breeding about 160 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and 700 other animals. The zoo has a Tropical Animal Pavilion with lions and giraffes popular among children, a World Bear Pavilion exhibiting six species of bears, a Chimpanzee Pavilion...»
The main Shinto shrine of Hokkaido. Founded in 1869. The approximately 180,000 square meter grounds are famous for its cherry blossoms. In June, the Hokkaido Jingu Festival (Sapporo Festival) is held, where portable shrines and floats parade through the city to the accompaniment of musical accompan...»
Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, where international competitions have been held and used for the Olympics.To get to the observatory, take the two-seater lift, which is also used by ski jumpers. From the starting point at an elevation of 307 meters, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Sapporo ...»
At the Odori site, snow and ice statues of all sizes line the 1.5-kilometer route, creating a drama of snow and ice. At the Tsudomu venue, children and adults alike can interact with snow in Hokkaido's natural environment on tube slides, snow rafts, and more. At the Susukino venue, ice sculptures wi...»
Built in 1888 in the American neo-baroque style. It is widely known to the people of Hokkaido by the nickname "Akarenga" (red brick). Inside the building, there is an archives and a museum of Sakhalin history, which is open to the public. Designated as a National Important Cultural Property....»
This theme park, covering an area of about 40 hectares, is a place where visitors can raise awareness of environmental issues and healthy eating while playing with flowers and animals. The "Galaxy Garden," designed by a British designer, features 30 playful gardens with 1,000 varieties of plants th...»
Lake Shikotsu is a caldera lake belonging to the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Shikotsu means "large depression" in Ainu language. With a circumference of about 40 km and a maximum depth of about 360 m, it is an important tourist attraction in Chitose City. It is also known as one of the cleanest lak...»
Moss Cave is a corridor-like formation formed by the erosion of lava from the eruption of Mount Tarumae by stream water. A part of the bedrock collapsed at the beginning of June 2001, making it impossible to enter. The museum is open from early June to late October and is visited by many tourists. S...»
The 2nd to 4th floors of the terminal building are filled with entertainment and relaxation facilities as well as gourmet food and shopping facilities.JR New Chitose Airport Station is directly connected to the first basement floor. Shopping WorldFamous confections from all over Hokkaido, fresh mar...»
Jozankei Onsen is located in a beautiful valley covered with virgin forest, and is well known as the backcountry resort of Sapporo. The bright red suspension bridge over the Toyohira River, which flows quietly through the hot spring resort, is the symbol of Jozankei. From the suspension bridge, yo...»
This is a day-trip bathing facility where you can enjoy 100% free-flowing hot spring water from the source, which is not diluted, not boiled, and not circulated. The spring water is sodium calcium bicarbonate and sodium bicarbonate spring water, slightly clear, tasteless, and odorless. It is the on...»
Completed in 1972, this 102.5-meter-high arched concrete dam can hold about 30 cups of water, enough to fill the Sapporo Dome, and serves as a water source for Sapporo City. The area around the dam is a scenic spot surrounded by steep rock slopes, and together with the dam's dynamic sightseeing dis...»
Many delicious milk-based sweets are available. The grounds are spacious, with pastures and peaceful scenery. The red log house-style building there is Machimura Farm's Milk Garden, a direct sales outlet. The Milk Garden offers many sweets made from fresh ingredients, including homemade cheese doug...»
Established in 1988, this winery produces and sells mellow, fruity wines grown in the land of Hokkaido, as well as sweet fruit wine made from haskap. Visitors can purchase a variety of wines at the store, take a "factory tour" where they can enjoy tasting after visiting the brewing facilities, or p...»
With an area of 1.8 million square meters, it is one of the largest cemeteries in Sapporo and a popular tourist spot with the Great Buddha Hall, Moai Statue, and Stonehenge. It aims to be a bright sanctuary and is filled with lavender and other colorful flowers. Thirty-three moai statues stand gua...»
The Sapporo-style ramen noodles are said to have been first served at a small food stand in the city after the second world war, in a thick soup made from pork bones. It was originally seasoned with soy sauce, until some customers requested their noodles be served in pork-and-vegetables miso soup. T...»
Soup Curry is said to have originally been made by adding curry flavour to soup prepared according to the principles of yakuzen, a Chinese food therapy to restore and nourish the body. It was created by an owner of a coffee shop in Sapporo City in the 1970’s, and gained great popularity among regula...»
Served with plenty of cabbage, Chicken Cutlet Curry is a very satisfying and balanced meal for all....»