Hokkaido as a whole will always be a special place to be, because it’s where I got engaged in December 2023 and during the same trip, we spent several days in Sapporo as a base.
Of course, being December, this meant snow - and lots of it! So my goal with this Sapporo guide is to share our Sapporo winter itinerary that can also be used in seasons throughout the rest of the year too!
Odori Park
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Where is Sapporo?
Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido prefecture, Japan’s northernmost island. It’s also the biggest city in the north of Japan and is located in the central-south of the island of Hokkaido
How to get to Sapporo
There are two main ways you could get to Sapporo and which one you choose will depend on how much time you have.
We knew we wanted to maximise our time exploring Sapporo and Hokkaido so we chose to fly to Sapporo. There are loads of affordable flights domestically in Japan and our flight to Sapporo from Osaka cost just £27 each (approx 5,000 yen). Our return flight from Sapporo to Tokyo cost £47 each (approx 9,000 yen). The main internal budget flight carriers are Jetstar Airways and Peach.
To get from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo Station is an easy 40 minute ride on the Rapid Airport line and costs 1,990 yen (£10)
If you have more time and are perhaps considering exploring more of northern Honshu island such as Yamagata, Miyagi, Akita or Aomori, then you might want to consider travelling to Sapporo by train so you can make these stops to explore along the way. A direct train between Tokyo and Sapporo takes 7.5 hours on the Tohoku Shinkansen from Omiya Station in Tokyo, you’ll need to change at Hakodate to the Hokuto train for the last leg of the journey in Hokkaido to arrive at Sapporo Station.
Sapporo, Japan
Tips for getting around Sapporo
There is an underground city in Sapporo used by the residents mostly during winter when the weather is bad. This underground city has shops, bars, restaurants, barbers, cafes, you name it. It’s a great way to get around the city if it’s cold and/or snowing. Just look for the stairwells to access it from the street (these look like subway entrances)
The One day Subway pass gives you unlimited rides on all subway trains for one day. It costs 850 yen. There is also the Donichika ticket which gives you unlimited travel on weekends and holidays, this costs 520 yen.
Sapporo itinerary: winter tips
Moiwa
If you are planning a trip to Sapporo in the winter, I highly recommend having suitable clothing and shoes - pack warm and pack layers. Although saying that, Japan has incredible thermal clothing options and all you need to do is pop to Uniqlo to get some of their thermal base layers for an affordable price!
Although they do a great job of keeping pavements clear, in some of the less trafficked areas, it can get icy, so boots with a good grip are a must!
PRO TIP: Sapporo has an underground city. In the centre of the city, you’ll see stairwells on the pavement that look like stairs down to a subway. Actually these are access to the huge underground city below the streets of Sapporo. In the winter, this is how people in the city primarily get around because it’s warmer and easier - there are literally underground streets lined with shops, bars, restaurants - you name it!
So if you’re looking for a certain restaurant and you can’t find it, make sure to check if it’s actually underground. Also if you think it’s suspiciously quiet on the streets in Sapporo in winter (like I did!) then that’s because everyone is below ground!
Where to stay in Sapporo
I’m not going to give you a big, long spiele with loads of places to stay in the city, we’re not luxury hotel folks and we were looking for somewhere affordable and central with easy access to transport and a bed for the nights we were there!
Honestly the prices in Sapporo are shockingly cheap compared to other popular Japanese cities like Tokyo or Kyoto! We found this centrally located Sapporo Travelodge Susukino which cost us £34 per night (I just had to go back to my bookings to double check that and wow, it really was that cheap!)
Hotel in Sapporo
The perfect Sapporo itinerary: 2 days
Day 1 in Sapporo
Nijo Seafood Market for breakfast
I know some people think that fish for breakfast is controversial, but if you are a seafood lover then it’s LITERALLY the best time to get to the seafood markets in Japan!
Nijo is the famous seafood market in Sapporo and while there’s a huge range of fresh fish stalls, there are also loads of dining options. Donburi Chaya has epic rice bowls although it’s very popular so I’d suggest going before 9am or after the brunch rush around 11am.
However we also discovered another seafood market called Jyogaishijo which is a little further out of the centre but has an incredible breakfast fish bowl at Kaisendon Umedo Sapporo Store - worth checking out if you’re a (sea) foodie!
Sushi in Sapporo
See the Sapporo Clock Tower
Clock tower
This stop will only take you 30 minutes but I think it’s really worth seeing even just for the fact that this anachronistic wooden building is here, surrounded by the modern buildings of Sapporo!
This wooden clock tower and house was built in 1878 and is now a heritage building with a museum inside sharing the history of Sapporo. Admission is 200 yen for adults and free for children.
Sapporo TV Tower
Sapporo TV Tower
A must visit on your list of things to do in Sapporo!
The iconic red and green Sapporo TV tower is situated in Odori Park and you can see the spectacular 360 city views from the tower across the whole city and into the mountains beyond. It’s a beautiful sight to see during any season of the year.
Tickets cost 1000 yen for adults.
Pro tip: the ticket includes multiple entries for the day you buy it. Because we visited in winter, we went back in the evening once it was dark to see the Odori Park illuminations from above.
Odori Park
Sapporo Christmas Market
While you’re in the park, make some time to wander around the park itself as there are often events or attractions there.
During our trip it was the Sapporo Illuminations which run through December to March. They also had the famous Sapporo Munich Christmas Market - a German-inspired Christmas market in the heart of this Japanese city!
During the summer, it’s a great spot for picnicking and there are often performances, music or events like jazz shows or sports events. During February it’s one of the 3 sites in the city for the famous Sapporo Snow Festival where you can see incredible snow sculptures, performances and snow lanterns.
Check out the tourism board events page to see what’s on during your visit.
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
This is the famous shopping street in Sapporo and is the best place to go for shopping, clothes, souvenirs, vintage items and more!
It’s a covered shopping street so you can enjoy it even in bad weather and it covers 7 blocks in the centre of the city.
We were in awe of the vintage clothing options here and honestly wished we had brought an extra suitcase for the amount of stuff we saw and wished we could buy! My husband is American and loves the vintage sports jerseys and Letterman-style from the 70s and 80s and there were so many - he got two vintage 49ers jerseys from WEGO (vintage stuff is upstairs) and I loved the sweaters in Mauve Used&vintage Clothing.
Also don’t miss Tanukiya in the shopping street, this is a famous Sapporo souvenir shop that’s been running for 108 years! You’ll find everything from trinkets to take home, toys, Sapporo branded clothing, snacks and local sweets, cute decor and souvenirs to take home for family and friends.
Vintage Store
Hokkaido Soup Curry
You have to try Hokkaido Soup Curry when you’re in Sapporo!
It’s definitely one of the best things to eat to warm you up in the winter months and the best way I can think to describe it is like a cross between a Japanese curry and a Thai red curry.
There are lots of veggies and meat (if you want it) in a steaming, warm and spicy broth which you’ll be served with a side of rice or other options if you prefer.
We attempted to go to Suage+, one of the best restaurants in Sapporo for soup curry, but the queue was ridiculous so we ended up going to Soup Curry King a few blocks over which was amazing and I LOVED the soup curry.
Hokkaido Curry Soup
Hokkaido Soup Curry
Sapporo breweries and taprooms
Beer Inn Mugishutei
Brewery in Sapporo
While you’ll head to the famous Sapporo brewery in tomorrow’s Sapporo itinerary, the city is also home to some incredible craft breweries and taprooms - which if you’ve read my guides before, you’ll know craft beer is always something I seek out in a new city.
We visited Moon Sun Brewing and loved their logo as well as their beer - we even bought a cork placemat to bring home with us!
Brian Brew is a taproom in the Taniki Comichi food court located in the Tanukikoji Shopping street - although you might struggle to get a table!
We went to Beer Bar North Island which is a taproom situated on the 10th floor with great views of the Sapporo streets below and a fun atmosphere - they had a DJ going and everything, a great spot for drinks after dinner in the evening.
Beer Inn Mugishutei - I can’t not share this one as it’s actually owned by a friend of my husband, who he met on his first trip to Hokkaido in 2017! The owner, Phred, is American and imports American beers into this quirky taproom/dive bar which has a real retro vibe to it and a great atmosphere. The range of beers here is astronomical and the fact that it’s been running for 44 years is a testament to how well loved this Sapporo hidden gem is!
Pro tip: if you’re more of a wine lover, check out Winecafe Veraison.
Day 2 in Sapporo
Baked goods from Donguri Odori for breakfast
You can’t skip out on baked goods from a Japanese bakery while you’re in Japan!
Donguri has both sweet and savoury options, although make sure you try the Hokkaido Melon Bread!
Hokkaido melon bread
Take the Mount Moiwa Ropeway to the top of Mt Moiwa
Sapporo Cable Car
It’s an easy 30 minute ride on the Sapporo Shiden street tram which brings you to the base of the hill where the Mount Moiwa cable car is (Google Maps works really well in Japan so I suggest using it to find your way here from your accommodation)
The cable car to the top of Mount Moiwa costs 2,100 yen for a return trip ticket and you can spend as long as you like at the top.
If you’re visiting on a day with bad weather, you can check the live feed on their website to see what visibility is like from the observation deck.
The views from the top were stunning, we had some snow flurries while we were up there and the city looked like a winter wonderland!
We spent about an hour here, including the cable car ride up and down. There are restaurants up there too if you’d like to extend your time at the top.
Maruyama Park and Hokkaido Shrine
Once you get back to the bottom of the ropeway, depending on timings and the time of year, it’s a 30 minute bus ride to the Hokkaido Shrine - the biggest shrine in Hokkaido.
The temple dates back to 1869 and is free to visit. It’s a popular shrine to visit all year round, with blossom trees covering the main approach in spring, autumn leaves throughout the grounds in autumn and a serene peacefulness when it’s covered in snow during winter.
15 minutes walk from the shrine is Maruyama Park which is a beautiful area to visit if you’re in Sapporo in the spring, summer and autumn, with paths covered in blossom or autumn foliage. It’s also where the Sapporo Zoo is located.
Maruyama is also a hiking peak, you can take a short 45 minute hike to the top of Mt Maruyama which is a great option throughout the year, although we were advised not to do it during the snowy conditions as we were visiting Sapporo in winter.
Sapporo Beer Museum
Sapporo Beer Factory
If you’re a beer fan, you cannot visit Sapporo without adding the famous Sapporo brewery and museum to your Sapporo itinerary.
Sapporo Beer Museum is completely free to visit and is housed in the original beer factory which is the oldest in Japan, dating back to 1876 when Hokkaido underwent a huge commercial development project.
Maybe I’m bias because Sapporo is my absolute favourite Japanese beer, but the Sapporo Beer Museum is fascinating, there’s loads to see and learn about, not just in terms of beer but in terms of how the factory played a role in the industrialisation and commercial development of Sapporo and Hokkaido more generally.
There is the Star Hall tasting hall at the end where you can pay to try either a Hokkaido Exclusive of the Sapporo draft classic, a Kuro Label Sapporo draft, or for 1000 yen you can get their 3-beer tasting set (which we obviously did!)
On site there is also the Sapporo Beer Garden which is like a traditional Japanese beer hall although this was unfortunately closed for a private event during our visit.
Sapporo Beer Factory
Sapporo Star Hall Tasting Hall
Sapporo Beer Tasting Hall
Ganso Ramen Alley
This is one of these spots that I can see why it’s hyped but it honestly depends if you’re happy to queue for food (we were not when it was -5C in the middle of winter!)
Ganso Ramen Alley is an alleyway packed with iconic ramen shops serving Hokkaido style ramen. They all only have a handful of seats inside which is what makes getting a seat so tricky, so I would recommend going at a random time of day like 11am or 3pm to try and get a seat!
Ganso Ramen Alley
Susukino entertainment district
Spend the evening in Susukino entertainment district for music, drinks, food and more. In the summer it’s the site of the famous Susukino Matsuro parade and food festival.
You’ll know you’re in the centre of Susukino when you see the big Nikka Whiskey Sign (which is an attraction itself in Sapporo!)
With all the lights on and the area surrounded by buzzing shops and izakayas, this is a fun place to spend the evening.
Look out for Round 1 Sapporo Susukino - a Japanese arcade with everything from arcade games and video games to karaoke and bowling.
This is also the area where you’ll find the Noria Ferris Wheel, which is located on the top of a building! Tickets cost 1000 yen.
You’re also right nearby Ganso Ramen Alley and the Tanukikoji shopping street if you fancy some late night snacks and shopping (which is exactly what we did!)
Susukino Sapporo
Got longer than 2 days in Sapporo?
If you’ve got a few more days on your Sapporo itinerary, don’t worry - there’s still plenty to do!
Things to do near Sapporo:
Visit the Historical Village of Hokkaido
Visit Moerenuma Park
See the views at Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill
Visit Hill of the Buddha
Buddha Temple
Day trips from Sapporo:
Visit Jozankei Onsen town (buses run there regularly from Sapporo)
If you’re visiting Sapporo in winter, Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort is one of the closest to the city for a skiing day trip
Lake Shikotsu is another Sapporo winter day trip to see the ice festival here
Jozankei Onsen Town
Otaru Canal
Summary: 2 days in Sapporo itinerary
I hope this guide helps you to plan your itinerary for Sapporo, whether you’re in Sapporo for 2 days or looking to use the city as a base for a longer trip to explore Hokkaido, there is so much to see and do in Sapporo and the surrounding areas!
