6 Reasons to Plan a Visit to Sapporo
Opens in a new tab or windowPlanning on visiting Sapporo and the Hokkaido region? Here's where to stay, eat, ski and soak in local onsens.
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Jozankei Onsen
Sapporo
Hokkaido’s capital, Sapporo, has so much more to offer than just snow. New parks, trendy restaurants and a spate of art gallery openings have transformed the city from ski town to cultural hub. Discover the new Sapporo with the help of our travel guide.
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Places to stay
There’s plenty of accommodation to choose from in Sapporo. While many hotels in the city are geared towards business travellers, unique boutique stays can be found at The Cross Hotel. If you’re looking to splurge on accommodation, stay at the luxurious Sapporo Grand Hotel or JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo.
For great shopping and some seriously tasty bowls of miso ramen, Sapporo's downtown entertainment district, Susukino is the place to be. A slightly more relaxed and peaceful stay can be found in the area of Nakajima Koen where reasonably priced accommodation is nestled amongst exquisite architecture and scenic parks.
To make the most of skiing in Sapporo, there are plenty of ski resorts to choose from. Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort is only an hour from the city, with various courses offering lots of powder and various slopes to experience. Sapporo Teine is another popular resort and where the Winter Olympics took place in 1972. The slopes offer runs for all ski levels from beginners to advanced. Its only an hour by bus to this resort from the city or 30 to 40 minutes by train. Sapporo Bankei Ski area is the locals pick, as its conveniently located 30 minutes from Sapporo city centre and known for its night skiing. Being close to the city centre, offers the benefits of skiing to early afteroon, with a short trip to Sapporo for dinner. This resort provides sightseeing, food and hot spring all in one place.
Sapporo not only provides great sightseeing, dining and shopping spots but also full-scale ski resorts that are only a few steps away. Many areas receive heavy snow, the quality is excellent, with plenty of powder snow. Be sure to enjoy the fine dining or relaxing in a hot spring after skiing.
Things to do
Famous for its winter festivities, ski fields and hot springs, Sapporo is a city of rich tradition, art and exquisite food. See the sculptures and intriguing artworks of the Sapporo Art Park and its outdoor Sculpture Garden or get lost in the Sapporo Odori Underground Walkway Gallery. Nijo Market is an easy win for touristy souvenirs while Jyogai Ichiba offers more exciting pieces.
Sapporo is home to delicious specialties of the region. Sweet tooths should schedule in a snack at Shiroi Koibito Park to see how their famous cookies are whipped up. If you like salty goods more than sugary treats must-eats include flavourful soup curry, grilled mutton known as Jingisukan and bowls of slurp-worthy miso ramen.
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Festivals
Sapporo hosts many unique festivals throughout the year. In January and February, enjoy the winter wonderland of snow sculptures, light shows and warming food stalls that take over the city during the famous Sapporo Snow Festival. See the city in full bloom at either the Lilac Festival that starts in May or the Flower Festival beginning in June. If you want beers over bouquets, July also sees the Beer Festival which fills Odori Park with all kinds of frothy goodness. Every season is festive in Sapporo.
Skiing
Famous for it's powdery-white snow capped mountains, thriving food scene and annual snow festival, this vibrant city sits on the doorstep of one of the world’s best ski destinations. From the finest powder in Nikseko Ski Resort to the hot springs in the Hokkaido Mountains and the fascinating culture of Japan’s fifth largest city, Sapporo is the prefect destination for a magical winter holiday and ski destination in Japan.
Getting around
From the airport: The best way to get from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo city is via JR rapid train. Departing from the airport four times every hour, the journey takes just 35 mins and costs 1150 yen (one way). Otherwise buses operate from the airport to various parts of Sapporo every 15 mins and take over an hour to reach city-centre. Charter bus services can be arranged to connect passengers to major ski resorts.
In and around the city: Sapporo’s subway and tram services make it super easy to get around the city. Grab a day pass from a nearby vending machine and enjoy unlimited use of Sapporo’s subway. Otherwise Sapporo city is very walkable, bikes are available to hire or Uber and taxis are an option.
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