5 days in Sapporo

Day by day

1. Day 1: Odori Park and Sapporo TV Tower

   Odori Park, Sapporo TV Tower and Nijo Market, then Mount Moiwa Ropeway in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Odori Park

      Walk the length of the park from the TV Tower westwards; the Snow Festival sculptures are best seen after dark when they are lit. (1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Sapporo TV Tower

      Go up in the early evening during the Snow Festival or the White Illumination for the view of the lit park below. (45 minutes, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Miso ramen

      Ganso Ramen Yokocho in Susukino and neighbourhood ramen shops across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Nijo Market

      Come for breakfast or an early lunch; many stalls close in the afternoon and the best bowls sell out. (1 hour, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Mount Moiwa Ropeway

      Take the streetcar loop line to Ropeway-iriguchi and the free shuttle to the base station, then time your ride for sunset to see the city lights come on.

2. Day 2: Sapporo Clock Tower and Hokkaido University campus

   Sapporo Clock Tower, Hokkaido University campus and Sapporo Beer Museum, then Ganso Ramen Yokocho in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Sapporo Clock Tower

      It takes only a few minutes from the outside; the best photo is from the raised viewing spot across the street. (30 minutes, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Hokkaido University campus

      Visit in autumn for the ginkgo trees, and eat lunch at one of the campus cafeterias, which are open to the public. (1–2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Genghis Khan

      The Sapporo Beer Garden halls and small specialist counters in Susukino.

   4. Afternoon

      Sapporo Beer Museum

      Book dinner at the beer garden next door and try Sapporo Classic, a lager sold only in Hokkaido. (1–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Ganso Ramen Yokocho

      Come early in the evening to avoid queues, and pay at the ticket machine or counter as each shop directs.

3. Day 3: Hokkaido Shrine and Sapporo Maruyama Zoo

   Hokkaido Shrine, Sapporo Maruyama Zoo and Moerenuma Park, then Susukino in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hokkaido Shrine

      Walk from Maruyama-Koen station through the park and continue to the zoo or the Mount Maruyama trail. (1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Sapporo Maruyama Zoo

      Visit the polar-bear building first thing, when the bears are usually most active. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Soup curry

      Specialist soup-curry restaurants throughout the centre, many with vegetable versions.

   4. Afternoon

      Moerenuma Park

      Rent a bicycle at the park entrance in summer; the grounds are large, and the walk to the top of Mount Moere gives views over the city. (Half a day, free).

   5. Evening

      Susukino

      Multi-storey buildings full of tiny bars, izakaya and karaoke around the Susukino crossing, open late into the night.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Otaru

   About 35–45 minutes by JR rapid train each way. Getting there: JR train from Sapporo Station to Otaru.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Otaru

      About 35–45 minutes by JR rapid train (JR train from Sapporo Station to Otaru); about 35 km.

   2. Day

      Otaru

      A former herring and trading port with a preserved stone-warehouse canal, glass workshops, a large music-box museum and a street of sushi restaurants. Best for couples, first-timers and food lovers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Sapporo

      Dinner: try Seafood rice bowl.

5. Day 5: Shiroi Koibito Park and Historical Village of Hokkaido

   Shiroi Koibito Park, Historical Village of Hokkaido and Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, then Tanukikoji and Odori in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Shiroi Koibito Park

      Reserve a slot for the biscuit-making workshop if you are travelling with children; it fills at weekends and in holidays. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Historical Village of Hokkaido

      Combine it with the Hokkaido Museum in the same forest park for a full day on the island's history. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Seafood rice bowl

      Counter restaurants in Nijo Market and the outer market of the Central Wholesale Market.

   4. Afternoon

      Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium

      Try the ski-jump simulator in the museum before riding the lift, so you appreciate the drop from the start gate. (1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Tanukikoji and Odori

      Quieter craft-beer bars, whisky bars and izakaya between Odori and Susukino.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Sapporo Station area keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Odori ($$$) suits first-timers, couples and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–25 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9 hours in December to 15.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Sapporo
• 2 days in Sapporo
• 3 days in Sapporo

Questions travellers ask