30 Best Things to do in Sapporo
Looking for the best things to do in Sapporo, Japan?
Hokkaido’s vibrant capital city has so many great activities. We’ve spent a ton of time here on our travels throughout Japan and we’ve had fun discovering everything this city has to offer. Since Sapporo is one of the biggest cities in Japan, we also know that it can be hard to know where to start, because there’s just so much to do.
So, with that in mind, we’ve rounded up the 30 best things to do in Sapporo. From beer tours and food markets to mountains and ski slopes, we’re going to cover it all.
Things to do in Sapporo, Japan
1. Visit the Sapporo Beer Museum
The name “Sapporo” is synonymous with beer! In fact, Sapporo is Japan’s oldest beer brand and it was first brewed here in the city back in 1876. Although the company’s HQ is now in Tokyo, Sapporo was brewed and bottled here until 1987, so as beer lovers, we just had to go!
There are two ways to visit the Sapporo Beer Museum. There is a paid tour you can take for 1,000 JPY ($7 USD), but you’ll need to book it at least a month in advance. It runs every day except Monday and is all in Japanese, although you can get an audio guide in English or Korean for an extra 500 JPY. It was already booked up by the time we decided to go, so we just did the free tour instead.
The free tour was a self-guided tour of the museum. There were QR codes that we could scan with our phones to get the information in English, and it finished in Star Hall, which is the museum’s tasting room.
Seatings are limited to 30 minutes, so although we had to queue to get in, the line moved pretty quickly. We paid 1,000 JPY ($7 USD) each for a tasting flight and then sat down to enjoy three of the different brews that we had learned about earlier.
2. Have lunch at the Genghis Khan Hall at Sapporo Brewery
Genghis Khan is a Japanese barbecue dish that actually originates from right here in Hokkaido! So of course, we had to try it while we were at the Sapporo Brewery.
Genghis Khan consists of lamb or mutton, and vegetables. You cook it yourself on a cast iron skillet, which honestly, was half the fun for us! At the Genghis Khan Hall at the brewery, they had two all-you-can-eat options. The standard one was 4,000 JPY ($27 USD) and the premium version cost 6,000 JPY ($41 USD), so we went with the cheaper option and we had no regrets.
When they say all-you-can-eat, they really mean it here. We could just keep ordering as much food as we wanted for two hours, and we also added the all-you-can-drink package for 1,680 JPY ($11.50 USD) each. It included beer, high balls, wine, and Japanese sours, so as you can imagine, it made our meal even better!
There was also an a-la-carte menu available, but it was pretty expensive. The all-you-can-eat is definitely the most wallet-friendly way to enjoy this place.
The only thing we will say is that the room we ate in got very smoky at points. So if you have asthma or are sensitive to smoke, you might want to skip this one.
3. Go skiing
As well as beer, Sapporo is also famous for snow. In fact, it’s one of the best places to go skiing in Japan!
There are a couple of resorts close to the city where you can easily take a day trip. Probably the most convenient choice is Bankei, which is just 20 minutes from central Sapporo. It costs 4,300 JPY ($29 USD) for a 6-hour lift pass, and it’s great for beginners and families. Plus, the slopes stay open until 10 pm, so if you’ve ever fancied night skiing, now’s your chance!
Alternatively, Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort is just an hour away from the city center and there are 7 different runs to keep you busy, ranging from beginner to advanced. A lift ticket costs 4,600 JPY ($31 USD) per day and rentals are available on site.
Advanced skiers will also love the Teine resort, which is about 40 minutes from central Sapporo. Let me tell you, the views from up here are amazing, and it’s also home to the famous “Kitakable Course”. This is a pretty extreme slope with a gradient that reaches up to 36°!
Or, you can do what we did and head to Niseko for a few nights to ski. It’s 2 hours from Sapporo so it’s a little far for a day trip, but we loved staying here. A lift pass costs 10,500 JPY ($71.50 USD) per day, so it’s a little pricier than the ones in Sapporo, but this is one of the best ski resorts in Japan. The snow is world-class and the resort caters to skiers of all abilities.
4. Head up the Sapporo TV Tower
The Sapporo TV Tower is a big red antenna in the middle of the city, and you can go right up to the top for 360° views of the city. How cool is that?
This is a pretty quick thing to do, and it’s cheap at just 1,000 JPY per person, but we actually purchased tickets online ahead of time for $6.87 USD. The ticket guaranteed we would get in and could be used any time during the day we purchased it for. You can also show up on the day and buy tickets there if you want.
Once we got to the top, the views really blew us away! We went during the day and loved the views, but next time we plan on going back at night. We could see for miles during the day, so we think that the view at night is probably pretty great, too.
Pre-book tickets to the Sapporo TV Tower here!
5. Head up Mount Moiwa
Mount Moiwa is a (relatively) small mountain that overlooks the city of Sapporo. The views up here were even better than from the Sapporo TV Tower! And to be honest, getting up here was half the fun.
We used the Sapporo Streetcar to get to the base of Mount Moiwa. It runs in a loop around the city, and we got off at the Ropeway Iriguchi stop. From there, you can either cross the road and hop into the free shuttle to the ropeway station, or you can walk, which is what we did. We regretted it, however, because it was all uphill!
We paid 2,100 JPY ($14 USD) each for return tickets to the top of the mountain. The ride starts on the ropeway, which goes ¾ of the way up, and then we got out and changed to the mini cableway for the rest of the ascent. It only took about 5 minutes in total and we loved the views, which only got better once we arrived at the summit.
In the summer, many people just buy a one-way ticket to get to the top of Mount Moiwa, and then hike back down along the trails. However, the snow and ice means that this is not a good idea in the winter, so do what we did and buy a round trip ticket!
At the top of the mountain, there’s a gift shop, cafe, and restaurant (which we’ll talk more about in a moment), as well as an observation deck that you can walk around. The mountain closes between the March 25 and April 25 for maintenance, and on New Year’s Eve, but otherwise, it’s open daily. The ropeway opens at 10:30 am during summer and 11 am in winter, and closes at 10 pm.
6. Have dinner at The Jewels
The Jewels is the restaurant at the top of Mount Moiwa. It’s a classy restaurant that serves amazing French-Japanese cuisine and of course, incredible views from the floor-to-ceiling windows! We think it’s perfect for couples looking for a romantic spot to enjoy a meal.
They offer set menus which start at around 6,380 JPY ($43.50 USD) for dinner. Guaranteed window seats do cost extra, starting at 8,800 JPY ($60 USD) per person. To be honest, we think that the view is worth paying a little extra for if you can.
Although this is one of the pricier places to dine in Sapporo, you do get your ropeway tickets included if you have a dinner reservation! You can make a reservation through Tablecheck.
The Jewels is open for dinner daily from 5-9 pm. Along with the rest of Mount Moiwa, it closes between March 25-April 25 every year for the ropeway’s annual maintenance.
7. Eat the best ramen on Ramen Alley (Ganso Ramen Yokocho Sapporo)
Obviously, you want to eat as much ramen as you can while you’re in Japan, so don’t miss Sapporo’s Ramen Alley – aka Ganso Ramen Yokocho Sapporo. This is a small street that’s only home to ramen shops. Seriously, you won’t find anything else down here!
Ramen Alley is home to some of the best ramen in the city. Our favorite spot is Sapporo Ramen Hakura, and it’s a great choice for tourists because the staff are super friendly and welcoming, and speak good English. However, Teshikaga Ramen is really good, too. We loved the Yakiniku pork miso!
Both of these spots are popular, so expect to see lines coming out of the door at peak times. Expect to wait at least 30 minutes, but sometimes, we’ve waited for over an hour! However, we’ve learned how to avoid this by going either when they first open, or are about to close. They both open for lunch and close for the evening before reopening again for dinner, so our tip would be to enjoy either a late lunch or an early dinner here if you don’t want to wait.
Waiting times are much shorter during the week, too. The Japanese tend to eat out a lot more on weekends, so weeknights are generally quieter.
8. Let your hair down on a bar and food tour
We took this food tour as soon as we arrived in Sapporo, and would highly recommend that you do the same! We found it was an awesome way to get to know the city, and we got lots of recommendations from our guide.
Plus, lots of the places we visited became our go-to spots!
We met our guide in the evening and hopped between some really cool izakayas, which are tucked-away bars that serve small plates of food. We would never have found any of these places on our own, especially as all of the signage is in Japanese, so it was really worth going with a guide.
Our guide also taught us how to order in Japanese and showed us what’s what inside an izakaya. We got to have a drink at each stop, and we were able to choose whatever we liked, but our guide did give us some recommendations each time. Over the course of the night, we tried sake, Japanese highballs, and Japanese sours, which we loved!
The tour costs $97 USD per person, and we thought it was so worth it. We got tons of food along the way, too, and left feeling really full. It’s a popular food tour that does sell out, so book in advance if you can. It was such a cool way to get to know Sapporo better.
Book this 5-star food tour here!
Related Read: If you’d like to check out another food tour, we’ve picked out the best food tours in Tokyo after trying out a few!
9. Visit the Sapporo Clock Tower
We will preface this by saying that this attraction isn’t for everyone, but we loved it.
The Sapporo Clock Tower itself isn’t really anything special – in fact, we would have walked straight past it had we not researched it beforehand. However, when we went inside, there were older, retired Japanese people working as guides. They’re really friendly and will tell you all about the history of both the tower and the city for free!
We got a private tour of the clock tower by the kindest elderly man. He also showed us a life-size pendulum clock in a glass case, which is there to show visitors how clocks used to work back in the day. This clock is over 140 years old and is still wound once a week!
All in all, visiting the clock tower was such a wholesome experience and it’s also a great place to get a Japanese stamp if you’re collecting them on your travels! Entry to the tower is only 200 JPY ($1.30 USD), and we were really glad that we did this.
10. Head to the Nijo Market for breakfast
Seafood for breakfast anyone?
Okay, so if you’re more of a pancakes and waffles person, breakfast at the Nijo Market may not be your thing, but it’s still worth going to check out the market. And as seafood lovers, we really enjoyed our breakfast here.
We strolled around the market and saw all of the fresh crabs and seafood. Honestly, they were some of the biggest crabs we had ever seen, and there were tons of places to buy steamed king crab to eat there and then. However, we headed to the small restaurant inside the market for some miso crab soup instead. It was absolutely delicious and only cost 700 JPY ($5 USD), so this is a must-try!
This private Sapporo sightseeing tour visits the market, and gives you the benefit of going with a guide. We actually wish that we had done this, as it would have been really helpful to have a guide point out the best stalls and help us get over the language barrier. This is a super local market and we were the only international tourists there when we went, so having a private guide would have been super useful.
If you’d like to visit the market with a guide, reserve this tour here!
11. Make Japanese handmade soba noodles
Soba noodles are a staple of Japanese cuisine – not to mention super delicious. Besides, Hokkaido is the biggest producer of soba noodles in Japan, and therefore the world. So when we found out we could take this soba noodle-making class, we jumped at the chance!
The class is in the Nishi Ward, which is a super local area. We took the train here, but it’s also just a 15-minute taxi ride from the city center.
Our hosts didn’t speak tons of English, but they were so sweet and knew enough to instruct us. They taught us how to mix the dough by hand and cut up the noodles properly. Then, they cooked them for us and served them along with a delicious sauce, which was like a broth that we dipped the noodles in.
We ordered some tempura veggies and shrimp to go with our soba noodles for an extra 1,000 JPY ($7 USD). We actually had the option to make the tempura ourselves which we didn’t choose, but we ended up wishing that we had!
The class costs $72 USD per person, which we think is pretty good considering you get a private cooking class and a huge meal. Seriously, we were stuffed and skipped dinner that night. It’s a nice way to get to know the local culture better, and we think it would be a really fun activity for families. It’s no wonder this class has raving reviews – read all the 5-stars reviews here!
Book the noodle making class here to reserve now and pay nothing!
12. Try a Yakitate cheese tart
Also known as Hokkaido tarts, these are so yummy! Yakitate cheese tarts are made up of crunchy shortcrust pastry and a creamy filling made with local dairy products. The filling actually reminds me of a gooey cheesecake, only less sweet. It’s cheesy and tangy, and oh-so-delicious – in fact, I could eat these every day.
Head to Kinotoya Bake in the city center for the best cheese tart of all. Expect a queue outside the cafe, but don’t worry, it’s worth it! To save ourselves from queuing again, we grabbed a few and took them back to our hotel. In fact, the staff will be really grateful if you share your tarts with them, although I always struggle not to eat them all myself!
It only costs 250 JPY ($1.70 USD) per tart, and they can last for up to 3 days in the fridge. But trust me, you’ll end up eating them long before then.
13. Day trip to Otaru and Yoichi
It’s definitely worth getting out of Sapporo for a day trip while you’re here. We loved visiting the cute town of Otaru and going to Yoichi for the famous Nikka Distillery!
We rented a car to drive to Niseko, and stopped at Otaru and Yoichi on the way. In Otaru, we loved stopping at LeTao, which was a sweet store where we bought the most amazing chocolates! It’s located on Sakaimachi Street, which is a cute area with great restaurants and tons of shopping. We just had to stop in the Snoopy Store!
In Otaru, we also did a cruise along the historic canal which was super fun. We booked it online in advance because it usually sells out. It cost 1,800 JPY ($12 USD) each and lasted for 40 minutes. The commentary was in Japanese, but luckily they had an English audio guide that we could listen to!
Then, in Yoichi, the Nikka Distillery is the main attraction. Taking a tour is a must here but they book up weeks in advance, so make sure to grab your spot at least a month ahead of time! The tours are free and they’re conducted in Japanese, but English audio guides and pamphlets are available. Oh, and you get to do a free whiskey tasting at the end – how “neat” is that?
Or, for those without their own wheels in Sapporo, we highly recommend this sightseeing tour. It’s private, so you can tailor it to your interests, and it covers the best attractions, like the Distillery, the Sankaku Market, and the Music Box Museum. It’s so worth having a local guide to show you around, as this way you won’t miss anything. It costs around $400 USD per group of up to 8 people.
14. Try traditional ice cream at Snow Brand Parlor Sapporo Flagship Shop
This classic ice cream shop is a Sapporo icon! So, since Bailey has a huge sweet tooth, we had to stop in and check it out.
Hokkaido is famous for its dairy, and Snow Brand Parlor is one of its most popular ice cream brands. Its flagship store is right here in Sapporo, which has been open since 1961, and the ice cream is soooo good. Seriously, I think it’s some of the best I’ve ever had!
We had matcha ice cream with red beans, which was certainly interesting. But if you love classic vanilla, then get the Snow Royal. This is a special type of ice cream that was made for the Showa Emperor when he visited the store in 1968. It’s made with a high percentage of cream and no eggs, and you can only get it right here in the flagship store!
15. Try Japanese Soup Curry
Soup curry is yet another Hokkaido specialty that you have to try while you’re here! It’s fragrant and comforting, and we ate tons of it when we visited Sapporo during the winter.
It’s said that soup curry was born in the 1970s, when the chef at a local Indian restaurant used Chinese spices and Indian curry powders to make a staff meal for the waiters. It became so popular that it quickly earned a place on the customer menu, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, there are hundreds of places all over Sapporo where you can try soup curry. One is Ajanta, the restaurant where the dish is said to have been born, but we loved Curry and Cafe SAMA. In fact, this place is such a hit that they now have locations in Hong Kong and Singapore!
16. Visit a shrine
Japan is famous for its Shinto shrines, and there are a few to see in Sapporo. The most famous one is Hokkaido Jingu, or the Sapporo shrine, which is dedicated to three guardian gods and Emperor Meiji. This is a popular spot for worship, and it’s surrounded by nice grounds and a traditional Japanese tea house.
The shrine is beautiful, and very photogenic, especially during the winter or in cherry blossom season. However, bear in mind that this is a place of great spiritual importance for Japanese people, so dress conservatively and be respectful.
You can drive to the Sapporo shrine, as there are two parking lots, or you can take the subway to Maruyama Park Station. From there, it’s a 15-minute walk to the grounds.
We also visited the Sapporo Fushimi Inari Shrine, which is just a short walk from the ropeway station at the base of Mount Moiwa. This is a fairly small shrine so we just paid a quick visit, but it was beautiful. It’s best to go during spring, summer, or autumn.
17. Try Japanese whisky
Japan is famous for its whisky, and the best place to try it is at the Nikka Distillery! It’s an hour outside of the city and distillery tours must be booked way in advance, but it’s free and includes a tasting at the end.
However, all is not lost if you’ve left it too late to book the Nikka Distillery tour. There are plenty of places to try Japanese whisky in the city, but our favorite spot is Bar Mizunara. They have a huge selection of whisky and they offer 10ml tasting glasses of each one, so we had a blast trying all different types here. And if you find one you really like, you can also just buy a glass of it, or get a whisky cocktail!
18. Sapporo Art Park
Sapporo Art Park is a cool art complex nestled within a forest! It consists of a museum, art and craft studios, music rooms, an outdoor stage, and a restaurant. This is a super unique place to check out, and it’s especially nice during the summer when the weather’s good.
One of the highlights of the park is definitely the Sculpture Garden, where there are tons of eye-catching works to see. It’s definitely worth the 700 JPY ($5 USD) entry fee! The exhibitions and craft workshops change all the time, but it’s worth checking out what’s on before you go. Or, you can just turn up and wander around, because there’s always something here!
As we say, this is more of a summer activity, but between early January and mid-March visitors can go snowshoeing around the park! Between 9:45 am and 3:30 pm, traditional kanjiki snowshoes are available to rent for 500 JPY ($3.50 USD) per person. It’s such a cool way to see all of the sculptures!
The Art Park is about 30-minutes drive from the city center, and it costs 500 JPY ($3.50 USD) per vehicle to park. Or, you can take the Nanboku (green) subway line to Makomanai Station, and then take either the Soranuma or Takino bus from there to the Geijutsu no Mori Iriguchi or the Geijutsu no Mori Center stops.
19. Have the best hot chocolate at Saturdays
We visited Sapporo during the winter, so of course we were on the lookout for great hot chocolate, and we certainly found that at Saturdays! It’s a chocolate factory and cafe where they make bean-to-bar chocolate on site.
We found out they have a cozy cafe where you can enjoy chocolate and coffee pairings, although we opted for a chocolate pairing with hot chocolate … there’s no such things as too much chocolate right?! It was absolutely amazing – truly some of the best we’ve ever had.
They also sell chocolate from the cafe, so we highly recommend grabbing a bar for later. All of Saturdays chocolate is ethically made and they partner with farms in countries like Uganda, Ghana, and Indonesia. In fact, they’re super transparent about where all of their ingredients come from, so this truly is guilt-free chocolate!
20. Botanic Garden Hokkaidō University
Hokkaido University is one of the oldest in Japan, and it’s definitely worth going to check out the university’s botanic garden in central Sapporo if you’re here during the warmer months. It’s especially beautiful during the cherry blossom and fall foliage seasons!
We love wandering around botanical gardens, and this one is home to around 4,000 plants from all over Hokkaido.
The garden is open from late April until early November, but in the winter you can still go and check out the greenhouse! Admission during summer costs 420 JPY ($3 USD), or greenhouse-only admission in winter is just 120 JPY ($.82 USD). The garden is usually open from 9 am until 4:30 pm, although the hours are slightly shorter at the beginning and end of the season.
21. Explore Hokkaido on a tour
Hokkaido is a very beautiful island, and so we were keen to get out of the city for a while and soak in the stunning scenery. We booked this 5-star sightseeing tour because we wanted to see as much as possible in one day, and we were so glad that we did!
We started off the day with a visit to Asahiyama Zoo, where we saw polar bears, hippos, penguins, and even reindeer! Then, we got to visit the Shirogane Blue Pond, which is a man-made pond, although its vivid blue color is a result of natural minerals in the water. It looked amazing during the winter, like a scene from a postcard!
Then, we saw the Shirahige Falls, which looked pretty amazing frozen over. And finally, we wrapped up the day at Ningle Terrace, which is a super cute tourist village with log cabins everywhere. It feels a bit like the North Pole.
We loved this tour and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see a lot of Hokkaido in a day. We paid $480 USD for the two of us, but different packages are available and it’s cheaper the more people you book for.
Read recent reviews and book this tour easily here!
Related Read: To see more wildlife including the famous snow monkeys, plan a visit to Nagano with our guide!
22. Cooking class
As foodies, we love taking cooking classes. They’re so much fun and a great way to get to know Japanese culture better. During this cooking class, we got to make a smorgasbord of delicious dishes, from teriyaki chicken to agedashi tofu and the famous soup curry that we mentioned earlier. Yum!
What we love about this tour is that it’s a private class, so you get your instructors’ full attention. It’s not just a cooking class either. It also includes a tour of the Nijo Ichiba market and lunch afterwards – that’s right, you get to eat everything you’ve made, and wash it down with a couple of local beers. What’s not to like?
Hokkaido is known for its fantastic food, so getting to learn about the regional cuisine from locals is not an opportunity to pass up while you’re here! Kanae was such a great host and we had a blast learning how to cook with her.
This tour costs around $80 USD per person, depending on the size of your group. It’s begins outside Maruyama Koen Station, so it’s super easy to get to.
Book this cooking class here to access free cancellation!
23. Try Sesame Ice Cream at K.L.I.M Susukino store
If you like ice cream, heading to the K.L.I.M. Susukino store is a must! They’re famous for their sesame ice cream, which is a black soft serve. It looks a bit odd, but we were surprised by how yummy it was.
When you order, we highly recommend trying the K.L.I.M original parfait with the sesame ice cream. It comes with coconut milk and tapioca pearls, as well as black sesame sauce. It will look great on your Instagram feed and we couldn’t get enough of it!
K.L.I.M. is a late-night place, usually open from 7 pm until 2 or 2:30 am! So when you grab dinner in the city center, save room for dessert and come here afterwards. You can take your ice cream to go, but there’s also a small, cozy attic for guests to sit in upstairs. Just be aware that everyone in your group will have to buy something to be able to sit up there!
24. See the city with a local guide
We actually mentioned this sightseeing tour earlier, as it takes you to the super-local Nijo Market! In fact, what’s awesome about this tour is that you get a local guide just for you and your group to show you the real Sapporo. The itinerary is flexible, but it’s all about getting off the beaten track and checking out hidden gems that tourists usually miss out on.
Although there’s a suggested base itinerary, you can just let your tour guide know what you want to do and they’ll plan the itinerary accordingly. So whether you’re desperate to discover the city’s best curry soup, check out awesome viewpoints, visit the Beer Museum, or explore beautiful local parks and shrines, this tour has you covered.
The length of the tour is flexible, too, with 3, 4, 6 and 8-hour options available. Prices start from $98 USD per person, although it does vary according to the length of the tour and the number of people.
As well as providing a great local insight into Sapporo, we also think that this tour is perfect for those who are short on time. Having a private local guide is a surefire way to maximize your time and hit all of the city’s true must-see spots!
Book this custom sightseeing tour online here!
25. Rokkatei Sapporo Main Store
Rokkatei is a famous confectionery company from Hokkaido, and their flagship store is right here in Sapporo. They’re famous for their butter sandwiches, which consists of two biscuits filled with white chocolate, cream, and raisins – yum!
The Main Store has a dessert cafe on the second floor, but we just stopped in to grab some takeaway treats. We bought a ton of different Japanese treats to try, including wafer cakes, chocolates, and of course the famous butter sandwiches. We filled up a whole bag but spent less than $20 USD (or 3,200 JPY). If you need some travel snacks, definitely make a beeline for this place and stock up for the rest of your trip.
The store is a little difficult to find as there is no signage out front. It’s on Google maps, though, so put it into your phone and it will lead you to a large building that looks like an apartment block or mall. Go inside, and the store entrance will be there on your right.
26. Historic Village of Hokkaido
The Historic Village of Hokkaido is an open-air museum made up of 52 different buildings. What’s cool about it is that all of these buildings come from all over Hokkaido and have been relocated to the village and restored, so you really are stepping back in time! In fact, the properties span several different time periods, from the Meiji to the Showa period.
The village opened in the 1980s to educate visitors about the island’s past, and it’s such a great way to discover Hokkaido’s heritage. So if you’re a history buff, you’ll want to visit! It’s a 30-minute drive from the city center or you can take the JR Hokkaido Bus #22.
The Historic Village is open daily between May and September, from 9 am until 5 pm. From April until October, it closes at 4:30 pm and doesn’t open on Mondays, or the day after a public holiday.
27. Eat Sushi at Katsuissen
We love sushi and so we were delighted when we found Katsuissen! It’s a conveyor belt sushi restaurant and it’s one of the most affordable spots to eat sushi in Sapporo.
It’s also super easy for those who don’t speak Japanese, because everything is ordered off of a screen, and they have an English menu. There are photos, too, which makes it easy if you don’t have sushi often and aren’t sure what to order!
Unsurprisingly, all of this means that Katsuissen is pretty popular. There’s usually a line to be seated, so we would recommend visiting at off-peak times. Come on a weekday if you can, and try to come between 2-3 pm, when the lunch rush is just finishing, or 4:30-5:30 pm, before the dinner rush starts.
28. Shikotsu-Toya National Park
Shikotsu-Toya National Park is a stunning national park just 35 minutes outside of Sapporo. It’s known for its two large caldera lakes, which are both surrounded by towering volcanoes.
There are a ton of outdoor activities here, especially during summer. Although, having said that, you can also go snowshoeing here in the winter!
From kayaking on Lake Shikotsu and cable car rides up Mount Usu to birdwatching in the forest and hiking in the Mount Yotei Area, there is a ton to do in this national park. We would be here all day if we covered it all, but visiting Jigokudani – aka Hell Valley – to see the geothermal activity is a definite must. In fact, we would love to spend a few days in this park and camp in the Jozankei Nature Village.
Public transport to the park is limited and time-consuming, so we would recommend either renting a car or booking this private tour. This way, there’s no planning or navigation involved, which is super useful as the National Park is huge!
You’ll get to enjoy some short hikes, admire the beautiful lakes, ride the cable car up Mount Usu for beautiful views, and of course, see the steam vents and volcanic streams at Hell Valley. Prices start at only $186 USD per person if you book for 4 people, which we think is so worth it to see this epic National Park!
Easily book a day trip to the national park with this tour!
29. Ride the Ferris Wheel
Okay, I’ll level with you here. The Sapporo ferris wheel is not a must do, but I think it could be a great activity for families, as kids are likely to enjoy it.
It’s located on the roof of the Norbesa shopping mall, so if you have some spare time, enjoying views of the city from up high is never a bad thing. I just wouldn’t go out of your way to do it.
Saying that, we did quite enjoy our ride on the wheel. It only lasted 10 minutes, but for 1,000 JPY ($7 USD) each, we really couldn’t complain. It’s a short and sweet activity, and it’s open from 11 am until 11 pm (or later on Fri/Sat nights) so you can get daytime or nighttime views.
30. Explore the underground city of Sapporo
We first visited Sapporo in winter, and we noticed that the streets were very quiet! This is because the city has a network of underground tunnels, which connect to train stations and shopping malls. So, when it’s cold or wet outside, you can stay warm and dry underground!
Honestly, though, the underground city is a really cool place to explore at any time of year, and locals do use it during every season.
We loved wandering around, checking out the shops, eating Hokkaido cheese tarts, and just taking in the bustling atmosphere. It’s also easy to navigate, and it appears on Google Maps as a red shadow.
Where to Stay in Sapporo
Now that you know just how much Sapporo has to offer, you’ll want to spend at least a few days here. Luckily there are a ton of hotels to choose from for all budgets. To help your search, we’ve narrowed it down to our top hotels for a variety of budgets!
JR Tower Hotel – $$$
Location and views are the main reasons for choosing the JR Tower Hotel in Sapporo. It’s located right above JR Station, so super convenient if you’re taking the train to Sapporo. There isn’t much train noise though as the rooms are high up – which also means great views. There are also two hotel restaurants on the 35th floor of the tower with panoramic city views.
Rooms are a good size, have AC, and smart TVs with Netflix, which is a nice perk. Nightly rates start around $200 USD and can be booked online.
Lamp Light Books Hotel – $$
This is the cutest hotel located on top of a bookshop and cafe. Lamp Light Books Hotel is also on a great shopping and eating street right in the heart of Sapporo and only an 800 JPY ($5.50 USD) taxi ride from Sapporo station. The staff is super helpful and speak great English.
Rooms are spacious for Japan and cozy with a little reading area (in case you buy a book!). A delicious breakfast is included in the room rate which averages around $100 USD/night. Check availability and book here!
Wise Owl Hostels – $
In the center of Sapporo, Wise Owl Hostels is a chain in Japan loved by budget travelers. The location in Sapporo is central with the Sapporo TV Tower and Sapporo Clock Tower nearby. It feels more like a hotel in its design and layout, but there are nice common areas like a lounge and kitchen. It’s a quieter hostel (not a party one!) but you’ll still find lots of games like a Nintendo Switch and ping-pong to mingle with other guests.
There are private rooms that go as low as $34 USD/night with dorm beds starting at only $22 USD/night. This is the place to stay if you’re on a budget! Find the best deals on either Hostelworld or Booking.com.
Thanks for reading!
I hope you’ve filled up your bucket list of everything you want to do and see in Sapporo after reading this! It’s one of the first cities we explored extensively in Japan, but there’s so much to keep us (and you!) coming back. I think we could easily add to this list after every visit!
Whether you’re planning your first trip to Japan or just looking for new places and things to do, take a look through all our blogs about traveling in Japan. We share tons of information to help you have a fantastic time on your travels.
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