Hokkaido is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan.
Sapporo, the prefectural capital of Hokkaido, is a popular tourist spot that consistently ranks high in domestic tourist destination rankings.
Although Sapporo is the central city of Hokkaido, its beautiful cityscape surrounded by abundant nature and gourmet food made from ingredients grown in the great outdoors will satisfy both your appetite and your heart.
In this article, I, a resident of Sapporo, will tell you how many days are enough for sightseeing in Sapporo.
A model course of sightseeing in Sapporo that can be enjoyed in 2 days
If you solely focus on sightseeing in the central part of Sapporo, you can fully enjoy your stay in Sapporo even if you stay only one or two days.
However, if you want to take your time and visit the suburbs of Sapporo, you will need to stay at least 2 nights.
Using a model course as an example, we will introduce recommended areas and sightseeing spots.
Morning of Day 1: Odori Park, Sapporo TV Tower, Sapporo Clock Tower
Located in the central area of Sapporo City, the 1.5-km-long Odori Park is one of the famous sightseeing spots where various events are held every season.
In particular, the YOSAKOI Soran Festival in summer and the Snow Festival in winter are crowded with many tourists every day.
The Sapporo TV Tower is located on Nishi 1-chome in Odori Park, where you can see the cityscape and illumination of Sapporo from about 90 meters above the ground.
A 5-minute walk from Odori Park will take you to the Sapporo Clock Tower, a classic tourist attraction that many Japanese people know from school textbooks.
The Sapporo Clock Tower is also one of the sacred places of the popular manga / anime, Golden Kamuy.
Clock Tower and Golden Kamui Bus🚌💨# Hokkaido # Sapporo # Abashiri # Otaru # Clock Tower# Tourism # History # Ainu # bear # Acilipa# bus # Cartoon # Golden Kamuy# Nakoruru # Limulu # Venison # bear meat# Shakshin # Kanbun Ezo Uprising# Olympics # Olympic Games # Marathon pic.twitter.com/NkCaOhbRx3
- Sapporo Arukun desu @DW (@sapporo_aru) July 10, 2021
For lunch, the area around Odori Station and Susukino Station is recommended.
There are many famous restaurants offering Hokkaido gourmet such as “Soup Curry” and “Sapporo Ramen,” so be sure to research where you want to go in advance.
Shingen, an excellent miso ramen restaurant located in the back of Susukino
- Sho @ Susukino Master🍺 Sapporo Gourmet (@ssknmaster) April 6, 2024
I went there because of the lack of tourists lately, and was very happy to see it back in normal mode with no waiting outside at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday.
It's been a long time since I've been here, but it was still super tasty! This is the place to go for miso that is the soul food of the Sapporo people. pic.twitter.com/JUYxqvhH9D
Afternoon of Day 1: AOAO SAPPORO, Tanukikoji Shopping Street
Located between Odori Park and Susukino is Hokkaido's largest shopping street, Tanukikoji (狸小路; meaning "racoon dog alley").
It is a sightseeing spot with many souvenir stores and restaurants, making it a fun place to see and eat.
It is connected by an arcade, so you can enjoy shopping regardless of the weather.
The aquarium AOAO SAPPORO, located in the "moyuk SAPPORO” shopping center, just opened in July 2023. It is a popular spot among locals.
Why not relax after a long day at the urban aquarium in a fantastic space for adults where you can view your favorite aquarium with a loaf of bread and a drink in hand?
We brought one of our regular customers to AOAO Sapporo as a surprise.
- Total Balance Beauty Planner: Kisei Obara (@Ankh_Recruit) December 3, 2024
It was the first time for both me and Ramseesu-kun!
It was mystical 🥰.#LOVOT #LOVOT Aquarium #AOAO # Sapporo pic.twitter.com/vN0SqwuAeX
The MEGA Don Quijote on Tanukikoji is also particularly popular with foreign tourists, and is the place to buy everything from sweets, cosmetics, alcohol, cosplay costumes, electronics, and more.
It is no exaggeration to say that “when in Sapporo, shopping at Don Quijote on Tanukikoji has become a regular stop”. The penguin mark is the landmark.
For dinner, you can enjoy delicious seafood and sushi at Susukino, or go a little further to Sapporo Beer Garden. Enjoy jingisukan (Hokkaido-local mutton BBQ) and Sapporo Beer at Sapporo Beer Garden.
The evening was at Sapporo Beer Garden! It was my first time and I requested it.
- Concept (@yukimong) October 20, 2024
Oh, this chimney ...... is a golden Kamui, and hey, the building is cool too! I'm just saying, "Hey, the building is cool, too! pic.twitter.com/spMZWV3hKf
Morning of Day 2: Shiroi Koibito Park
On the second day, you can go anywhere you like according to your own preference, but if you are not sure, why not visit Shiroi Koibito Park?
Shiroi Koibito Park is a confectionery theme park operated by Ishiya Seika in Miyanosawa, Nishi-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido.
The Rose Garden has about 200 roses and seasonal flowers, and the best time to visit is from July to August.
In winter, the illumination is beautiful, and it is popular for taking pictures that look great on social media.
In addition to the rose garden, there are many other photo-worthy spots where you can enjoy taking commemorative photos.
In the paid area, you can take a factory tour or experience making their famous cookies, which is especially recommended for families.
Afternoon of Day 2: New Chitose Airport
If you are flying back from Sapporo in the afternoon of the second day, it is recommended to go to New Chitose Airport early.
New Chitose Airport is actually a very popular sightseeing spot.
There are many souvenir stores and popular gourmet restaurants in Hokkaido, where you can enjoy a wide variety of tastes from sweets to food and Sapporo beer.
There is also a hot spring called “New Chitose Airport Hot Spring”, and there are also facilities featuring popular Japanese characters such as “Doraemon Exciting Sky Park” and “Hello Kitty Happy Flight,” so everyone from children to adults can enjoy themselves.
After eating and drinking, you can enjoy Hokkaido until the last minute by watching a movie at the airport's movie theater or relaxing in the hot springs!
Stay 2 nights or more for a more fulfilling sightseeing tour of Sapporo
As mentioned above, you can enjoy sightseeing in Sapporo in 2 days and 1 night, but if you stay more than 2 nights, you can spend more time in one sightseeing spot and taste many gourmet foods in Hokkaido. If you have more time, we recommend that you take a “2-night or longer” trip.
If you have enough time, we recommend a trip of “2 nights or more”. You can enjoy sightseeing in the center of Sapporo on the first day, relax your body and mind at Jozankei Onsen in the suburbs of Sapporo on the second day, and return to New Chitose Airport on the third day.
Otaru City, located about 30 minutes by train from Sapporo, is also a popular tourist destination where you can enjoy the beautiful retro cityscape and fresh seafood at the market, so we recommend spending one day in Otaru for sightseeing!
If possible, stay two or more nights to fully enjoy Sapporo sightseeing!
As you can see, there are many sightseeing spots in Sapporo, Hokkaido, where you can enjoy delicious gourmet food and plenty of attractions.
You can enjoy your visit even if you stay only one or two days, but if you stay more than two nights, you will have a lot of fun and leave with even more memories.
Please refer to the model course introduced here and enjoy your visit to Sapporo to the fullest!
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