Sapporo is the most atypical, coldest, youngest and most westernized city in Japan.
Despite being the fifth most populated city in the country, with almost two million inhabitants, it is very far from the human anthill that is the first four.
It seems like a provincial city if you compare it with Tokyo or Yokohama.
And its barely 155 years of history—it was founded in 1869 to house the capital of the island, incorporated that same year into the Japanese empire—are like a notch in the epidermis of historic cities like Kyoto, which has more than 1,000 temples in its ancient temples. years of memory.
Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido, the northernmost of the four large islands that make up Japan.
Created from scratch in the middle of the Mieji era (1868-1912), when the country opened to the world after 250 years of total closure during the Edo era, the authorities had the help of American urban planners who planned a modern city, western style.
That's why here you won't find narrow alleys full of steaming
izakayas
or Shinto shrines with beams of ancient cedar trees.
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Paco Nadal's five recommendations: what to do in Hokkaido, a wild and unknown island in Japan
A dynamic and modern city, which has become famous as a winter sports center thanks to the snowfall that covers the peaks of the island every year and as the headquarters of a very famous Snow Festival, in which hundreds of snowfalls are created every February. of sculptures and statues made of ice and snow, in a winter spectacle only surpassed in size and variety by a similar festival held in Harbin (China).
Beyond its status as an ideal base for exploring the island in spring and summer - when Hokkaido becomes an explosion of color, flowers and life - or in winter, when its exclusive ski resorts open, Sapporo offers many other things of interest .
These are 12 of them:
Clock Tower
The Sapporo Clock Tower.
Ida Plaza
It is the oldest clock tower in Japan, and the original American-made machinery continues to keep time 128 years later.
It was installed in the late 19th century in the American architectural style building—one of the few surviving Western-style buildings in Sapporo—which originally featured a bell tower.
Inside the monument the history of the building and the origins of the city are displayed (in Japanese).
Admission: 200 yen (general admission).
Hours: 8:45 a.m. to 5:10 p.m.
Hoheikan Guest House
Exterior of the Hoheikan Guest House, in the Japanese city. Ida Plaza
This is another of the city's architectural jewels.
Hoheikan Guest House is a stately home built as a Western-style hotel in Nakajima Park, a 24-hectare urban oasis home to more than 5,000 trees and a concert hall.
It dates back to 1880 and the emperors of the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods stayed there.
Today it is used for various events, from weddings to concerts.
Once inside, the red carpets hint at its rich history as a venue for high society balls.
Admission: 300 yen (general admission).
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Former Hokkaido Government Office
The former government office of Hokkaido, currently undergoing rehabilitation works. Ida Plaza
This is another vestige of Western-style buildings that emerged during Hokkaido's modernization process.
It is known as the red brick office due to its structure, representative of the buildings of that period.
It incorporates elements from various parts of Europe, such as the mansard roof and comb-shaped arches.
It is currently undergoing extensive rehabilitation (scheduled for completion in 2025) so that it continues to fulfill its role as a historical and cultural icon of Sapporo.
Television Tower
Views of Sapporo from the top of the Television Tower.Sean Pavone (GETTY IMAGES) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The Sapporo Television Tower is one of its most emblematic monuments, and is located east of Odori Park, it has dominated the city since 1957 at a height of 147.2 meters.
Regardless of the weather conditions, it is always possible to take the elevator to the observation deck at 90.38 meters above sea level to enjoy 360-degree views of the city.
In fact, on clear days it is possible to see the Sea of Japan.
Those who suffer from vertigo can always take a photo with the tower in the background in the Odori Park area, where the letters with the name of the city are located and which combine perfectly with the metal structure.
Admission: 1,000 yen (general admission).
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Odori Park
Odori Park structures the center of Sapporo for 1.5 kilometers, from east to west.
It is a walk adorned with flowers and trees frequented by tourists and locals.
It is also where some of the most emblematic events of the Japanese city take place, from the Snow Festival in winter to the Autumn Festival.
A social and cultural hotbed outdoors all year round.
And the place where the traveler passes dozens of times during their stay.
JR Tower Observatory
Sapporo train station, next to the JR T38 building.Image navi - QxQ images / Alamy / CORDON PRESS
The JR T38 Tower Observatory is another must-see, directly connected to the Sapporo Train Station building.
It reaches a height of 160 meters and offers an impressive panoramic view of the city.
At night from the bar you can see the city through spotlights.
On clear days the views take in the coast, the plains and the surrounding mountains.
Admission: 740 yen (general admission).
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Susukino
One of the streets of the lively Susukino neighborhood.Ida Plaza
It is the nightlife district of Sapporo, so it is the place to go when night falls for atmosphere, restaurants and drinks.
It is very easy to locate: just exit at the metro station of the same name to be surrounded by crowds eager for nightlife.
The facades are full of the gigantic neon signs that one imagines when thinking about modern Japan.
The offer ranges from
izakayas
(traditional Japanese taverns) to international food restaurants, bars, karaoke bars and nightclubs.
Ramen Alley
Food stalls at Ramen Alley, Sapporo.Ida Plaza
Ramen
Alley
is another essential place to visit, especially if you are a lover of ramen, that bowl overflowing with broth, noodles, egg, bacon and dozens of ingredients with a unique seasoning that is the popular food of Japan (yes, more than shusi).
The experience is not at all sophisticated;
On the contrary, it is popular and cheap, a wonderful immersion in Japanese culture.
Tanuki Koji
Shops in Tanuki Koji shopping center.Ida Plaza
For those interested in shopping, Tanuki Koji is one of the largest and oldest shopping arcades in the city.
Its history dates back to 1873, it occupies about seven blocks and houses more than 200 stores.
There is everything: from cheap
souvenirs
to jewelry, fashion stores, tea rooms, vegan restaurants and gaming centers.
Guaranteed entertainment.
Nijo fish market
One of the stalls at the Nijo fish market in Sapporo.Ida Plaza
In Sapporo there are many fish markets, one of the riches of the island of Hokkaido thanks to the three ocean currents that surround it.
The Nijo fish market, on the same Nijo street, is the best stocked and the most popular among visitors.
There are all kinds of seafood, especially shellfish, sea urchins, scallops, crabs and countless fish.
A unique pantry that also supplies much of the island of Honshū.
It has been in operation for the last 125 years and there are restaurants where you can eat fresh seafood as well as
souvenir
shops .
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sapporo Okurayama Ski Jumping Stadium and Olympic Museum
Views of the city of Sapporo from the top of the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium.Ida Plaza
Located 307 meters above sea level, the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium is a ski jumping observatory that overlooks the city with stunning urban views.
The most veterans will remember those 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympic Games, in which Paquito Fernández Ochoa won the first and only gold medal in Spanish winter sports.
The access chairlift operates all year round (including summer nights).
To complete the visit you can enter the Sapporo Olympic Museum, at the base of the jump, which has exhibits that show the history and Olympic spirit of the city.
Admission: 1,000 yen (general admission).
Elevator hours to the observatory: from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (in winter, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
Museum hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (in winter, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
The historic town of Hokkaido
The Hokkaido Historical Village, just outside the city of Sapporo.sanga park / Alamy / CORDON PRESS
One of the most recommended visits is on the outskirts of the city, in Shinrin Park, about 15 minutes by train from the JR Hakodate central line station.
The Hokkaido Historical Village is an open-air museum where more than 60 traditional houses from the island were moved, dismantled and reassembled there, to save them from abandonment or demolition.
The environments are very diverse: a school, a pharmacy, a guest house, the town blacksmith shop, the food store, a hospital, a stately home, other more humble ones, the fishmonger, a farm... A trip to the past of the country where you can see how people lived and traded during the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1812-1926) periods.
Part of the exhibition can be visited by horse-drawn carriage.
Admission: 800 yen.
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Mondays, closed).
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