Sapporo 3 day itinerary

A 3 day Sapporo plan built from our catalogue. Each stop shows a photo, why to go, the hours it keeps and how to reach the next stop; the hours are checked against the weekday it falls on.

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Day 1 · Fri 4 Dec

Odori Park · Sapporo TV Tower · Sapporo Clock Tower · JR Tower Observation Deck T38

Covers Odori, Central Sapporo and Sapporo Station area. 4 sights and 2 meals. Travel between stops: 5 legs, about 34 min in all.

09:00–10:30
Odori ParkOdori
Photo: redlegsfan21, CC BY-SA 2.0
A strip park crossing the city centre east to west, and the stage of the Snow Festival and seasonal events. Source
No hours in the catalogue
11 min walk to the next stop
11:30–12:30
Ajino SanpeiCentral Sapporo
A long-established shop that advertises the original Sapporo miso ramen, serving a taste handed down through generations. Source
Catalogue hours 11:00–18:30 · Closed Mon · Other closing days apply
6 min walk to the next stop
12:35–14:05
Sapporo TV TowerOdori
Photo: 欅 (Keyaki), CC BY-SA 3.0
A tower at the east end of Odori Park. From the observation deck, the city and the park come into view at a glance. Source
Catalogue hours 09:00–22:00 · Last entry 21:50
5 min walk to the next stop
14:10–15:40
Sapporo Clock TowerCentral Sapporo
Photo: Balon Greyjoy, CC0
A wooden building put up in 1878 as a drill hall. Its clock still strikes the hour. Source
Catalogue hours 08:45–17:00
5 min walk to the next stop
18:00–19:15
Sapporo Kani Honke EkimaeCentral Sapporo
A crab restaurant where you taste crab shabu and crab courses in a folk-craft-style shop. Source
Catalogue hours 11:30–22:00
7 min walk to the next stop
19:30–21:00
JR Tower Observation Deck T38Sapporo Station area
Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5
An observation deck on the 38th floor above Sapporo Station. You see the city’s night view through glass windows. Source
Catalogue hours 10:00–22:00 · Last entry 21:30

Day 2 · Sat 5 Dec

Hokkaido Jingu · Shiroi Koibito Park · Former Hokkaido Government Office · Mount Moiwa Ropeway

Covers Maruyama, Miyanosawa, Central Sapporo, Susukino and Mount Moiwa. 4 sights and 2 meals. Travel between stops: 4 legs, about 100 min in all (ride times are estimates).

09:00–10:30
Hokkaido JinguMaruyama
Photo: Daigaku2051, CC BY-SA 3.0
The shrine that protects the settlement of Hokkaido, in the Maruyama forest. The approach continues into the forest. Source
No hours in the catalogue
About 34 min to the next stop: walk 15 min to Nishi nijuhatchome, Tozai Line from Nishi nijuhatchome to Miyanosawa (4 stops, about 10 min), walk 9 min
11:00–12:30
Shiroi Koibito ParkMiyanosawa
Photo: 掬茶, CC BY-SA 4.0
A theme park with a confectionery factory tour, an English-style garden and cookie making. Source
Catalogue hours 10:00–18:00
About 26 min to the next stop: walk 9 min to Miyanosawa, Tozai Line from Miyanosawa to Nijuyonken (3 stops, about 8 min), walk 9 min
12:55–13:55
Tairyo Sushi WakakomaCentral Sapporo
A sushi restaurant near the outer market. It serves nigiri, seafood rice bowls and grilled dishes together. Source
Catalogue hours 11:00–21:00 · Closed Mon, Thu
About 28 min to the next stop: walk 9 min to Nijuyonken, Tozai Line from Nijuyonken to Odori (5 stops, about 10 min), walk 9 min
14:15–15:45
Former Hokkaido Government OfficeCentral Sapporo
Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5
The former prefectural government building in red brick. Its interior exhibits and garden are open to the public. Source
No hours in the catalogue
12 min walk to the next stop
18:00–19:15
HigenoushiSusukino
A shop near Susukino serving Genghis Khan (grilled mutton) that mixes tradition with new attempts. Source
Catalogue hours 17:00–23:30
19:40–21:10
Mount Moiwa RopewayMount Moiwa
Photo: Route275, CC BY-SA 4.0
A mountain you go up by ropeway and mini cable car to look down on Sapporo’s night view. Source
No hours in the catalogue

Day 3 · Sun 6 Dec

Kitaichi Glass Sangokan · Otaru Canal · Bank of Japan Otaru Museum

Covers Otaru. 3 sights and 2 meals.

09:00–10:30
Kitaichi Glass SangokanOtaru
A glass-craft building with a cafe lit by oil lamps. You look at Otaru glass. Source
No hours in the catalogue
11:30–12:30
Otaru Beer BreweryOtaru
Photo: Braveheart, CC BY-SA 4.0
A local brewery in a canal-side warehouse, where German-style beer is made on site. Source
No hours in the catalogue
12:35–14:05
Otaru CanalOtaru
Photo: Chi ing, CC BY 2.0
A canal promenade lined with stone warehouses. At dusk the gas lamps are lit. Source
No hours in the catalogue
14:15–16:15
Bank of Japan Otaru MuseumOtaru
Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5
A free look at a currency exhibition in the former Bank of Japan branch building. Source
Catalogue hours 09:30–17:00 · Closed Wed
17:30–18:45
Otaru Sankaku MarketOtaru
A triangular market in front of Otaru Station, with seafood shops and rice-bowl restaurants clustered together. Source
No hours in the catalogue

Weekly closing days

The plan runs Friday to Sunday. If you shift it to another weekday, check these first: Day 1: Ajino Sanpei (Mon); Day 2: Tairyo Sushi Wakakoma (Mon, Thu); Day 3: Bank of Japan Otaru Museum (Wed).

Getting around

Tap in and out with a Suica or Pasmo IC card on the trains and metros below (the catalogue lists no fares, so none are quoted here). Walking times follow streets; ride times are estimates. Lines this plan rides: Tozai Line.

Where to stay

Stay within walking distance of a station on one of the lines above: every ride in this plan uses them. The three days cover Odori, Central Sapporo, Sapporo Station area, Maruyama, Miyanosawa, Susukino, Mount Moiwa and Otaru.

Where you sleep: Fri 4 Dec to Sun 6 Dec, 2 nights

Descriptions are English translations of our catalogue notes, each linked to the page it was taken from.

Walking times follow OpenStreetMap streets. Ride times are estimated from the line length, not a timetable. Line and station names are from OpenStreetMap (ODbL).

Hours are the official times in our catalogue for the weekday each stop falls on. Check the official page before you go.

See the Sapporo travel guide