a great place to relax and easy to move about especially all the shopping centre are near one another.
free and easy is strongly recommended. you can book tours easily to Hokkaido from the tour companies in Sapporo station outside the shopping centre.
Sapporo became world famous in 1972 when the Olympic Winter Games were held there. Today, the city is well known for its ramen, beer, and the annual snow festival held in February.
Sapporo Station is the city's main railway station located right downtown. Multiple shopping centers surround the station complex, particularly on its south side. Sapporo Station dates back to the early development of Hokkaido in the late 1800s, but its current building was opened in 2003. A replica of the original station building can be found at the Historic Village of Hokkaido.
The area's most impressive tourist attraction is the T38 Observation Deck at the top of the JR Tower building that rises above the station. Occupying the tower's 38th floor, 160 meters above ground, the observation deck is quite a bit taller than the 90 meter observation deck of the TV Tower in nearby Odori Park. Great effort was put into the observation deck's design, including the viewing areas, information displays, music and even the washrooms.
- Opened in March 2003, the view from JR Tower's 160-m high Observatory "Tower 38" is overwhelming. Around the JR Tower are major shopping centers like Stellar Place Sapporo, Daimaru, Seibu, and Isetan and also the famous Sapporo ramen republic (best ramen over 10 restaurants to choose)
The Sapporo Ramen Republic is a themed restaurant area on the 10th floor of the Esta shopping center, just east of the station's south entrance. There are eight small ramen restaurants spread out across the nostalgically designed floor space. Ramen is one of the specialties of Hokkaido cuisine, and the shops represent some of the prefecture's regional varieties, like Asahikawa Ramen and Hakodate Ramen. The Esta building also hosts a branch of the Bic Camera electronics store.
| T38 Observation Deck | |
| Hours: | 10:00 to 23:00 (entry until 22:30) |
| Closed: | No closing days |
| Admission: | 720 yen |
| Sapporo Ramen Republic | |
| Hours: | 11:00 to 22:00 (last order) |
| Closed: | Stores have varying individual closing days |
| Shopping | |
| Hours: | Stores typically 10:00 to 21:00, restaurants typically 11:00 to 21:30 |
Sapporo Station stands in the center of Sapporo and is served by all JR lines and two of the city's three subway lines. The Sapporo Station Bus Terminal is found to the southeast of the station, while many additional bus stops are located both on the south and north sides of the station.
Travel
Sightseeing
Hokkaido
Cities Odori Park
Sapporo Station
Clock Tower
Susukino
Nijo Market
Curb Market
Sapporo Beer Museum
Sapporo Factory
Shiroi Koibito Park
Botanical Garden
Mount Moiwa
Okurayama Observatory
Teine Ski Resort
Historic Hokkaido Village
Moerenuma Park Sapporo Snow Festival
more info at http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2163.html
Sapporo offers many business and tourist hotels especially around in the most convenient downtown area between Sapporo Station and Odori Park. Many cheaper hotels are located somewhat less conveniently south of Susukino.
Susukino is Japan's largest entertainment district north of Sapporo. It is packed with stores, bars, restaurants, karaoke shops, pachinko parlors and red light establishments. Of special interest to noodle lovers is the Ramen Yokocho, a narrow lane lined with shops serving Sapporo's famous ramen. ( not so good, we recommend the Sapporo ramen republic at Sapporo) station)
tourist favourite shopping:Tanuki Koji Shopping Arcade is a long covered shopping arcade which houses all kinds of outlets ranging from food, fruits, clothing, pet shops, sundries items, gift ideas, ranging from paper fans and kimonos, to jewellery, electrical goods and many others. (Daiso 5 stories shopping is nearby)
- There are 7 sections of the covered street shopping arcade with signalised road crossing between each section. Susukino station exits are somewhere in the middle sections.
The place seems to start closing down as early as 8:00pm and by 9:00pm, most of the shutters are down.
Daiso or Can-Do: 100 Yen shops
There are 100 yen shops all over Japan; everything is priced at, yep you got it, 100 yen! This shop has FIVE floors and has some amazing bargains - I defy you to come out of this shop empty-handed! I bought some beautiful china soup bowls, chopstick sets, bottles of Japanese sauces and spices. Go crazy!!
Adjacent to Susukino Station, there's Pole Town (the underground shopping mall) connecting to the station.
Sapporo Factory was constructed on the former site of Japan's first beer brewery, and the complex includes a red brick Akarenga building that is reminiscent of Hokkaido's early development in the late 1800s. A small, functioning brewery can be observed within the building, and the beer itself can be enjoyed afterwards at the Akarenga's beer hall or at a tasting bar.
Seafood market - Nijo Market
- Nijo Market is a public market in central Sapporo, where locals and tourists shop for fresh local produce and seafood such as crabs, salmon eggs, sea urchin and various fresh and prepared fish. The Nijo Market is open from around 7am to around 6pm on all days of the week, with individual shops maintaining their own opening hours and closing days. Prices of seafood vary according to the size and quality and some bargaining is permissible.
A recommended way of enjoying a visit is by having a fresh seafood breakfast at one of the market's restaurants. Among the most popular menu items for starting the day is the uni ikura donburi, sea urchin and salmon eggs on rice
Getting to Nijo Market
Nijo Market is three blocks south of the TV Tower at Odori Park, and about a five minute walk from Odori Station on the Nanboku, Toho and Tozai Subway Lines. Address: South 3, East 1
