There is a place in Sapporo where all things Sapporo Beer can be experienced such as: a museum displaying the history of Sapporo beer, tours explaining the beer brewing process, tastings, and even a restaurant to taste the delicious local fare of the northern country. This wondrous place is a 15 - 20 minute walk from Sapporo Station – The Sapporo Beer Garden. The local Hokkaido dish of “Genghis Khan” (lamb barbeque) can also be feasted upon here, making this a must on your stays in Sapporo. Hokkaido is also known as the biggest food-lover’s paradise in all of Japan. Sapporo is the heart of this prefecture and is home to a huge variety of local Hokkaido cuisine. While scallops and other seafood is in deliciously rich abundance in Hokkaido, there is one highly accessible local dish that absolutely everyone knows about – Sapporo Ramen.
Sapporo Ramen Yokocho is a well-known little alley in the city. This popular little spot is filled with famous ramen restaurants, left and right, up and down. Ramen lovers should definitely check out this street and even make return trips to taste all of the different types of ramen on offer. Hokkaido has a deep food culture history and is known for various food booms such as soup curries, and chocolates like Shiroi Koibito and Royce. Doing some research into the different delectable foods to fill your belly prior to jetting off to Hokkaido will make for a particularly satisfying trip. Next on the list of all things Sapporo is the biggest winter event in all of Japan, the Sapporo Snow Festival. This snow and ice festival is held annually in early February around Odori Park and other various locations around Sapporo.
Odori Park is located in the heart of Sapporo and hosts seasonal festivals all year round to provide relaxation and entertainment to locals, such as the Sapporo Lilac Festival in spring and the YOSAKOI Soran Festival in summer. The grounds stretch 1.5 kilometres across from east to west and are filled with snow statues, big and small, during the Snow Festival. Come nighttime, projection mapping exhibits are switched on to create beautifully dazzling sights that see tourists from all around the world flock to the city. Over at the Susukino site, a snow playground will keep the kids happy while the adults admire the beautiful ice sculptures on display. Planning a trip to Hokkaido to coincide with this event is highly recommended. Hotels are in high demand during this period, so make sure you book well in advance to lock down a spot! jSnow issue 2 │ 13