Sapporo

Snow festival city with ramen and beer

Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido and the largest city on Japan's northern island, known for its early February Snow Festival in Odori Park. The city is laid out in a grid on a broad plain with the park in the center. Winters are long and snowy and summers are cool with outdoor events in the park. Visitors can look over the city from the TV Tower, see the old Clock Tower or eat miso ramen in Susukino. The center is compact and the subway covers it, so plan two or three days or add a day trip to Otaru.

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City in Japan

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Safety: 8.9

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	8
Tap water:	9

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3/5

English is moderately spoken, especially in tourist areas, hotels, and ski resorts. Many signs are in English, but learning a few basic Japanese phrases can be helpful.

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Last update: Oct 19, 2026

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Sapporo Summary

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Great for winter festivals and food culture. Attend the famous snow festival, ski nearby mountains and enjoy renowned ramen and seafood.

Place score

7.7

Best at:

Snow

Spotless

Festivals

Large cities

Local cuisine

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

👩 9

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Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) $1 ≈ ¥158
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transportation.
Obon (August)	A time to honor ancestors, many businesses close, and transportation can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transportation is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colors of the months:
The color shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the color is shows the travel season: full color means high season, soft color means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The gray info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Sapporo, Japan

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Feb

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Dec

High season:	Jan. - Feb., June - Aug.
Shoulder season:	March, May, Sep. - Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Sapporo Snow Festival runs in early February, about a week; hotels book out far ahead

Ski season late November to early April, with the best powder January to February

Hokkaido has no rainy season: June to August is dry and mild compared with the rest of Japan

Don't miss

🌄 Enjoy panoramic city views from Mount Moiwa Observatory
🌳 Stroll through Odori Park, Sapporo’s central green space
⏰ Visit the historic Sapporo Clock Tower landmark
🍫 Explore the sweet delights at Shiroi Koibito Park
🦀 Sample Hokkaido crab at the lively Nijo Market
🎉 Wander the vibrant Susukino nightlife district

You've been here?

Why travel to Sapporo?

Sapporo is at its most distinctive in winter. The Sapporo Snow Festival runs for about a week in early February with huge snow and ice sculptures in Odori Park, ice figures in Susukino and a third site at the Tsudome dome. From late November the White Illumination lights streets and parks until March. Summer is mild and green. The Lilac Festival in late May and the YOSAKOI Soran dance festival in June fill Odori Park while outdoor events continue there from June to August. Moerenuma Park is a landscape park designed by Isamu Noguchi. Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill has open green space and wide views over the city. The Sapporo Beer Museum is in a former malt kiln from 1890 and entry is free. Sapporo is also a food city and miso ramen was developed here in the mid-1950s. Soup curry, grilled lamb called jingisukan and seafood from Nijo Market are the other local favorites. Hokkaido Shrine and the old Clock Tower are two historic stops in the center. The city works as a base for Otaru, the hot spring resort of Jozankei and winter sports.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Sapporo Clock Tower
2 Shiroi Koibito Park
3 Sapporo TV Tower
4 Sapporo Beer Museum
5 Odori Park
6 Hokkaido Jingu Shrine
7 Former Hokkaido Government Office Building
8 Hokkaido University of Education
9 Maruyama Zoo

🎡Places for activities

1 Shrine
2 Mount Moiwa Ropeway
3 Takino Suzuran Hillside Park

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Asahiyama Memorial Park
2 Sapporo Art Park
3 Moerenuma Park
4 Botanical Garden of Hokkaido University
5 Maruyama Park
6 Nakajima Park
7 JOZANKEI ONSEN
8 Mount Moiwa
9 Ishikari Bay New-Port Line
10 Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill

🛍️Shopping

1 Nijo Market
2 Tanukikoji Shopping Street
3 Sapporo Factory
4 Sapporo STELLAR PLACE
5 Daimaru

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Sapporo Kani Honke Sapporo Ekimae
Sapporo Kani Honke specializes in crab meals, including king crab, snow crab and horsehair crab served as sashimi, grilled dishes and hot pots. It is at 2-1-18 Kita 3-jo Nishi, near JR Sapporo Station.
2 Milk Mura
Milk Mura is a late-night ice-cream bar where guests pair soft-serve ice cream with selected liqueurs and small sweets. It is at 3-7 Minami 4-jo Nishi in Susukino, a short walk from Susukino Station.
3 Soup Curry GARAKU
GARAKU serves Sapporo-style soup curry: a fragrant, spice-led broth with large vegetables and choices such as chicken leg, pork or seafood, served with rice. It is at 2-6-1 Minami 2-jo Nishi in central Sapporo, close to Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade and Odori Park.
4 Jingisukan Daruma Honten
Founded in 1954, Daruma serves jingisukan: lamb grilled by diners on a domed tabletop pan with onions and other vegetables. Its main branch is at 4-jo Nishi 4-chome in Susukino, a few minutes on foot from Susukino Station.
5 Sapporo Beer Garden
Sapporo Beer Garden offers jingisukan and Sapporo beer in historic red-brick brewery buildings beside the Sapporo Beer Museum. It is at 9-2-10 Kita 7-jo Higashi, around a 15-minute walk northeast of Sapporo Station.
6 Aji no Sanpei
Aji no Sanpei is associated with the early development of Sapporo miso ramen, serving rich miso broth with noodles, pork and vegetables. It is at 5-7 Minami 1-jo Nishi in the Odori area, near Nishi 4-chome tram stop.
7 Menya Saimi
Menya Saimi serves Sapporo-style miso ramen with a full-bodied broth, pork, vegetables and a touch of ginger. It is at 4-5-2 Misono 10-jo in Toyohira Ward, about four minutes on foot from Misono Station.
8 Ganso Ramen Yokocho
Ganso Ramen Yokocho is a narrow Susukino alley with multiple small ramen shops representing Sapporo’s ramen culture. It is at Minami 5-jo Nishi 3-chome, near Susukino Station and central nightlife streets.
9 Nijo Market Ohiso
Ohiso serves seafood bowls topped with Hokkaido ingredients such as salmon roe, sea urchin, crab and seasonal fish. It is inside Nijo Market, about a 10-minute walk east of Odori Park.
10 Umi Hachikyo Honten
Umi Hachikyo is a seafood izakaya known for its dramatic overflowing salmon-roe rice bowl and seasonal Hokkaido seafood. It is at 3-3 Minami 3-jo Nishi in Susukino, about one minute from Susukino Station.

🎈Events

Sapporo Snow Festival
Sapporo Autumn Fest
Yosakoi Soran Festival
Sapporo Beer Festival
Hokkaido Shrine Festival
Otaru Snow Light Path Festival
Sapporo White Illumination
Hokkaido Marathon
Jozankei Nature Luminaire
Sapporo International Art Festival

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Knowledge before you go

Book Snow Festival hotels many months ahead since rooms sell out.
The Sapporo subway one-day card costs ¥830 ($5.24) and the streetcar one-day pass costs ¥500 ($3.15).
Entry to the Sapporo Beer Museum is free and a three-beer tasting costs ¥600 ($3.79).
Wear boots with good grip in winter since sidewalks stay icy and packed with snow for months at a time.

How to travel to Sapporo

Most visitors fly into New Chitose Airport and take the JR Rapid Airport train to Sapporo Station in about 40 minutes for roughly ¥1,150 ($7.26). Airport buses take 70 to 90 minutes and cost about ¥1,100 ($6.94). Flights from Tokyo Haneda take about 1 hour 30 minutes and from Osaka about 1 hour 45 minutes. The Hokkaido Shinkansen stops at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and a limited express covers the rest of the way, so the full trip from Tokyo takes about 8 hours. A long-distance ferry runs from Oarai to Tomakomai in about 19 hours. Otaru is 30 to 50 minutes away by train and Asahikawa is about 1 hour 40 minutes.

Access summary

From New Chitose Airport (CTS): Rapid JR Airport train, about 35–40 minutes.
From Tokyo: Frequent domestic flights to Sapporo, typically 1.5–2 hours.
Winter: heavy snow; allow extra time between airport and city.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Sapporo

Most visitors stay around Sapporo Station or Odori and Susukino. The station area has shopping and the best train links for the airport and day trips. Odori and Susukino put restaurants, bars and the Snow Festival sites within walking distance. Nakajima Park is quieter and still close to Susukino by subway. Hotels are mostly business hotels and mid-range chains with a few larger resorts. Rooms sell out early for the Snow Festival in early February and prices go up for Golden Week and the summer weeks. Booking several months ahead helps. For a hot spring night the resort of Jozankei is a short bus ride into the hills.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

GRANBELL HOTEL SUSUKINO

9.0

Natural Hot Spring Akari no Yu Dormy Inn PREMIUM Otaru - Reopening August 1, 2026

9.0

Sapporo Grand Hotel

8.9

La'Gent Stay Sapporo Odori Hokkaido

9.1

Vessel Hotel Campana Susukino

9.2

karaksa hotel Sapporo

9.2

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Sapporo-Susukino

8.9

Mitsui Garden Hotel Sapporo

8.7

Hotel Gracery Sapporo

8.6

VIA INN PRIME SAPPORO ODORI - JR WEST GROUP

9.3

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Sapporo

Sapporo is laid out on a grid with blocks numbered from Odori Park, so addresses are easy to follow. The central area is compact enough to walk in summer. In winter an underground walkway links Sapporo Station with Odori so you can avoid the snow. A car isn't needed in the city.

Subway:
Three subway lines meet at Odori Station. Fares depend on distance. Kitaca and Sapica IC cards work on the subway, buses and tram.

Streetcar:
A single streetcar line loops around the south of the center. The fare is a flat ¥200 ($1.26).

Buses and taxis:
Local buses cover places the subway misses and fares depend on distance. Taxis inside the central grid are cheap for short hops.

Food in Sapporo

Sapporo is a food-first city built on ramen, soup curry, grilled lamb and Hokkaido seafood.

Miso ramen:
Thick curly noodles in a rich pork broth topped with corn and butter. Ramen Alley in Susukino has about 17 small shops and bowls usually cost ¥900 ($5.68) to ¥1,300 ($8.20).

Soup curry:
A thin spiced broth served with rice and whole vegetables for roughly ¥1,200 ($7.57) to ¥1,800 ($11.36).

Jingisukan:
Lamb grilled on a domed iron plate at the table. Vegetables are usually grilled around the edge.

Nijo Market has about forty stalls with Hokkaido seafood and rice bowls piled with salmon roe. The local beer brand started brewing in the 1870s and goes well with all of it. Sweets such as cheesecake are popular too and vegetarians should ask about stock since seafood and meat broths are common.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when traveling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customize this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-50 %

Daily expenses in Sapporo are around 50% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-17 %

Your exchange rate (USD to JPY) is 17% better than in recent years. That means traveling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when traveling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	$55	$120	$310
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	$25	$70	$150
🍝 Food per day	$23	$41	$129
🚕 Transportation per day	$7	$8	$32

Notable additional fees: For skiing, Teine and Kokusai charge about ¥6,000 ($38.01) a day. Ski, boot and pole hire costs roughly ¥4,500 – 6,000 ($28.51 – 38.01) a day.

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	$13
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	$6.50
🍟 Fast food combo	$5.50
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	$9
☕ Cappuccino	$3.30
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l / 16 oz	$3.40

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	$1.60
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	$19
⛽ Gas, 1 l / ¼ gal	$1.10

Other

🎞️ Movie ticket	$12
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	$25
🤧 Cold medication	$8
💇 Basic haircut	$19

Safety information overview

General safety

Sapporo is very safe with low crime and busy streets in the entertainment district at night. Winter brings icy pavements and heavy snow that can disrupt flights and trains. Brown bears live in the nearby mountains so follow local advice when hiking.

Health & Medical

Medical care is excellent with large hospitals and many clinics in the city. English is limited outside larger hospitals but pharmacies are easy to find. Winter cold and icy pavements are the main everyday risks so travel insurance is sensible.

Accessibility

The center is flat and laid out on a grid and the subway stations have lifts. Snow and ice make sidewalks hard for wheelchairs and walkers from December to March. Underground walkways link Sapporo Station with Odori and stay clear of snow.

Tap water

Tap water in Sapporo is safe to drink like in the rest of Japan. Vending machines and convenience stores sell bottled water and hot or cold drinks near the station and Odori Park. Dry winter air makes it worth carrying water.