Name: Top 5 Things to do in Sapporo | japan-guide.com
Uploaded: 2020-12-15T19:26:21.000Z
Duration: 8 min 56 s
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Sapporo is Japan's 5th most populated city

and the capital of Japan's northernmost prefecture Hokkaido.

Basic passive voice

Like Hokkaido as a whole, Sapporo is known for its long winters

and for being a worthwhile destination in any season.

Although located in the far north of the country, Sapporo is only a 90 minute plane ride from Tokyo.

The Tokyo-Sapporo connections is actually one of the busiest air routes in the world

and makes reaching the city easily reachable.

Compared to other major Japanese cities, Sapporo is still young

having grown into the metropolis it is today only relatively recently.

in 1857 the city of Sapporo had a population of only seven people.

This was towards the end of the Edo era when most of Hokkaido

was predominantly inhabited mainly by the indigenous Ainu people

who relied mainly on hunting, fishing and trading.

It wasn't until some years later at the start of the Meiji period

that the Ainu were assimilated into Japanese society

when Japan started colonizing Ezo on a large scale

in order protect against the threat of invasion from Russia.

Around this time the island was renamed Hokkaido

and Sapporo established as its administrative center.

Foreign specialists were brought to help with the city's development

and in some ways, Sapporo, with its rectangular grid and numbered blocks

resembles North American cities which were developed around the same time.

Over the next century the city grew quickly

and in 1972 gained international recognition as the first Asian city to host the Winter Olympics

and today visitors can go to the top of the Okurayama Ski Jump which was used in the games.

Now, Sapporo has become a major international destination

with a plethora of sightseeing options to explore.

So, here are our Top 5 Recommendations in Sapporo.

On the southwest side of Sapporo lie several forested mountains.

Of these, Mount Moiwa has become a popular sightseeing destination

not only for its breathtaking panoramic view of the city

but also for offering one of the best night views in all of Japan.

The building complex on the summit, which was renovated in 2012

and of course the observation deck from which visitors can take in the iconic

It's also become a popular place for lovers to leave a lock.

To reach the top, walk 10 minute from the Ropeway Iriguchi streetcar station

to the Mount Moiwa Ropeway which ascends most of the mountain.

The ropeway takes about 5 minutes and connectsto a unique mini-cablecar

which climbs the rest of the way to the summit.

Number Four: Historic Village of Hokkaido

on the western edge of the vast Nopporo Forest Park

On a life-size scale, this large open air museum depicts what life was like for the

pioneering colonists who came to settle the wild frontier of

Hokkaido in the late 18 and early 19 hundreds.

The grounds are divided into four sections:

There's the town section with over 30 buildings

and even a horse-drawn trolley down main street

and also sections showing a model fishing villiage

If you decide to visit the Historic Village of Hokkaido

we also highly recommend the nearby Hokkaido Museum

which is only one bus stop or a 10 minute walk away.

This museum does a great job covering the history of the island

starting as far back as the first human civilizations

On the outskirts of Sapporo to the northeast is Moerenuma Park.

This large and unique park features expansive lawns punctuated by massive structures

Moerenuma Park was designed by the renowned Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

Sadly, after completing the park's design

Noguchi passed away without ever seeing the project come to fruition.

Nonetheless, the city of Sapporo went ahead with construction

Moerenuma in an excellent place to spend half a day or more.

Among the park's many points of interest, some of the more notable are:

Hidamari, which is a large glass pyramid building featuring with a gallery inside

and Mount Moere, which is a 62 meter tall man-made hill

From the top visitors can enjoy an excellent view of the entire park

as well as downtown Sapporo in the distance.

There's also Play Mountain, which is a shorterman-made hill across the park

The Sea Fountain in the middle of the park which has daily shows

And the forest area in the east which features many play areas for kids

All in all Moerenuma Park has a relaxing atmosphere

and is a pleasant place to explore away from downtown Sapporo.

One of the biggest attractions of Sapporo is its food

Some of the best places to experience the delicious local seafood

are at the city's two famous public markets:

the Nijo market which is near the TV Tower

and the Curb market which is in the west side of the city.

Here we recommend having a donburi dish called “Kaisendon.”

Kaisendon is a bowl of rice topped with a combination of raw seafood

sea urchin, salmon roe and tuna to name a few.