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Sapporo | Hakodate | North Hokkaido: Asahikawa | Wakkanai | Abashiri
Sapporo Snow Festival |
A speedboat on Lake Shikotsu |
Sapporo
Founded in 1869, when the government in Tokyo began active settlement
of Hokkaido, Sapporo is different from other Japanese cities.
Unlike the maze of Tokyo, it is laid out in a square grid, with
numbered, tree-lined streets that make it easy to find your way
around and lots of parks. Because the city is under several feet
of snow for long periods, there is an extensive underground network
of shops and restaurants. Tanuki-koji street and the Susukino area in the south of the city are where you'll find the best
places to eat and drink. Sapporo ramen, salty with lots of garlic, corn and butter is the most famous
local dish. Odori Park runs east to west across the center of the city. It is the venue
for the Snow Festival, which is held every February and attracts millions of visitors.
The symbol of Sapporo is the clock tower of the Municipal Memorial Hall. The city is also the home of
Sapporo Beer and the brewery provides a menu of hearty Genghis Khan,
a Mongolian-style barbecue. The Botanical Gardens have over 6,000 species of plants from around the world and are
also home to Hokkaido University and the Ainu Museum. The summit
of Mt. Moiwa provides a birds-eye view of the city. Sapporo was the venue
of the Winter Olympics in 1972.
Jozankei Onsen (hot spring spa) is located about 1 hour 10 minutes southwest
of Sapporo. It is famous for its beautiful autumn foliage. Other
scenic spots located between Sapporo and the southern port city
of Muroran are Lake Toya and Lake Shikotsu (both volcanic
caldera lakes), Mt. Showa-Shinzan and Noboribetsu Onsen.
The latter is one of the largest and most impressive onsen in
Japan, with 11 different kinds of hot springs.
Hakodate
The southern gateway to Hokkaido, Hakodate has been a prosperous
fishing port since the 1740's and was one of the first ports opened
to foreign trade in the mid-19th century. It has many remnants
of western-style architecture, including the Goryokaku, a
Dutch-style fortress in the shape of a five-pointed star.
Mt. Hakodate is a popular hiking spot and the view of the city at night from
the summit is spectacular. The nearby Onuma National Park is very
popular both in summer and winter. There is also a trappist convent,
about 50 minutes by bus from the city, which is home to some
70 nuns who are famous for making butter and candy. Another local
delicacy is ika-somen, finely sliced strips of fresh raw squid.
Matsumae, about 100km to the southwest, has a reproduction of the last
feudal castle built in Japan. The castle is set amidst 5,000 cherry
trees and is a beautiful sight in spring.
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