Why go?

The capital of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, Sapporo is famous for its seafood, craft beers and green spaces – plus skiing. But with the long winter been and gone, locals make the most of summer with a raft of festivals and outdoor fun.

What to do

Sapporo TV Tower 00 81 11 241 1131, tvtower.co.jp stands at the eastern end of Odori Park, a 1. 5km strip of green in the heart of the city. This steel icon has an observation deck at 90m and, after whizzing up in the lift, you can lean against the sloping glass and see the whole city at your feet. Twinned with Portland, Oregon, the city has a creative streak, as you’ll see at 500m, a gallery housed inside the concourse that connects Odori and Bus Centre subway stations. Stroll down for free to view the work of young Japanese artists on the go. Next, head to Museum Store themuseum.stores.jp for clothes by Hokkaido designers. Locals love the outdoors, so it’s no surprise to find the best museum in the open air. Wander hilly Sapporo Art Park 00 81 11 592 5111, artpark.or.jp to uncover 74 sculptures woven beautifully into nature. Encircling the city are also some lush gems like Moerenuma Park, with its modernist monuments, and Mount Moiwa, with its cable car and spectacular night views. Don your ski goggles for a trip back to the 1972 Winter Olympics at Sapporo Olympic Museum 00 81 11 641 8585, sapporoolympicmuseum.jp which, with its ski jump, figure skating and bob sleigh simulators, is quite a ride.

Where to stay

Mitsui Garden Hotel 00 81 11 280 1131, gardenhotels.co.jp has well-appointed, Nordic-style rooms and a public bath for a stylish escape just a five-minute walk from the railway station. Hokkaido products feature in the Japanese meets Western breakfast buffet. Just opened, Karaksa Hotel 00 81 11 204 6602, karaksahotels.com follows the Scandi theme with plenty of blonde wood and earthy decor. Close to Odori Park, it also sits beside the historic Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade, an eccentric cluster of vintage shops, bars and karaoke joints. At Cross Hotel 00 81 11 272 0010, crosshotel.com near the 19th-century wooden Clock Tower (the city’s oldest building) you can choose from urban, natural and hip rooms, all of which come with Simmons beds, Jacob Jensen phones and French toiletries. Be sure to book one with city views from the bathtub.

Where to eat and drink

Brightly coloured Yubari King melon slices jostle next to smoking barbecues and shops selling cups of ikura (red caviar) at the Curb Market, a row of stalls beside the central wholesale market. Shop for Hokkaido speciality cheese and seafood delicacies at Kitano Gourmet 00 81 11 621 3545, kitanogurume.co.jp then sit down to eat at its casual restaurant serving grilled fish and an array of donburi – rice bowls topped here with sea urchin, shrimps and salmon. Wakakoma 00 81 11 644 7722 restaurant may be housed in a nondescript building, but its signature kaisen don – heaps of sashimi piled atop sushi rice – has made it a celebrity favourite. More stalls line the Nijo Fish Market near the TV Tower or, for seemingly unlimited takes on crab dishes, try Kani Honke 00 81 11 222 0018, or Kani-Shogun 00 81 11 222 2588, kaniya.co.jp whose entrances are easy to spot, each adorned with a giant crustacean. And don’t miss the moreish miso ramen at one of myriad eateries down Ramen Alley in Susukino, Sapporo’s lively red-light district. Before you leave town, be sure to pay homage to the Shiroi Koibito cookie factory shiroikoibitopark.jp and Sapporo’s historic namesake brewery sapporoholdings.jp where tours and tastings provide an illuminating insight into the business.

Time running out?

Catch a baseball game at Sapporo Dome, home to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. There’s also a 53m-high observation tower to visit. sapporodome.co.jp

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the Japanese yen (JPY). Sapporo is 9 hours ahead of GMT. Flight time from London is around 14.5 hours. The cost to carbon-offset is £21.76. For more details visit climatecare.org

Getting There

ANA flies from London Heathrow via Haneda Airport. ana.co.jp

British Airways (with Japan Airlines) flies daily from London Heathrow to Sapporo New Chitose via Tokyo. britishairways.com

Resources

Find inspiration for your trip via a trio of official tourism websites: sapporo.travel visithokkaido.jp