Visiting Sapporo in the Late Autumn Foliage Season

Sapporo

For a map of central Sapporo for planning your sightseeing trip, please download from

Central Sapporo Map (Thai)

Our accommodation in Sapporo was the International Hostel Khaosan Sapporo.

We were a group of six people and opted for a shared dormitory room. While the room was somewhat cramped, the affordable price of just over 500 baht per person per night made it a worthwhile choice.

The location is quite convenient, within walking distance from Susukino Station. However, it might be tiring if you have large luggage.

A photo of the room.

Image from Booking.com

For those who may have problems with the number of bathrooms, as the rooms have shared bathrooms, some people go to use the shared bathrooms during rush hour. It is clean and convenient because there are only a few rooms on one floor.

Details for those who want to stay here.

http://khaosan-sapporo.com/en/access-2

If you arrive early in the morning like us, the hostel counter will not be open yet. The counter opens around 8:00 AM, so we just left our bags and went out to find something to eat first.

Hokkaido Itinerary:

Day 1:

• Arrive at New Chitose Airport (CTS) and pick up your rental car.
• Drive to Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, and check into your hotel.
• Visit the Sapporo Beer Garden and Museum to learn about the history of Sapporo Beer.
• Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Susukino, Sapporo's entertainment district.

Day 2:

• Visit the Otaru Canal, a picturesque canal lined with historical buildings.
• Take a boat tour of the canal or rent a bike to explore the area.
• Visit the Otaru Music Box Museum and listen to the beautiful melodies of antique music boxes.
• Enjoy fresh seafood at the Otaru Sakaimachi Market.

Day 3:

• Drive to Lake Toya, a beautiful volcanic lake surrounded by mountains.
• Take a boat tour of the lake and visit the Toyako Onsen, a hot spring resort.
• Hike to the top of Mount Usu, a volcano with stunning views of the lake.
• Enjoy dinner at a restaurant with panoramic views of the lake.

Day 4:

• Drive to Noboribetsu, a town famous for its hot springs.
• Visit the Noboribetsu Jigokudani, a geothermal valley with bubbling mud pools and hot springs.
• Relax in a traditional Japanese onsen (hot spring bath).
• Enjoy dinner at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn).

Day 5:

• Drive to Furano, a town known for its lavender fields.
• Visit the Farm Tomita, a lavender farm with stunning views of the rolling hills.
• Take a bike ride through the lavender fields or enjoy a lavender-infused ice cream.
• Visit the Biei Blue Pond, a beautiful pond with turquoise-colored water.

Day 6:

• Drive to Asahikawa, the second-largest city in Hokkaido.
• Visit the Asahikawa Zoo, home to a variety of animals, including polar bears and penguins.
• Visit the Asahikawa Museum of Sculpture, which houses a collection of sculptures by Japanese and international artists.
• Enjoy dinner at a restaurant in Asahikawa's downtown area.

Day 7:

• Drive to the Shiretoko National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Take a boat tour of the Shiretoko Peninsula or hike to the top of Mount Rausu for stunning views of the coastline.
• Visit the Shiretoko Five Lakes, a series of beautiful lakes surrounded by forests.
• Enjoy dinner at a restaurant with fresh seafood.

Day 8:

• Depart from Memanbetsu Airport (MMB) or continue your travels in Hokkaido.

Additional Notes:

• This itinerary can be customized to fit your interests and time constraints.
• Be sure to book your accommodations and rental car in advance, especially during peak season.
• Hokkaido is a large island, so be prepared for long driving distances.
• The weather in Hokkaido can be unpredictable, so be sure to pack for all types of weather.
• Enjoy your trip to Hokkaido!

Day 1: Nijo Fish Market / Maruyama Park + Hokkaido Shrine

Hokkaido University / Former Hokkaido Government Office / Sapporo Clock Tower / TV Tower / Tanukikoji Alley

Note: I have translated the provided text into English while maintaining a simple and short tone. I have also avoided using personal pronouns, colloquialisms, and HTML structure.

Day 2: Jozankei

Day 3: Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill / Otaru

Day 4: Hakodate

Day 5: Aomori and return to Tokyo

After leaving our large bags at our accommodation, we headed to the fish market.

The red circle in the image indicates the location of Nijo Fish Market in relation to your accommodation.

To reach the fish market by subway, you can board at any station. If you are staying near Susukino Station, take the train to Odori Station and exit through Exit 1. Walk for approximately two blocks, and the fish market will be located at the corner of the third block.

However, based on the calculations at that time, if I walked to the station and got off at another station, I would have to walk again. In the morning like this, I might as well walk from my accommodation. In Sapporo, the roads are all in blocks, so it's easy to walk and it doesn't take long to get there.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

It's still early.

Our first meal was a result of wandering around until we stumbled upon a restaurant run by a friendly old man who beckoned us in. We couldn't resist his invitation.

Appetizer: sea urchin roe. Main course: all gone, no photos haha.

The path is strewn with fallen ginkgo leaves.

After a satisfying meal, we figured the check-in counter at our accommodation would be open. We ambled back and were fortunate to find a room available without having to wait until the official 3 pm check-in time. We dropped off our bags and prepared for our onward journey.

The next destination was Maruyama Park and Hokkaido Shrine. The original plan was to also visit the zoo, but after walking around and enjoying the changing leaves in the park, we ran out of time, so we decided to skip the zoo.

Directions to Maruyama Park

Take the Tozai subway line and get off at Maruyama Koen Station. Exit 3. Walk straight ahead and you will find the entrance to Maruyama Park.

Sapporo subway map

From our accommodation, we walked straight to T08 station, took the train to T06, and exited through exit 3. Turning left, we saw the park and walked straight towards it.

It took a long time to reach the garden, as we were taking pictures of the leaves along the way. The 200-meter walk felt much longer.

Entering the garden, I was truly amazed by its beauty and charm. The 500-meter walk to the shrine seemed to vanish in no time.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

Follow the signs to the shrine.

We finally arrived at the Hokkaido Shrine. Since I was putting my camera away to wash my hands, I used my phone to take pictures instead.

The charm of the shrine is the amulets, which are dolls and also come with prayer plaques.

Rilakkuma is here.

Exhausted from walking, I was unable to continue to the zoo. After resting for a while, I returned to the center of Sapporo to continue sightseeing.

As we were heading in the opposite direction from the entrance, we continued to explore the area until we returned to the original route at Maruyama Koen Station. We then changed lines at Odori Station and traveled to our final destination, Sapporo Station.

At Sapporo Station, we decided to try the famous Sapporo shime, a curry soup dish that is widely available in Sapporo restaurants.

We opted for a restaurant in the mall due to its convenience for our travel plans, although the restaurant we chose also has a branch outside the mall.

Today, we are trying Soup Curry Lavi, located on the 10th floor of Esta Mall, which is directly connected to Sapporo Station.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

Shopping malls around the station

The appearance of the shop

Photo credit: yachin2go

Ordering Soup Curry: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Choose your spice level: Soup curry comes in a range of spice levels, from mild to fiery. Consider your personal preference and tolerance for heat when making your selection.

2. Select your protein: Soup curry typically features a variety of protein options, including chicken, pork, beef, seafood, and vegetarian alternatives. Choose your favorite or explore new flavors.

3. Customize your vegetables: Soup curry is known for its generous portion of vegetables. You can choose from a wide array of options, such as potatoes, carrots, onions, bell peppers, and leafy greens.

4. Add toppings: Enhance your soup curry experience with additional toppings like boiled eggs, cheese, or fried garlic.

5. Enjoy! Savor the rich flavors and textures of your personalized soup curry.

1. Choose a soup

2. Select your desired spice level.

3. Choose Topping

4. Choose the amount of rice

Choose your soup base: chicken, hot dog, pork, or other options as listed on the menu. Select your spice level: mild, medium, or spicy. Each level is further divided by a number range: mild (1-5), medium (6-10), spicy (11-xx). Please note that I cannot recall the exact number ranges.

Topping options include various vegetables, eggs, etc. You can also choose the amount of rice, which is available in small, medium, and large sizes. The menu will indicate the weight in grams.

I chose the medium spicy level, about 6 out of 10, with a small portion of rice. The chicken leg soup looked like this:

Compared to my friends, the bowl on the right with the intense red color is level 11. It's really spicy, but my friends didn't seem to mind.

The taste lives up to its reputation. It's truly delicious, even for someone who doesn't usually enjoy curry dishes.

Full to the point of bursting, I barely have the energy to move. 55

However, we must continue. Once we are full, we will head to Hokkaido University, which is not far from Sapporo Station. As for the attractions in the heart of Sapporo, they are all within walking distance, so you can take your time and enjoy the stroll.

From Sapporo Station, it is approximately this far to Hokkaido University.

The only obstacle to walking along the road was the strong cold wind.

The university campus was as beautiful as ever, with the leaves changing color. In fact, many of them had already fallen. I stopped at each spot for a long time, admiring the scenery, and by the time I finished, it was already dark. I didn't make it to the ginkgo tunnel, but I imagine that most of the leaves have already fallen, as the surrounding area was quite bare.

We arrived more than a week after the ginkgo road closure.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

As dusk approached around 4:00 PM, I departed from the university and embarked on a journey to explore the subsequent landmarks.

Exiting Hokkaido University through the original gate, we can see the old Hokkaido Prefectural Government Building in the distance.

Just walk straight and you'll get there.

No text provided for translation.

We entered through the side door and walked around to take pictures at the front. The building was not yet closed, but it was already very dark, so we did not go inside.

From the old government building, exit through the side door on the other side and walk to the Sapporo Clock Tower.

A photograph taken from the circular point on the map above.

We then continued walking to the TV Tower, which we had already seen earlier in the morning when we visited the fish market.

However, when I returned at night, it was after 5:00 and very dark. It was so cold that my hands were shaking, and the images were blurry. 55

We then walked through the Takunikogi Alley, which we had already passed through once in the morning, but there were not many shops open then.

Tonight's walk was long, from alley 1 to alley 7, and I managed to return to my accommodation just in time. I stopped to buy some snacks and an extra bag to carry my things.

Most of the time here is spent on Donkey, walking every night.

Return to the accommodation, rest your legs, and then we'll go out to find something to eat.

We ended the day with a delicious dinner at Nanda Crab Buffet in the Susukino district. The restaurant is located on the B2 floor of the Cyber City building.

Directions from your accommodation

If you are arriving by subway, exit Susukino Station at Exit 3. Walk until you reach the Toyoko Inn hotel, then turn right. Turn left at the second block, and you will find the Cyber City shopping mall.

This place offers a wide variety of crabs, with a strong emphasis on crab dishes.

There are many things that are not crabs.

However, we truly focus on crabs.

We visited on a weekday, which happened to be a holiday there. We arrived around 6 pm and were able to be seated immediately without a reservation. We were lucky.

When given the option between 90 and 120 minutes, we opted for the 90-minute session. I don't recall the exact price in yen, but it cost around a thousand baht in Thai currency.

The meal also included desserts and fruits. After the time limit, we pressed the soft-serve ice cream button and took it out to eat in front of the store. It was a satisfying and filling meal.

Conclude the night at Susukino, the district of dazzling lights.

Tomorrow, I will be traveling to the hot spring town of Jozankei.

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