Sapporo (Japanese: 札幌市, -shi) is a Japanese city with a
population of one million on the island of Hokkaido. The city is
very young, having only been founded in 1869 as the seat of the
colonial administration. Today it is the largest city in
Hokkaido. Until the 1950s, the largest city was the nearby and
much older Otaru. The city planning was carried out in a
checkerboard pattern.
After the "old comrades" Germany
and Japan were readmitted to the circle of civilized nations 25
years after the end of the war, the 1972 Summer Olympics took
place in Munich and the Winter Games in Sapporo, thus for the
first time in Asia.
The city area is divided into ten
districts (-ku). The inner city is made up of the Chūō-ku (中央区)
and Kita-ku (北区). The Minami-ku (南区) is more rural. The port
suburb is 1 Otaru (小樽市)
Tourist information. In the west wing of the station (towards the
north exit) labeled "Hokkaidō-Sapporo Food & Tourism Information
Center". Open: 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Ō-Dōri Tourist Information (In
the Ō-Dōri subway station. Basement next to the Hokkaidō Bank). Open:
10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sun until 7:00 p.m.
Ō-Dōri Park Tourist
Information, during the day April-October, Japanese only but brochures.
Hokkaidō-jingū (北海道神宮), 北海道札幌市中央区宮ヶ丘474 (subway station of the same name, Tōzai line). The largest Shinto shrine in the city. In addition to three local land-protecting deities (Kami), the spirit of the heavenly majesty of the Meiji Emperor has also resided here since 1964. Open: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m./5 p.m.
1 Clock Tower (時計台, Tokeidai), 北海道札幌市中央区北1条西2丁目 (near Ōdōri subway
station). Probably the city's landmark only because it was built in 1878
and is the oldest building still standing. An essential stop for
Japanese tour groups and accordingly crowded. Small historical
exhibition inside. Price: 200¥.
2 Sapporo TV Tower (さっぽろテレビ塔,
Sapporo-terebi-to), 北海道札幌市中央区大通西1丁目 (Ō-Dōri subway, exit 27). The
147.2-meter-high TV tower, an imitation of the Eiffel Tower, was built
in 1957. On top of the steel framework building there is an observation
deck open to tourists at a height of 90.38 meters. Open: 9:00 a.m.–10:00
p.m. Price: 720 ¥.
3 JR Tower (JRタワー), 北海道札幌市中央区北5条西2～4 . The
renovated JR high-rise near the train station is the actual city center.
You're higher here than in the TV tower. Open: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Price: Viewing platform ¥700.
4 Hokkaidō Historical Village (開拓の村,
kaitaku no mura), 北海道札幌市厚別区厚別町小野幌50-1 (Shin-Sapporo station/subway, 1
km) . Worth seeing is an open-air museum of two farming and fishing
settlements from the 19th century, and some municipal buildings have
been moved here. In total there are over 60 traditional houses made of
wood and stone. Open: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m./5 p.m. Price: 800 ¥.
The red brick building of the former governor's residence has been
converted into a museum. It is located between the train station and the
Ō-Dōri subway.
5 Hokkaidō's Museum of Modern Art (北海道立近代美術館), North 1
West 17, Chūō (Nishi 18 Tōzai Line subway, 5 minutes on foot). Tel.: +81
11 644-6881. Many objects made of glass, Pascin from the École de Paris,
and changing exhibitions. Open: Tue-Sun 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fri
until 7:00 p.m. Price: ¥510 (combined ticket with the Migishi Kotaro
Museum ¥830).
6 Sapporo Art Park (札幌芸術の森, Sapporo geijutsu no mori),
2-75 Tokiwa, Minami-ku (West of Highway 453, several km south of the
city). Tel.: +81 11 592-5111 . Open-air area with 74 modern art
sculptures and a museum building.
1 Ō-Dōri Park (大通公園) . Largest inner-city park. The annual snow
festival takes place here.
2 University Botanical Garden (北海道大学植物園,
Hokkaidō Daigaku Shokubutsuen), North 3 West 8, Chūō, 北海道札幌市中央区北三条西8丁目
(10 min walk from the train station). Tel.: +81 11 221-0066 . Large
curated park, with two rock gardens, rose garden, Museum of Nordic
Peoples, glass houses. (Use east entrance from November to March) Open:
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Price: Adult ¥420; Children (7-15): ¥300.
3
Nakajima Park (中島公園) . The Hakko-an teahouse (八窓庵) is of interest to
those interested in Japanese culture. Unfortunately, it can only be
viewed from the outside. It was originally located in Nagahama Castle.
In the early Meiji era, it was moved to the Engyū-ji (円教寺) in Kawasaki
Village. It was sold to businessman Mochida Keisuke in 1919 and
installed in his residence in Sapporo in 1925. The hut, which dates back
to the 16th century, has been a national treasure since 1936. It was
moved to the park by the city in 1971. The shelter built for the winter
collapsed under the weight of snow in March 2005. The restoration was
completed in October 2008. 4 Nopporo Forest (野幌森林公園) a nature reserve on
the outskirts of the city with the 7 observation tower (北海道百年記念塔) built
for the city's 100th anniversary. The Hokkaidō Museum is also here.
Accessible via Shinrinkōen or Ōasa train station/subway, each 1 km away;
Shin-Sapporo, 1.5 km. A combination with a visit to the historic village
is recommended.
5 Moiwayama (藻岩山; cable car up).
6 Asahiyama Park
(旭山記念公園, Asahiyama Kinen Kōen). Well-kept park with flower beds, cherry
blossoms in spring, colorful foliage in autumn. Price: free.
In the middle of the city, on a 75-meter-high building, the Norbesa Building, there is a Ferris Wheel with a diameter of 45 meters, from which you can have a view of the entire city.
In good years, two million visitors come to the Sapporo Snow Festival
in February. In terms of size and scope, only the Ice Festival in Harbin
in Manchuria is of similar importance. There is a competition for the
most beautiful ice figure.
North Safari Sapporo (ノースサファリサッポロ), 469-1
Toyotaki, Minami-ku . Safari adventure zoo, including a petting
tortoise. Company-owned campsite in the nearby village. Open: Apr-Nov:
9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Price: Adults 2000¥, children (up to 11) 850¥.
Sapporo Teine (サッポロテイネ; From Teine train station (手稲駅, Hakodate Line) 20
minutes by bus, then up by cable car). In 1972, the Olympic ski
competitions took place here. Today, Mount Teine is a local recreation
area in the west of the city. Open: Ski season Dec.-March.
By plane
Short-term visitors who arrive in Japan via Tokyo and who
do not have a rail pass should seriously compare the price of the flight
with that of a single train ticket for price reasons.
Shin-Chitose
Shin-Chitose (新千歳空港, IATA: CTS). Domestic and
international terminal. Open: 24 hours.
Chitose Airport is
connected to the city center by rail (20 minutes). By road it takes just
under an hour from Sapporo, half an hour from Tomakomai. Direct buses
run via Nakajima Park, Susukino, Ō-Dōri to Sapporo Station (2021:
1100¥). The three bus companies that serve cities in the region have
counters on Level 1 in the domestic terminal.
In the domestic
terminal there is the Air Terminal Hotel, in the international terminal
there is the Hotel Portom. There is an onsen on level 4 of the domestic
departures (1500¥, sauna + 700¥, night surcharge from 1:00 1500¥, early
bath 5:00–8:00 850¥).
Okadama
Okadama Airport (丘珠空港, IATA:
OKD; direct buses from the main station south exit. Subway Higashi
Totomachi, then 5 minutes by bus). Mainly regional flights with JAL, but
also with the budget airline Fuji Dream from Shizuoka.
By train
Sapporo's main station (札幌駅) is served by the JR Hokkaidō Railway
Company. It forms the city center, and all three subway lines meet here.
Currently, you have to change trains between Tokyo and Sapporo. From
Tokyo, take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen to Shin-Hakodate. There, change to
the JR Hakodate line to Sapporo. In 2021, this route costs around
¥29,000 one way. (The JR East Hokkaidō Pass, which is only sold to
tourists, is valid for 6 days and costs ¥27,000 there, back and across
country in Tōhoku.)
The Nemuro line takes you to Kushiro (4¼
hours, 6 "Super Ōzora" express trains daily; 2021: ¥10,000). The Sōya
line runs 260km via Asahikawa to Wakkanai, the northernmost city in
Japan (1x daily direct, 2x with transfers). The Seihoku line goes via
Asahikawa to Abashiri (4¼ hours; 2021: 10,500¥). It takes 3½ hours to
get to Hakodate. There are 12 express trains a day on this route.
By bus
The bus station is on the east side of the train station.
By road
Sapporo is on the Hokkaidō highway (= Dōō highway: E5),
which continues north to Nayoro. The 38km long Sasson highway, which is
subject to tolls, leads to Otaru. The maximum speed limit is 80km/h
throughout.
By ship
From June to September, there are ferries
from the Shin Nihon Kai shipping company to Otaru, the port suburb of
Sapporo, to the industrial city of Maizuru, from which Kyoto can easily
be reached by train. The journey takes around 21 hours, and departures
from both cities are shortly before midnight. Reservations must be made
60 to 10 days in advance at the latest. The cheapest class costs just
under 11,000¥, in 1st class it's twice as much, high season surcharge
for August is around 80%. Bicycles cost around 3500¥ extra. (As of 2020)
The same company also travels to Niigata in 16 hours. The cheapest class
here costs 7200-11,100¥ depending on the season. Meals on board are
included.
The ferries to Sakhalin have been discontinued for
years.
The port with the Otaru Ferry Terminal (小樽フェリーターミナル) can
be reached on the Hakodate or airport line to Minami-Otaru Station
(南小樽駅). If you want to take a hot bath before setting off, you can do so
in the Onsen Osupa, which is open 24 hours a day (or spend the night in
the relaxation room for a reasonable price if the ship departs early in
the morning).
Other ferries arrive at the port of Tomakomai.
Like Kyoto, Sapporo is one of the few Japanese cities whose streets
are laid out at right angles. The east-west axis is the Ō-Dōri (大通り,
"big street"). The Sōsei-Gawa (創成川) runs north-south, with the river of
the same name between the lanes. Parallel to it, under the train
station, is the Eki-Mae-Dōri (駅前道リ) passage.
Starting from the
intersection of these axes, the intersections in the city center are
numbered and labeled according to the cardinal directions. As in the
rest of Japan, the house numbers in the corresponding rectangles are
assigned according to the time of construction, i.e. completely random.
It helps to be familiar with the characters for the cardinal directions:
East = 東 (read: higashi), West 西 (nishi), North 北 (kita), South 南
(minami).
Bicycle Rental Sapporo (bicycle rental), 1 Chome-1-5
Kita 6 Jonishi, Kita-ku (near the train station, exit S23, 100 m). Open:
April 1 - November 30.
Rail transport
Regionally issued
prepaid cards are Kitaca (JR Hokkaidō) and the city SAPICA. All other
cards commonly used throughout Japan such as PASMO etc. also work.
JR Hokkaidō
The railway lines to Otaru and Chitose are
effectively commuter trains.
Subway
There are 3 subway lines,
which are shown on the map.
Tram
There is also a tram line
(shiden) designed as a ring line. You can change to the subway at the
Ō-Dōri junction through the passage to the Nishiyonchome stop. Of
tourist interest is the connection at the Ropeway Iriguchi stop
(ロープウェイ入口駅) 200m to the valley station of the cable car to Mount Moiwa
Buses
The central bus station can be reached from the station
hall via the south exit into the passage through the JR Tower Hotel
Nikko, at the end of which you go through a glass door on the right.
Around the station there are the Yodobashi Camera and BIC Camara
chains, which have mutated into electronics stores, as well as the
Maruzen and Tōkyū department stores.
The Tanuki-koji is the shopping
street of Sapporo, often also called Sapporo-Ginza
1 Nijō Market
(二条市場), 1 Chome Minami 3 Johigashi, Chūō-ku.
2 Wholesale market and
morning market, Kita 12 Jonishi, 20 Chome−1−20. Open: Mon–Sat
5:00–11:00.
3 Crab market, 21 Chome-2-3 Kita 11 Jonishi, Chūō-ku.
The island's specialties are described in the main article Hokkaidō.
Daruma Honten (成吉思汗だるま 本店), Minami 5 Jonishi, 4 クリスタルビル 1F
(Higashi-Kuyakusho-Mae, approx. 1 km). Tel: +81115526013. “Genghis Khan”
barbecue, nothing else. Reservation makes sense. Open: 5:00 p.m. - 11:00
p.m., Sun 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Price: upper middle class.
Onigiri no
Arinko (ありんこ), Kita 2 Jonishi, 3 Chome, Chuo-ku. Handmade onigiri with
choice of fillings. A second branch is in the East-West Passage on Level
1 of the main station, open from 7:30 a.m. There are other locations in
the city center. Open: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Price: 250-480 yen/piece.
Food Manufacturers' Corporate Museums
Ishiya Chocolate Factory
(イシヤチョコレートファクトリー), 2 Chome-11-36 Miyanosawa 2 Jo, Nishi-ku (called
Shiroi Koibito Park. Subway Tōzai Line: Miyanosawa). Exhibition building
overlooking the actual manufacturing area. Also small toy museum. The
company is known for its white chocolate, the brand shiroi koibito
(白い恋人), which is only sold in Hokkaido. Reservations are required for
the café with cake buffet. Open: 9:00–19:00. Price: 600¥ for guided
tour, otherwise free.
Sapporo Beer Museum (サッポロビール博物館, Sapporo Biru
Hakubutsukan), North 7, East 9 (next to the Ario shopping center;
company shuttle bus 88 from Ōdōri subway station; easy to reach on foot
from Naebo station). Tel.: +81 11-731-4368. "Sapporo" is one of the four
major beer brands in Japan. In addition to rather average beers, they
also produce Yebisu , which is most likely to appeal to Bavarian tastes.
There is also a "beer cellar" for dining (11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.). The
actual brewery has been moved to Eniwa. Open: daily 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Price: Beer samples ¥300-350, ¥800 for a pack of three; guided tours
(Japanese only) ¥500.
Snow Brand Dairy Products Museum (雪印メグミルク
酪農と乳の歴史館). On the site of the first butter factory (from 1925) of this
nationwide brand. Complete with plastic Simmental cattle, old machines
and a Shinto shrine where the usual fox guardian figures have been
replaced by milk bottles. The aim is to give Japanese visitors the
pleasure of milk, a “western” Food. Price: 45-minute guided tours.
Near the Susukino U-Bahn station.
Ebetsu Wald-Campingplatz (江別市森林キャンプ場), 928 Nishinopporo, Ebetsu (1.5 km from Bahnhalt Ōasa). Geöffnet: May - Ende October. Reception 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Price: Zelt 400¥ p.P., Grillplatz 500¥.
The Sapporo Help Desk (Tel. 011-211-3678) offers a good English overview of doctors on duty (including specialists) especially for emergencies. The office in the Sapporo International Communication Plaza (MN-Bldg. 3F, Kita 1-jō Nishi 3-chome, Chūō-ku) is aimed primarily at foreign residents of the city.
The Foreign Resident Support Center in the city administration
building 12 F, 7 Chome Kita 3 Jonishi, Chūō-ku is open Mon-Fri
9:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00 (Tel. +81112009595).
You have to register
at the Sapporo City Wi-Fi hotspots and log in again every 30 minutes. If
you are already registered with Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi, you do not
need to do this again. (List of hotspots only in Japanese)
For foreign tourists with a short-term stamp (max. 90 days) in their
passport, JR Hokkaidō offers two regional rail passes, each valid for
four days:
Sapporo-Noboribetsu Area Pass roughly covers the
Otaru-Sapporo-Chitose axis and routes south/west of it. Adult price
8500¥ (as of 2021).
Sapporo-Furano Area Pass covers the
Otaru-Sapporo-Chitose axis and routes north. Adult price ¥9500 (as of
2021).
These are available at the information center at Sapporo
Station or online via the JR East booking system.
The Chitose Line runs through the city with the Chitose and
Minami-Chitose stations. The latter is the starting point of the Sekishō
line to the east of the island.
Chitose can be reached via the Dōō
highway and national roads 36, 234, 274, 276, 337 and 453.
The port
is in the industrial city 2 Tomakomai (苫小牧市). Ferries from Sendai,
Tsuruga and Akita dock here.
The protected area is divided into regions east of Chitose, in the
Minami-ku of Sapporo, Tōya in the Abuta district and the mountains near
Niseko.
Highway 453 runs through the park, it is just under 50km
from Sapporo. From Chitose you can get here with the Shikotsuko Airport
Shuttle Bus, which also stops in front of Chitose station (bus platform
4).
A small onsen town on the Toyohira. It is named after the Buddhist
monk Miizumi Jōzan (19th century), who together with Matsuura Takeshiro
began to open the region to the Japanese in the 1860s. Administratively,
the village is part of the Minami-kus of Sapporo. It offers little
different from others of its kind.
Jōzankei Tourist Information,
Higashi 3-chome, Minami-ku. Tel.: +81 11-598-2012. English is spoken.
The local history museum is also here. Open: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
The
journey from the south exit of Sapporo station takes 60 minutes (5 times
a day) with the direct Kappa Liner bus, and about a quarter of an hour
longer with the regular Jotetsu bus (bus platform 12) - via Makomanai
subway station (2021: 790¥). Jotetsu also offers a day trip package that
includes a round trip and a visit to certain bathing houses for 2000¥
(towel rental always extra). You can get it at the Sapporo bus station
information kiosk, the Sapporo train station tourist information office
or from the driver.
It is 18km on Highway 230.
Thermal
springs are offered in accommodations, and there is also a hot foot bath
on the main road. Those who are hardy can shower under the
ten-meter-high Shiraito waterfall (白糸の滝).
Yu-no-hana (湯の花), 4
Chome-330 Jōzankeionsenhigashi, Minami-ku. Public bathhouse. Open: 10:00
a.m.–9:00 p.m. Price: 850¥; admission+towel+tea combo 1400¥.
Hōheikyō
Bath, 608-2 Jōzankei, Minami-ku (about 1 km upstream, left after 300 m).
Beautiful bath with indoor and open outdoor pools. There is also an
Indian restaurant and the local campsite next door. Open: 10:00
a.m.–10:00 p.m.; the 3 outdoor pools can only be used by men or women on
odd/even days. Price: 1000¥.
Mikasa Ski Resort. Hardly more than a
hill. In summer, Japanese women play croquet on the slopeslast change:
Aug. 2021 (information may be out of date)infoedit
The scenic Lake
Sapporo is dammed
Past the Jōzankei Nature Village (札幌市定山渓自然の村), a
campsite with huts, you can take designated hiking trails to the
Hōheikyō Dam, which dams Lake Jōzan.
If you continue to climb to the
top of the wooded Sapporo Mountain (札幌岳), there is a shelter (冷水小屋) on
the way.
Niseko (ニセコ町) is located 35km from the Sea of Japan and about 100km
west of Sapporo; it is also the name of a volcano in the north of the
area. It is surrounded by several ski resorts. Another volcano, the
Yōtei-zan (羊蹄山), is located to the east of Niseko.
High
precipitation, a record 15.1m fell in the 2007 season, leads to very
snow-sure conditions with good powder snow. Due to its location between
the mountains and the sea, Niseko is exposed to the cold and dry
Siberian winds, which accumulate moisture over the sea. The ski region
has some slopes that are illuminated at night. The season usually begins
on the first weekend in December and ends late in April. The absolute
peak season is the week around New Year's, when accommodation costs are
40-60% higher.
The increasingly expanded summer activities are aimed
not only at hikers but also at sporty guests who want to go whitewater
kayaking, horseback riding or fishing. Providers include NOASC and Lion
Adventure. Things are a little more leisurely at Yōtei Outdoor (449-4
Fujimi, Kutchan). Outdoor enthusiasts who come in the summer will find
more than ten campsites in the region, two not far from Niseko station,
three in Kutchan, and others around the foot of Yōtei.
Connected
ski areas that can be used with a combined ski pass are:
Niseko Grand
Hirafu (Hirafu or Kutchan station, then bus or taxi approx. 20 minutes).
Around 10 hotels in the 3-4* star category are in the area below the
“Welcome Center.” The operation here is firmly in the hands of the Tōkyū
company. Simpler houses and guesthouses are concentrated in the Kabayama
area, adjacent to the golf course.
Niseko Hanazono (Kutchan station).
There are about 5 upscale hotels in this area. There is also a golf
course here.
Niseko Higashiyama. Most of the accommodation here is in
the 2-3* category. The Higashiyama is 1898m high. The Higashi One ski
touring route is challenging and at risk of avalanches.
Niseko
Annupuri (ニセコアンヌプリ国際スキー場). There are five chairlifts and a cable car
that provide access to thirteen slopes of varying difficulty. The
Sannozaka touring route is considered to be at risk of avalanches.
Price: lift tickets, varies seasonally, 5600¥/day as an indicator.
Rental of ski equipment (complete) 5-6000¥/day.
Getting there
National Road 5 runs through the town. There are the train stations
Niseko (ニセコ駅) on the Hakodate line - typical of Japan with an onsen
right in front of it - and Hirafu (比羅夫駅), the latter being closer to the
ski areas and the climb to Yōtei. Trains from Sapporo via Otaru take
2½-3 hours. From Hakodate it takes 3¼ hours with a change.
Donan
buses run through Niseko 5-6 times a day. During the ski season there
are direct buses from Chitose Airport.
A-Marto (Aマートニセコ店), 105 Hondori, Niseko. Coop, the only real
supermarket for miles around. Open: 9:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.last modified:
Aug 2021 (information may be out of date)infoedit
4 Niseko House,
3-41 Arishima, Niseko (Koko-mae bus stop). Tel.: +81367120040.
Self-catering accommodation. Price: single ¥8,000, double ¥12,000.
Riverside Hill Campground (リバーサイドヒルキャンプ場). Little shade, with barbecue
areas. Check-in: 1:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Price: tent ¥1,000; various huts
for groups.
Niseko Onsen Campground (ニセコ五色温泉野営場). Open meadow with no
shade. Next door is an onsen and nearby a “flower garden”. Considered
the 5th station, i.e. starting point for ascents to the nearby peaks
Iwaonupuri and Niaseko-Annupuri. Open: June to the end of October.
Reception 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., tents can be set up at any time.
Short-term closures if bears are spotted in the area.
Yumoto
Onsen, Yunosato (on road 66, called Niseko Panorama Line). Several
minshuku, 2 public hot springs, one of which has mud packs. Above the
town is a lake with hot water. The (officially non-existent) Japanese
army trains here.
Otaru is the port suburb of Sapporo. Directions and ferries are described above. As a settlement, Otaru is older than the capital. There are several ski resorts in the hinterland.
Tōyako Onsen is located on the eponymous Lake Tōya (洞爺湖), which fills
the old caldera of the still active Usu volcano. The island of
Naka-no-shima (中島) rises in the middle. It is a protected area as part
of the Shikotsu-Tōya National Park. The released sika deer are part of
the fauna.
The last massive eruption was in 1982. Smaller tremors
repeatedly lead to evacuations, such as in 1977, 1978 and 2000.
In
the valley station of the cable car at Shōwa-shinzan (昭和新山駅) there is a
ramen restaurant and shop. Next door is a small bear zoo (850¥). Buses
from the town cost a hefty 400¥, but parking costs 500¥.
Getting
there
National roads 37 and 230 as well as the Dōō highway cross
Tōyako. On the highway it is 102km to Sapporo, if you take the toll-free
route 37 via Chitose and Tomakomai it is 153km. Hakodate is 163km away.
Tōya station (洞爺駅) is on the Hokuto line in the coastal district
that was called Abuta until 2004. From here you can take a bus (hourly,
340¥) to the Tōyako Onsen bus station in 18 minutes. The difference in
altitude is 95 meters. The building also houses the tourist information
office (Tel. +81-142-75-2555). Immediately next door is the town hall
(bunka center) with a concert hall. This is also the assembly point for
evacuation in the event of severe earthquakes and impending volcanic
eruptions.
From the bus station, walk 150m to the left to the small
volcano museum Tōyako Onsen Visitor Center. Here you can also get
information about the Kompirayama Walking Trail, which leads up the
mountain in question with several peaks and lakes. The hiking trail is
also signposted around the smaller Nishiyama crater.
Tour boats sail on the year-round ice-free lake, which is the ninth
largest in Japan. In summer, there are regular nighttime fireworks over
the lake.
The so-called 11 ECO Museum 1977 (三恵病院跡) (Sōbetsu Onsen bus
stop) is a piece of fenced-in meadow on which the concrete skeleton of
the former hospital stands, half of which was buried in the eruption.
The new ambulance is 100m further on.
Sōbetsu Local History Museum
(壮瞥横綱北の湖記念館・壮瞥町郷土史料館), 294-2 Takinomachi (on road 453,
Kitanoumikinenkan-mae bus stop). In front of the building, an almost
life-sized monument to Yokozuna Kitanoumi, who was born here, has been
erected. In addition to pictures of past sumo greats, visitors to the
museum can expect a lot of information about the volcano, a stuffed bear
and a pair of Ainu dolls. Next door you can of course take a hot bath,
which is recognizable by the red ゆ above the door. Open: 9:00 a.m.–5:00
p.m.
The 4th Laundromat Hide (354-6 Izumi, Toyako) is a bit out
of the way. The associated guest house has poor plumbing.
Cuisine
The lake is home to the Japanese char (Salvelinus leucomaenis), the carp
fish Ugui (Tribolodon hakonensis) and the stocked rainbow trout and masu
carp, all of which are on the local menus.
Accommodation
The
waterfront is dominated by high-end concrete blocks. In the second row
you will find cheaper accommodation and minshuku (guest houses).
Cocoa, 102-18 Tsukiura, Toyako, Abuta District (5km outside, across the
lake). From the outside, the concrete design makes it look sterile, with
parking spaces in front of each room, and views of the lake and
landscape in well-kept western rooms. Check-in: 3:00 p.m. Check-out:
10:00 a.m. Price: 7000¥/double.
The Sapporo district (札幌郡 Sapporo-gun) of the Ishikari province,
which was created with the establishment of the modern empire during the
Meiji Restoration, became the seat of the Kaitakushi, the colonial
administration of Ezochi, in 1869, the seat of the Sapporo prefectural
administration in 1882, and after the founding of Hokkaidō in 1886 the
seat of the Hokkaidō administration, which was directly subordinate to
the Ministry of the Interior in the empire and has only been legally
equivalent to a prefecture since 1946.
The predecessor of the
city of Sapporo, the Sapporo-ku (札幌区; ~“Sapporo city district”), was
separated from the Sapporo district in 1879, to which the village of
Sapporo also belonged. In 1922, the Sapporo-shi/Sapporo City described
in this article emerged from the urban district. The village of Sapporo
was not incorporated into the city of Sapporo until 1955. It was not
until the 1950s that the city of Sapporo replaced the nearby and much
older Otaru as the most populous city in Hokkaido. The city was planned
in a checkerboard pattern, similar to Kyoto or many American cities.
Sapporo's agricultural university, which was founded in 1869 and was
initially based in Tokyo, is also known for its first president, William
Smith Clark. He was invited by the Japanese government as an advisor on
educational issues. Above all, his parting words to his students, many
of whom he had converted to Christianity, left a lasting impression:
Boys, be ambitious!
Sapporo was scheduled to host the 5th Winter Olympics in 1940. As a
result of the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan had to
return the games to the IOC on July 16, 1938.
Finally, the IOC
awarded the 1972 Winter Olympics to Sapporo. These were the first Winter
Olympics in Asia. Since then, Sapporo has been twinned with Munich, the
host of the Summer Olympics of the same year.
On the occasion of
this major international sporting event, the organizers introduced the
Sapporo Snow Festival as part of the Olympic sports culture, drawing on
an event that was popular in the region. Here, invited artists created
impressive sculptures out of snow and ice. This festival subsequently
established itself as an annual event.
In 1978, Sapporo failed in
its attempt to host the Winter Olympics for a second time in 1984 after
1972, losing in the runoff election against Sarajevo.
Mayor Fumio
Ueda abandoned an originally planned bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
against its domestic Japanese competitors Fukuoka and Tokyo in 2006,
citing the high costs. Another bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics was
also withdrawn during the application process.