It started with a text “Hey Darren, do you have time to visit Sapporo for 4 days to go powder snowboarding and eat at some fancy restaurants”?
My reply “Yes, bags are already packed”
What followed was an amazing adventure in Sapporo, Hokkaido’s largest city and a pinnacle stop on every tourist’s itinerary when coming to Japan.
I’ve curated four day itinerary which could easily go for a week or more.
Day one – skiing with a view
Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort, is located roughly one hour drive from the centre of Sapporo city. I arrived on a sunny day with the luxury of a 20cm fresh dump of powder overnight and my first impression was how quiet the place was. It was mid-week but still, there were no lift lines and the slopes were sparsely dotted with people skiing and boarding the immaculate groomers in the morning sun.
Kokusai has a reputation for amazing powder snow and it’s 7 courses offer a mix of everything from beginner to advanced terrain for all levels of skiers and boarders. There’s also a snow play park for sledding and tubing for those who don’t want to ski or board.
It boasts a 3.6km course that snakes from the gondola all the way down to the base and when the weather is good, you can see The Sea of Japan and views over the port city of Otaru.
The town of nearby Jozankei sits on the perimeter of Sapporo City. Jozenkei is renowned for its relaxing onsens and hotels that have so much to offer you could get away with not leaving the premises.
The Shogetsu Grand Hotel has a stunning traditional onsen and also has a “honey happy hour” – a honey bars serving up 14 different honeys to drizzle over a selection of fruit, water and ice cream. The food here is local and filled with Hokkaido ingredients, I settled in for a feast of 14 different dishes, the perfect end to a powder day.
Day two – white waters of Sapporo
We headed down to the Toyohira River that runs through Jozankei and met a river guide for a lovely float down the semi frozen waters on a solid raft.This is a must for a fun winter activity. We pulled up to a small snow island for toasted marshmallows over an open fire then paddled further along the river.
Spend some time wandering the streets of Jozankei (can highly recommend Birch Terrace Café for lunch) and hit up the ancient temple. The outdoor foot onsens are a must, sit amongst powder snow and soak your feet in onsen water while chatting to strangers walking by.
Back to Sapporo City for a night at the Hotel Sosei Sapporo, a very cool MGallery hotel right in the middle of town. The hotel is in 21st century interpretation of a Sapporo pioneer’s residence in the vibrant Sosei area of the city. The ideal location to explore.
Whatever you do, book a dining experience at Elm Garden Sapporo for an ice bar and Japanese garden walkway like no other. The Winter Elm Garden “appears” for only 45 days a year and has been serving up a Hokkaido inspired kaiseki course for 80 years.
Day three – ski and dine with the locals
Our hotel was a short walk to the Sapporo TV Tower where, from the observation platform located nearly 90m above street level, you get a birds eye view of the city, If you’re there at the right time you’ll see the sculpture of the Sapporo Snow Festival in Odori park. It’s a great start to the day.
Time for more skiing at Bankei Ski Area located about a 20-minute drive from central Sapporo, this ski resort is popular for its night skiing, allowing office workers to stop by easily even on weekdays after work.
The resort offers a total of 17 courses, ranging from gentle slopes for families to the FIS-certified ban.K Mogul Course and one of the largest halfpipe Courses in Japan. In addition, tubing slopes, a snow strider course, and areas where first-time skiers, tourists,and children can enjoy.
No visit to Sapporo is complete without a trip to the famous Sapporo Ramen Alley where you can slurp your way through a large bowl of miso ramen with sliced pork. Then follow it up with a Shime Parfait. Though, to be honest I went into this a little unprepared.
Not really being a dessert eater, I was blown away by the selection and size of all the different desserts and cakes. Finally settling on a roasted caramel and pistachio sorbet with raspberry fudge and milk ice cream and a cheeky smokey Japanese whisky on the rocks.
Day four – drink up
Head to the Nijo Fish Market downtown where locals sell their famed Hokkaido seafood. Hokkaido is surrounded by the sea on all sides and as its main city, Sapporo acts as a focal point for the freshest catches from all over the island. Nijo Fish Market boasts 25 fisheries and fishmongers selling the day’s catch. I tried some fresh king crab barbequed on charcoal and suggest you do too.
Beer, Sapporo is famous for it. The Sapporo Beer Museum is a shrine to the history of brewing in Hokkaido and a great spot to taste all the different beer offerings. You can soak up the brew with a bbq meal next door at the Garden Grill Sapporo.
The perfect end to a culinary powder tour of Sapporo.
For more travel ideas in Sapporo check out the Visit Sapporo website.
The author travelled with the support of Visit Sapporo.
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