Overview
Take a trip to Sapporo on your Japan Vacation
Considered one of Japan’s nicest and newest cities, Sapporo is the capital and largest city of the northern island of Hokkaido. Holding a population of seven in 1857, it now features the fourth largest population in Japan with 2 million people.
Once home to indigenous Ainu settlements, Sapporo’s development began at the end of the Edo Period in 1866 on a canal running through the area, while the new Meiji government established it as the administrative centre of Hokkaido. Featuring an American-style grid plan, Sapporo features tree-lined boulevards and modern architecture to be enjoyed on a Japanese vacation.
The annual Sapporo Snow Festival first began in 1950. Held in the first week of February, the famous festival attracts artists from all around the world to compete in the creation of elaborate ice sculptors.
Ideal for its cooler climate, Sapporo is famous for its ski resorts and played host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first ever to be held in Asia. With its newly constructed Sapporo Dome, the city also played host to three FIFA World Cup matches in 2002.
While Sapporo’s major industries include information technology, retail, and tourism, it is well known for Sapporo Brewery and features the Sapporo Beer Museum where visitors on a Japan vacation can learn the history of the brewing process as well as sample various beers.
Other sites include the Clock Tower, Sapporo’s oldest building, as well as Sapporo TV Tower. Asahiyama Park is ideal for cherry blossom viewing in the spring, while Odori Park, located in the heart of Sapporo, hosts various festivals and events held throughout the year, all making this modern city an eventful place to visit on a Japan vacation.
Ideal for its cooler climate, Sapporo is famous for its ski resorts and played host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first ever to be held in Asia. With its newly constructed Sapporo Dome, the city also played host to three FIFA World Cup matches in 2002.
While Sapporo’s major industries include information technology, retail, and tourism, it is well known for Sapporo Brewery and features the Sapporo Beer Museum where visitors on a Japan vacation can learn the history of the brewing process as well as sample various beers.
Other sites include the Clock Tower, Sapporo’s oldest building, as well as Sapporo TV Tower. Asahiyama Park is ideal for cherry blossom viewing in the spring, while Odori Park, located in the heart of Sapporo, hosts various festivals and events held throughout the year, all making this modern city an eventful place to visit on a Japan vacation.
At a Glance
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JapaneseCurrency
Japanese Yen (JPY)What do the experts say?
You should try a Zen meditation session. Imagine slipping into a silk kimono for the day—carefully tied by an expert dresser, every fold precise, every colour chosen to suit the season. It’s a ritual that feels as personal as it is timeless.
What do I love about Japan? In a word - EVERYTHING. The incredible contrast that Japan offers - new/innovative vs old/traditional, the warm and welcoming people, the incredible rich culture, the culinary wonders awaiting around every corner, the cleanliness, efficiency and safety. It's one of the best places to visit in Asia in my opinion.
Every season offers something to fall in love with, but autumn feels especially magical—fewer tourists, crisp weather, and foliage that rivals the famous blossoms.
Sapporo's clock tower is always a great photo o...
Festival lights
Old city hall
Night view of Sapporo TV Tower
Snow sculpture of the Taj Mahal
Most Popular Time to Travel
Know when to go.
Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
SapporoOccasional Showers
20°C / 68°F
43mm / 1.7"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
-
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ExcellentBased on 5,156 ReviewsAfter spending some time with our agent, we felt that she understood exactly what we had in mind as far as the level of service, etc, we were hoping for. The trip exceeded our expectations. Lori kept us busy(not too busy!) and we had many, many very exciting experiences. Bruce BelshawAylin is an exceptionally proficient advisor. Coordinating my clients simultaneously often feels like herding cats, but she has remained patient and accommodating through every modification and delay. Goway continues to be my go-to for complex itineraries, and they never disappoint.Nick Cron, ACCMahalo Goway Travel for helping in planning our group Japan's trip. Lawrence was very helpful & patient with all the changes & additions we did. Also, mahalo to Natasa who helped planned my Australia trip past November. The planning from transportation to tours to hotels worked very smoothly. I'll continue to use Goway travel for all my International trips. I'll also will recommend to my friends & family to use Goway...MahaloTanya LaguatanMaria Spitman was wonderful to work with. She was very helpful in designing our trip to Japan and equally wonderful when we had to cancel it. I loved the service she gave us.Sandy WarrenMy daughter and I had a wonderful 2 weeks in New Zealand! The country is so beautiful and the people so friendly. Our destination specialist did a great job with planning and organizing the itinerary, choosing our hotels, and organizing transportation. The hotels were absolutely beautiful and we had great views. We felt right at home and found all of the staff to be friendly and accommodating. There were no issues with our itinerary and our excursions we were always on the list. Our transportation was always ready and waiting for us.
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Thank you all involved in organazing our trip!MaiaBrigitta Fuller is Amazing! She was my group coordinator. She understood the assignment and all the nuances I was trying to achieve. The itinerary she curated was fantastic. If you want someone who truly cares about her group and what they are trying to achieve. I will always reach out to Brigitta first for Europe groups. Kathryn WalkerMy clients had a wonderful time on their trip to Easter Island. They were very pleased with the Hare Nua Hotel Boutique and especially noted the warmth and hospitality of the hotel staff as well as their excellent breakfasts.
Jaime Vargas-Hendandez was an exceptionally gracious and knowledgeable agent, who went out of his way to ensure that my clients had the best possible experience. I will definitely contact him for future bookings and will recommend him to my colleagues.Alethea KardasWe were just back from an ambitious 42-day grand circle through seven of the ASEAN countries! An itinerary gestating over a period of time, carefully planned and pore over intently all the way through proved satisfying as expected, but the amazing "embarras de richesse" in six weeks such as we've never experienced before truly went beyond our imagination, both in terms of scenery and culture! The vast majority of the local teams who work with Goway provided impressive service throughout our stay, and quite a number of the guides and drivers deserve to be called cream of the crop in their line of work. But ultimately, we owe our destination specialist Taryn a profound gratitude for her insight and for her coordination efforts which made all this possible.
When our debit card was not retrievable in an airport ATM Taryn again went out of her way to approve a small loan through transfer to our local guide's bank account, who then withdrew cash from an ATM while we simply paid Goway Travel by credit card through an online payment link. This helped us tremendously through that difficult moment. We will always treasure this kindness on her part.Yuan LinAlice was most helpful - full of insider suggestions.
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