Activities in Sapporo
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Sapporo Beer-En
A museum and beer garden, Sapporo Beer-En is located in the original Sapporo brewery. Two tour options are possible: visitors on the short tour (30 minutes) get a takeaway goody bag with a can of beer per person and various other items; those wanting more action should take the 50-minute option, which includes a 20-minute all-you-can-drink afterwards.
The adjoining beer garden has food, a variety of beverages and serves the local grilled lamb speciality, jingus kān, which has become a popular Sapporo dish.
To get here, take the Tōhō subway to the Higashi-Kuyakusho-mae stop and take Exit 4. Head south along Higashi-Nana-Chōme-dōri to N8E8 (about 10 minutes). The large bri…
reviewed
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Hokkaidō Brewery
Diehard beer fans will want to take the 40-minute train ride out to this current brewing and bottling facility, This mammoth production plant seems more like something out of a James Bond movie than a place where beer is made: technicians in white lab coats peer into test tubes; immaculate stainless-steel tanks are covered with computerised gauges and dials; and video cameras monitor the bottles as they whizz by.
The tour is self-guided and English is minimal, but you'll be rewarded with a refreshing 20 minutes to tipple at the end. Take the JR Chitose line towards the airport and get off at the Sapporo Beer Teien Station. Head away from the tracks towards the giant white…
reviewed
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Sapporo Winter Sports Museum
At the foot of the awe-inspiring ski-jump (134m) used in Sapporo's Olympics, this new museum dares you not to break a sweat as you try computer-simulated challenges in hockey, cross-country skiing, speed-skating and ski-jumping. A well-done English-language audio guide takes you through a history of winter sporting and the Sapporo Winter Olympics.
You can also ride the chairlift to the top of the real jump, or hike it. The chairlift costs almost as much as the museum, and operating hours vary.
reviewed
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Teine Highland
Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing can all be done near to Sapporo. The closest place is Teine, 10 minutes' train ride away. Teine has 14 lifts and is very much geared towards beginners. It's the place to ski if you're wanting to play around for a while; it's probably a disappointment for hard-core skiers, but is good for families with children. As with other skiing resorts, all equipment can be rented when you arrive.
reviewed
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Jōzankei Hot Spring
Another very popular option in the area, which also has several 'foot onsen' (ashiyu) where you can soak your tired feet. To get there, take the Jozankei-bound Donan or Jōtetsu Bus and get off at the Jozankei stop. It's approximately an hour from JR Sapporo Station.
reviewed
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Sapporo KOKUSAI Skiing Resort
Sapporo KOKUSAI has five lifts, powder snow and is mainly suitable for beginner and intermediate snowboarders and skiers. It's very, very crowded, especially on the weekends, but has more of a family vibe than Niseko or Furano.
reviewed
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Sapporo Teine
With Niseko just around the corner, alpine enthusiasts aren't too keen on spending any more time in Sapporo than they have to. But you can't beat Teine for convenience, as the slopes lie quite literally on the edge of the city.
With only 15 runs and nine lifts, Teine caters primarily to families with children. The highlights include a 4km-long beginner trail that undulates from the highland zone down to the village, and then continues into a low-lying valley. There is also an exhilarating 700m black-diamond chute that was featured in the downhill rotation at the Sapporo Olympics.
Cafeteria-style restaurants are located at each of the various levels, and offer winter warmers…
reviewed
