| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ￥500 per drink *cost of entry depending on live show |
| Opening Hours | 17:00 - 24:00 |
| Closed | *days depending on live shows |
| Contact | 011-223-3554 http://vinnies.info/ |
| Notes | Live music venue Bar Recording studio |
| Location / Getting There | 10 minute walk from Naebo station 12 Chome-316 Kita 1 Jōhigashi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 060-0031 |
Grab a beer
Vinnie’s bar is a small live music venue that often has live bands playing very week. The stage is reasonably large and there is enough seating for about 30 people plus standing room. The bar area sells beer on tap (Suntory), plus a variety of cocktails, non-alcohol beers, and non-alcohol cocktails. All drinks are ￥500 each. There is also a food menu that has some pastas and finger food. The live house has a good sound system and the music played is well mixed by the owner. For local bands, this is not a bad place to have a gig! 
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The Vinnie’s bar sign
Vinnie’s bar is slightly out of downtown Sapporo (it’s about a ￥1000 taxi fare), but this bar is part of a music studio, and it is also located underneath a bowling alley, so there is there is quite a lot do in this building. The bowling alley is called ‘Sapporo Olympia Bowl’ and is a good spot to get your bowling shoes on. There is plenty of parking for those driving. The music studio operates in tandem with the bar, and many bands that practice at the studio will often have a live show. For upcoming events at Vinnie’s bar please check the calendar on their site (in Japanese).
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 19:00 |
| Closed | Mondays December 29 - January 3 |
| Contact | 011-251-0731 |
| Notes | Wheelchair access Location of bike rental |
| Location / Getting There | 10 minute walk from Odori station 13-chome Otanishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi |
Open during year round
The Sapporo City Museum of Art was originally built as a Sapporo Appellant College in 1926. It was changed from the Court of Appeals to the Sapporo Museum in 1973. At the opening, materials related to the Sapporo Olympics and documents relating to Sapporo literature were originally displayed. The Shiryokan can be found on the west end of Odori park overlooking the extensive rose gardens that are in bloom from spring. Due to its architecture and history, it became a registered cultural asset of Japan in 1997. This two story building has a ‘town history exhibition room’, a ‘mini gallery’ and also a ‘rental room’.
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Court room
In 2006, the ‘criminal court exhibition room’ was restored to its former glory during the appellate court era. The ‘mini’ gallery’ and ‘training room’ are available to hire and can be used to present artworks, for meetings, or presentations. The mini gallery is open from 9:00 to 19:00 that is open to check out the current exhibitions. The building is not large, but the surrounding gardens are a pleasant area to walk around during the warmer seasons. There are also benches in which to sit and take in the surroundings. During summer you will find bike rentals here out the front of this building. This building is heavily used during the Sapporo International Art Festival.
Gallery
The ‘mini’ gallery’ and ‘training room’ are available to hire and can be used to present artworks, for meetings, or presentations. For an exhibition, artworks must be loaded and unloaded during the opening times. During the week, the exhibition is open from Tusday to Sundays. Applications for exhibitions are taken on the first of each month, a year in advance. Exhibitions run for two weeks and up to three rooms are available. For more information, please visit their site at http://www.s-shiryokan.jp/
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ￥500 - ￥1000 |
| Opening Hours | 19:00 - 3:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-215-1124 |
| Notes | Lounge bar Menu in Japanese only Smoking Sit down charge |
| Location / Getting There | Located on route 36. 5 minute walk from Susukino station Sapporo-shi, Chuo-ku, South 4, West 2 14-2 Central S4 building 6F |
Bar Grab is a nice quiet bar located in Susukino. It is perfect for the start of a night out, or at the end of the evening. It’s numerous couches also make it a good spot for a large group of friends. Along with couches there is a center bar area that has seating for 8 people. This bar is located up on the 6th floor and has some nice views of Susukino as it overlooks Route 36 (one of the main streets through Sapporo).
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The bar with its floor to ceiling windows gives this bar a nice ambiance in which to sit and have a drink. This bar has the usual alcohol on the menu, with beer on tap and a wide variety of spirits to choose from. The menu is only in Japanese, though you will find most drinks have the same names in English as they do in Japanese.There are also snacks and some small dishes to choose from as well. Located very close to many of the central hotels, this is not a bad place to grab a drink.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | Around ￥1000 |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 18:00 Take out from 9:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-593-2260 |
| Notes | Menu in Japanese (pictured) On the way to Jozankei Latte Art service Need car - parking for 4 |
| Location / Getting There | Located on Ishiyama Road 〒061-2283 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Minami-ku, Fujino 3 Jō, 6 Chome−7−1 |
Aoi working her magic
Standard Cafe is a great coffee shop that has two locations in the Sapporo area. One is in the city of Sapporo, the other is in the Ishiyama area, which is located on the way to Jozankei hot springs. The coffee here at Cafe Standard is excellent, which is made even more exceptional by the gifted coffee makers. What makes this coffee shop unique is that the latte artist working here is the number one in Hokkaido, and is one of the top artists in all of Japan! There is a good selection of coffee to choose from, that come in small and large mugs.
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Honey and cheese pizza. Delicious!
Cafe Standard not only has delicious coffee but it also has a food menu. There are waffles that are a must with any coffee. They also serve up delicious pizzas. There is the option of the four cheeses with honey, margarita, or the teriyaki chicken pizzas to name a few. There are always two of these on offer which switch on a regular basis. The staff are super friendly, and it’s a nice atmosphere, whether you are sitting at one of the many tables or at the counter. If you want to see the staff working their latte wonder, then the counter is the best vantage spot.
| Dates | February 3rd |
| Opening Hours | 15:00 - 16:00 |
| Contact | 011-611-0261 |
| Location / Getting There | Hokkaido Shrine. 10 minute walk from Maruyama station 474 Miyagaoka, Chuo, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0959 |
Hokkaido shrine members
Ever since the days old, there have been festivals and rituals to expel the evil spirits. In Japan, this event is called the ‘Setsubun’ and is held on the 3rd of February. The name, ‘Setsubun’ refers to the day before the changing of each season. In ancient times, it was common belief that the changing of the seasons brought with it good luck and bad luck. In order to expel the bad and bring in the good, beans are thrown at these evil forces, represented as an ‘oni’ or demon. While the beans are thrown, “Oni wa soto!” is shouted. This translates to “demon out!”
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Shrine musician
The Setsubun happens all over Japan, in peoples homes. The biggest Setsubun festival can be seen at Hokkaido shrine in Sapporo. The event is held in the courtyard. Priests and flute players come up onto a raise platform and address the crowd. After this, two ‘Oni’ (one red and one green) will make their way to the stage where they will parade around, wielding their clubs. Once they have been ‘banished’ then thirty or so members of the shrine will come to the stage.
Throwing of the mochi
It is here the fun really begins. The members will start throwing out packets of beans into the eager crowd, so people can take them home. After this, they will then throw out ‘mochi’ which are Japanese rice cakes. If you want any of these goodies, it’s best you get to the front of the stage. Once this is finished, a priest wearing a traditional mask will walk around blessing people, by tapping them on the head. This event is very quick and is over in about 1 hour, but this event, in the surroundings of the shrine makes a great spot for some photos of Japanese culture!
The Rokkatei hut
This event is held in February which is one of the coldest months in Hokkaido. Be sure to rug up and keep warm! If you are feeling the chill, there is a nice little ‘Rokkatei’ hut near the shrine on the grounds. Rokkatei is a famous sweets store in Hokkaido. There are multiple locations around Hokkaido. The store at the Hokkaido shrine is called the Jingujaya Store. This store sells traditional small sweets. Here you can sit down in a heated room, sip on some hot tea and have some Japanese cakes!
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | Around ￥1500 - ￥2000 |
| Opening Hours | 11:30 - 22:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-218-8809 |
| Notes | Credit cards available Japanese ONLY menu (pictured) Seating 40 Non smoking |
| Location / Getting There | 5 minute walk from Odori station Sapporo-shi Chuo-ku Minami 2-nishi 1 Mary Art Building B1 |
Open cooking area!
Located in Odori, Sapporo, the North Continent restaurant is renowned for having some of the best hamburg steaks in Hokkaido. Although it’s on one of the main streets in Sapporo, it can be easily missed! Keep an eye out for the sign (see picture). There is seating for about 40 people, though it is wise to make a reservation for small groups as it does get busy. If you can get counter seating, the views of the chef as he cooks the hamburgers a la flambé, is a great spot for a photo and adds to the experience of the restaurant!
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Blue cheese & walnut sauce
North Continent has four different kinds of meat patties. Minced lamb, a mixed nuts patty, meat and egg, and the basic meat patty. The last two are the only ones available during the lunch menu. The toppings that go with the hamburg steaks are delicious, whether it be the blue cheese & walnut sauce, the prune demi-glace sauce, or the four cheeses dip. All steaks come with daikon (Japanese radish), crispy roast potatoes, a green salad, and a bowl of rice. All ingredients are from various areas around Hokkaido. While in Sapporo, Odori, Hamburg Steak North Continent is a nice little restaurant to check out.
