| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 18:00 - 21:00 |
| Dates | October 25 - November 3 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Parking available, food stalls are available |
| Location / Getting There | It is located in Nakajima Park so simply take the subway station to Nakajima Koen subway station. 1 Nakajimakoen, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0931 |
Nakajima Park is an extremely popular park in Sapporo. It one of the main three. The other two being Odori Park, and Maruyama Park. Since 2004, a new festival has started in Sapporo, that being the Autumn Illumination Festival. It is held in Nakajima Park in the evening and is truly stunning. During the day there is a Red Terrace Event on, in one section of the park. This has a dozen stalls and an eating area. They sell mainly sweet potato dishes. During the evening, it is lit up with hanging lights and is quite romantic. At 18:00 is when the real magic happens. Places in strategic spots around the park, the trees are lit with colored lights. Red, yellows, and greens. What makes it particularly beautiful is the reflection on the water from the central pond in the middle of the park. The Japanese Gardens inside the park are also illuminated and are a must see.
There are some events that are held out through the park to add to the experience. At the Hoheikan Hall building, there is the Meigren Dance Performance. This is a traditional geiko dance and is performed by geisha in their beautiful kimonos. Each dance goes for 15 minutes. There is also a tea ceremony at Hoheikan Hall where you an enjoy Japanese tea and sweets. There is also a tea ceremony in the Japanese gardens by the Hasso-an (Tea House). Oshiruko is sold here. Oshiruko is a traditional Japanese dessert made from sweet red bean paste and mochi.
| Meigrien Dance Performance | Free | October 25, 26, 30 November 2 1st performance: from 6:30 p.m. 2nd performance: from 7:00 p.m. 3rd performance: from 7:30 p.m. 4th performance: from 8:00 p.m. |
| Tea Ceremony and Japanese Sweets | ¥1000 | October 27, 28, 29, 31, November 1, 3 1st performance: from 6:30 p.m. 2nd performance: from 7:00 p.m. 3rd performance: from 7:30 p.m. 4th performance: from 8:00 p.m. |
| Japanese Garden Open-air Tea Ceremony | ¥500 | October 25 - November 3 |
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | 011-1251-0438 https://odori-park.jp/ |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, paid parking underground, festivals throughout the year (see below), toilets at park |
| Location / Getting There | Odori Park runs horizontally right through the middle of Sapporo. It is a 10 minute walk from Sapporo Station. It is also directly above Odori Subway station. The park can be easily accessed from 3 subway stations along the Tozai Line (subway orange line). 7 Chome Odorinishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0042 |
Odori Park is the most famous park in Sapporo, if not Hokkaido. It runs through the heart of Sapporo and is home to the some of the biggest festivals throughout the year. The park runs for twelve blocks and separates the city into north and south. At the eastern most end you can find the iconic TV Tower which has great views overlooking the park. The park was originally constructed as a large street, which also served as a firebreak in 1871. In 1872, the street was named ‘Shiribeshi Dōri’ but this name was not popular so it was renamed ‘Odōri’ in June 1881. Odori meaning ‘large street’ in English. The park itself didn’t become a park until 1909.
Annual Events at Odori Park
| February (2nd week) | Sapporo Snow Festival |
| May (middle of the month) | Lilac Festival. |
| June (2nd week) | Yosakoi Soran Festival |
| July (from mid July) | Sapporo Beer Garden Jazz Festival |
| August (to mid August) | Sapporo Beer Garden |
| September | Sapporo Autumn Festival |
| November (end of month) | Sapporo White Illumination |
The park is hugely popular especially during the warmer months. There are benches that line the park, and the grass areas throughout the park are a great spot to sit and have lunch, or a drink, and relax. There are numerous fountains to admire and to dip your feet in the hotter months. Swings, slides, a stage for performances, and beautiful flower gardens can be found throughout the park. On the western most block are the rose gardens and the Sapporo City Museum. Big events are held at Odori Park. The biggest being the Summer Beer Garden and the Snow Festival are at this park.
| Opening Hours | All day |
| Contact | 011-598-2012 |
| Notes | Autumn leaves viewing spot, parking nearby for 20, photography spot |
| Location / Getting There | This bridge is in Jozankei. It's a 15 minute walk or a 3 minute drive from central Jozankei. From Sapporo it's a 45 minute drive. Take route 230 and it's a right hand turn off from this road. 1 Chome-61 Jozankeionsenhigashi, Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 061-2302 |
The town of Jozankei is up in the mountains outside of Sapporo. There are numerous rivers that run through and by it. This landscape makes for some really beautiful scenic spots. The Nishiki Bridge and Maizuru no Toro water pool is one of these locations. The bridge is quite small but it crosses a small gorge that offers a nice view that overlooks Toyohira river. The view is especially stunning during the Autumn. The trees overhang the river and the autumn leaves are reflected in the water creating a kaleidoscope of color. Even during the winter, it is a stunning view.
To get to the bridge you will need a car if coming from Sapporo. There is nowhere to stop and park on the bridge but there is a small parking area just past it. The drive into Jozankei takes about forty five minutes. For those who are staying in the town of Jozankei, it is about a twenty minute walk from the very centre of town. This makes for a nice peaceful stroll where you can take in the views of the mountains and rivers. The river pool, which is part of the river here, is a popular spot for people to canoe along and on occasion you can see people enjoying the water.
| Opening Hours | 7:00 - 21:00 |
| Closed | – |
| Contact | 011-578-3361 http://www.mit-ueki.com/ishiyama_shisetu.html |
| Notes | Autumn is best time, parking available for 46 cars, walking paths, sculptures, restrooms on site, car needed, wheelchair access, tennis courts, gateball field, |
| Location / Getting There | The park is a 25 minute drive south from Sapporo. On the east side of Toyohira, take route 453 and it's on the right after crossing over the overhead bridge. Take the Chuo Bus Karumanuma Line (Shin-101) or Takino Line (Shin-102) from the Subway Namboku Line "Makomanai Station" and get off at "Ishiyama Higashi 3-chome". 4 minutes on foot 78 Ishiyama, Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 005-0849 |
Ishiyama Green Space is a fantastic area to walk around, explore and relax. It has a real unearthly feel to it as the park is surrounded by sheer, white rock topped with overhanging trees. There are also beautiful and interesting sculptures placed around the park and are built into the landscape, adding to the mystique and beauty. The park was originally a soft rock mining site and in 1993 it was transformed into its current look. This park is definitely a must see during the autumn as the changing leaves add a vibrant color in contrast to the white cliffs!
The park is split into two sections with a small road dissecting the space. There is parking on both sides. The northern park has a lookout point which offers great views down the valley that leads to Jozankei. It is also on this side you can find a play area for the kids, plus there are tennis courts that can be rented out for ¥620 per hour. There is also a gateball (a kind of croquet style game) field here. The southern section of Ishiyama Green Space has paths and sculptures that wind around by ten meter white rock cliffs. This space has areas to sit, to walk around and explore this amazing space.
