| 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 |
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | Free entry Restaurant ¥1000 - ¥3000 |
| Opening Hours | 09:30 - 17:30 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0133-625-511 |
| Notes | Seafood supermarket on 1st floor, 2nd floor is a seafood restaurant, parking 250 cars |
| Location | Need a car to get here, the Salmon Factory is a 40 minute drive from central Sapporo. You will need to head north in the direction of Ishikari along route 231. After 30 minutes turn left onto route 337 and then back again to route 231. This large building is easy to see and will be on the right hand side of the road if coming from Sapporo. 1 Chome-54 Shinkohigashi, Ishikari, Hokkaido 061-3243 |
If you love seafood and have a bit of time for a nice drive, head out to the Salmon Factory. It takes about 40 minutes to get there but there is plenty of parking once you arrive. The whole first floor is dedicated to the seafood market. They have lots and lots of frozen produce. They have lots of salmon products. You can buy some really quality and large cuts of salmon. Obviously, the price increases as the size of the cuts does. The store is actually call ‘Sato Suisan’ and many of their products are sent out to their stores across Hokkaido. To areas such as Hakodate and the New Chitose Airport to name a couple. After a little bit of shopping we recommend having lunch at the seafood restaurant on the next floor up. The restaurant is called ‘Old River’ and has a very extensive menu. Old River has plenty of seating but the best seats are the window seats and these overlook Ishikari River. If you want the window seats you can ask for them but the wait will be a little longer. But no matter where you are sitting, you can enjoy a great lunch here for about ¥1500.
Salmon Factory is a good place to visit if you are looking for seafood, some souvenirs as a gift or just for a special lunch. If you want to make a day of it, then after some lunch and some shopping, you should head out to Aso Beach which is about another 15 to 20 minute drive further north. This is a great spot, especially in the summer.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | Around ¥700 a drink. No sit down charge |
| Opening Hours | 21:00 - 03:00 |
| Closed | Thursdays |
| Contact | 011-522-6774 |
| Notes | Late night bar, seating 15, small bar, smoking allowed, small food, no parking |
| Location | This bar is located in Susukino, Sapporo. The bar is a 4 minute walk from Susukino subway station. On the west side, on the 6th floor. 〒064-0805 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 5 Jonishi, 5 Chome−21-1, No.2 No.3 Asahi Kanko Bldg., 6th floor |
This is a great little bar in Susukino, Sapporo. Just one of the many in this entertainment district. Kossori is a bar that is suited for those who are having a late night out with friends. The bar comes alive especially during the later hours. It is run by the manager and owner. Very friendly and welcoming. Expect shots to be freely given out, especially when some of the local patrons turn up! This mainly a drinking bar. There is some food here but it is small and mainly finger food. They sell a lot of bottled beers here, and some basic cocktails are made. There is no beer on tap but they have a selection of bottled beers in the fridge. This is a smoking bar. The music is good and you can make requests. There are a few seats for counter seating plus one table for a bigger crowd. This is definitely a fun and welcoming bar to check out, whether alone or with a small group of friends.
| Cost per night | ¥6000 - ¥10,000 |
| Check-in | 15:00 |
| Check-out | 10:00 |
| Contact | https://www.axia-inn-sapporo-s.com/ |
| Restaurant | No restaurant Breakfast area & work space on ground floor |
| Wi-fi | Yes |
| Rooms | Single, Double, Economy Twin and Standard twin |
| Parking | Limited parking. There is a paid parking area near the hotel |
| Notes | Television, refrigerator (empty), hair dryer, deodorant spray, shampoo, conditioner, body soap, iron and pants press free of charge * Toothbrushes, razors, and gowns are available in front of the front desk on the 1st floor. |
| Location | The property is a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Susukino Station on the Namboku Line and an 8-minute walk from Exit 2 of Hosui-Susukino Station on the Toho Line, and is close to the center of Susukino 5 Chome-8-6 Minami 6 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0806 |
This hotel is located in the heart of Susukino. It is a budget hotel so suitable if you are looking for an affordable place for a simple room to sleep and shower. The small lobby has a work area that has wifi and power sockets. This area also serves as a breakfast spot. If the breakfast is included as part of your stay, then it is free. The breakfast here is pretty basic with bread rolls, and a curry. All amenities come with the room. Being in the centre of Susukino it is close by to a lot of the bars and the hostess and host bars. There are also a lot of restaurants around here. This hotel is probably suited best for those looking for some nightlife rather than families. The staff here speak a little english but not much. Good for those on a budget!
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥1000 |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 19:00 |
| Closed | Sundays |
| Contact | 011-7264-988 |
| Notes | 50, small table and counter seating, credit card accepted, parking space for 2, smoking allowed |
| Location | This cafe is in northern Sapporo. It is a 6 minute walk from North 24 subway station. After exiting the station at exit 1, walk north 4 blocks and 3 blocks west. It is just by the main street that runs north to south. 〒001-0026 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Kita Ward, Kita 26 Jonishi, 5 Chome−2−1 Kosei House 1F |
Soiree is a pretty interesting cafe and diner on a corner in northern Sapporo. It is run by a nice elderly couple. Although they speak no English they are very friendly and accommodating. This cafe is reminiscent of those old sixties diners. They have large counter seating plus some small tables lining the windows that face the street. They have blinds instead of curtains which creates the scene. It is not a really easy coffee shop to access and most of their clientele will be regulars who live in the area. They have some nice cafe food here and decent coffee. Smoking is allowed here, hence the sixties feel. On the menu, there are some pastas, hamburger steaks, plus fried chicken and curries. Each dish looks pretty appetizing! This is an old cafe but the layout and style makes it for a cool dining experience. Enjoy!
The coffees here are sufficient. The best thing about this place is the food and the atmosphere. The coffee is cheap and the lunch sets are affordable. You are looking at around ¥1000 which is a good price for a lunch or dinner.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥1000 |
| Opening Hours | 08:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | Tuesdays |
| Contact | 011-2072-244 |
| Notes | Seating 60, outside seating, upstairs seating, free coffee samples, wifi, credit card available, no smoking, no parking, take out available, no power points for charging |
| Location | The coffee shop is located in the Tanuki Koji shopping arcade on the 1st block. It is only a 5 minute walk from Odori subway station. Head south from the exit until you reach the Tanuki-koji shopping arcade, and then simply turn left and walk two blocks. The cafe will be on the right hand side. 1 Chome-12-12 Minami 3 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0063 |
Mermaid Coffee Roasters is a nice coffee shop located in Sapporo on the 1st block of the Tanuki Koji Shopping Arcade. It has two floors as well as outside seating which faces directly onto the arcade. It is a popular spot and you can either enjoy your coffee indoors or get take away. Mermaid Coffee Roasters is just across from Soseigawa Park which is a nice place to sit and relax in Sapporo. The decor has an air of fantasy about it with warm colors, a cloud like ceiling and sculptures around the store. One thing this coffee shop that others don’t is that they have free coffee samples in the store. You can sample up to about ten different coffees. There is a not much food here and they primarily focus on coffee. They have same hand made cakes here to have with your coffee. Downstairs there are benches and upstairs is more for lounges and a more homely atmosphere. This is a good coffee shop to enjoy while in Sapporo.
There are no plugs to use charge your computer here so might not be perfect for those wishing to work while they have a coffee. The staff here are exceptionally friendly and are very good. This is a good coffee to enjoy!
