| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥300 - ¥900 |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 21:00 generally |
| Closed | |
| Contact | https://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/ |
| Notes | Fast food store, multiple locations throughout Hokkaido, take out, drive through, delivery available, credit card accepted |
| Location | Multiple locations in most major cities and towns in Hokkaido. |
McDonald’s history in Japan goes all the way back to 1971. The first McDonald’s restaurant opened its doors to the public in July 1971, in Ginza at the ground floor of the Ginza Mitsukoshi department store. On the menu at that time was the Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Flit-O-Fish, Big Mac, French Fries, Apple Pie, and the McShake. Since then, there are thousands of restaurants all over Japan. It is one of the main fast food restaurants in Japan, along with KFC, Lotteria, Mos Burger, and Burger King. In Hokkaido, you can find a McDonalds in every major city, with the exception of Nemuro, …. and ….. . There are only two that are open 24 hours with one being in Shin Sapporo and the other in Kitami (see google maps below). McDonalds offers a small taste of home for some travelers, who are maybe looking for respite from Japanese cuisine and want something cheap and familiar. Most of the McDonald restaurants have power sockets for charging, and a clean and quiet place to sit and relax, which is helpful to those traveling. Most of the meals are around the ¥700 mark and they do have drive thru and card is accepted. You will also find that some of the cashiers have some level of English which is a bonus.
| Population | 1,148 |
| Size | 230 hectares |
| Contact | https://jozankei.jp/ |
| Location / Getting There | Jozankei is located along the banks of the Toyohira River and approximately 26 km south of (or a one hour by drive) from downtown Sapporo. Driving, take route 230 south toJozankei. There are buses direct from Sapporo Station. Take the rapid bus 7J, 7H or 8J. (Buses without a J or H will NOT go to Jozankei). Bus costs ¥1400 to Jozankei. Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 061-2301 |
Jozankei is located an hour south from Sapporo. It is an onsen (hot spring) town. The first hot spring bath opened here in 1866, and since then has become a picturesque town amid a ravine and is part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. This national park is characterized by volcanic activity and it is from this activity that feeds the hot springs of Jozankei. The park includes two of Japan’s most famous caldera lakes, Lake Shikotsu and Lake Toya; as well as the Mt. Tarumae, Mt. Yotei and Mt. Usu volcanoes. Jozankei has many hot spring hotels plus other sightseeing spots. Every season brings a different feel to Jozankei, each equally beautiful. The cherry blossoms in spring, the lush greenery in summer, the beautiful autumn foliage, and the winter wonderland all make Jozankei a place worth visiting.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | Free entry |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-706-2658 |
| Notes | No parking, walking distance from Sapporo station, exhibits mostly in Japanese |
| Location | This museum is easy to access. It is a 15 minute walk from Sapporo station. Start by taking the north exit from the station and take a nice walk through the University grounds. 8 Chome Kita 10 Jonishi, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810 |
Walking around the grounds of Hokkaido University is a nice day out unto itself, and finding the museum here is a nice little bonus. The museum is free to enter and has some great exhibits. What makes this museum good is the old corridors that the visitors get to wander around. This gives the whole place an antiquated feel which adds to the experience. The show rooms are a little more modern and have an array of scientific exhibitions ranging from biological to technological fields. Unfortunately, practically all the information is in Japanese so for tourists, you aren’t learning too much. Even if you can’t read Japanese you can still enjoy the dioramas and pictures. They have local flora and fauna, animal skeletons, a dinosaur area with fossils, chemistry, geology, plus many more. The whole museum is two floors with elevator access. At the end, there is a gift store with souvenirs. This museum is great to wander around and good for kids too. A good day out as the grounds are nice to walk around as well!
Daimaru Department store is a large shopping centre connected to Stellar Place and Sapporo station. The supermarket here is on the basement one floor and it is here you can find many Japanese food goods and souvenirs. Half the area is your typical supermarket in Japan selling meat products, dairy, fresh fish, liquor, and fruits and vegetables. Though, what makes this supermarket different from your usual run of the mill supermarkets is that has a bit more range, including some hard to find items, and higher quality produce. These higher quality items come with a price and you will find this supermarket more expensive than most. Here, is particularly handy if you are hosting or attending a dinner party and can produce some lovely food dishes. Also on this floor they sell Hokkaido based food souvenirs and many items that can only be found in Hokkaido. This floor also has an abundance in confectionary stores. If you have a sweet tooth, then definitely drop in. Parking is available at this department store but if you are using public transport, then its an easy quick walk from either the train station or the subway station.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Photo spot |
| Location / Getting There | The river runs through the southern end of Susukino, Sapporo, and runs through Soseigawa Park. |
This is a very small river that runs through or past many iconic areas of Sapporo. It is a well recognized river though most people don’t know much about it. It breaks off from Toyohira River and begins its journey north and runs all the way along Nakajima Park. From here it cuts through the northern part of Susukino. There is a bridge over this river at Eki Mae Dori (the main street that runs through Sapporo. It is at this bridge where people can get some nice photos. During the springs cherry blossoms drape over this small river in this area, and in winter it is quite beautiful. It is here too that you can look down and see the many Koi (colorful carp) fish here swimming around. From here the river flows along with some bars and stores along its banks. The river then flows straight for many kilometres. It is the central feature of Soseigawa Park which is named after the river (gawa meaning river in Japanese). The river finally ends up joining Fushiko River and then eventually joins the mighty Ishikari River which ultimately flows to Ishikari Bay.
| Opening Hours | 09:00 - 18:30 Susukino location 09:00 - 17:30 Soen location |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-5302-777 Susukino store 011-6155-858 Soen store |
| Notes | Supermarket, bulk buying grocery store, card accepted, parking available |
| Location | Susukino location is a 6 minute walk from Nakajima Koen station. 2 Chome-2-15 Minami 7 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0807 The other location is a 5 minute walk from Nijuyonken JR station. 〒060-0010 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Kita 10 West 23 |
There are two Carrot supermarkets in Hokkaido, and they are both in Sapporo. Carrot is simply a very small version of Costco. A lot of the items are bulk buy and you will see many restaurant and bar managers using Carrot fir their needs. Unlike Costco, you don’t need a membership card to use them. A lot of their food items are frozen, which again, can be bought in bulk. They also have many overseas foods and condiments that you won’t find in most supermarkets so Carrot is also quite popular with the expat community. Anything from pastas, olives, sausages, and cheeses to name just a few. They have a large range of spices to perk up any dish plus if you enjoy baking, there is a myriad of different flours for your baking needs. Carrot not only provides a large supply of ingredients, they have kitchen items, cooking items, and packaging on a large scale. Carrot is a very handy resource especially for cooks!
