| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | 1000 - 2000 Yen. |
| Opening Hours | 6pm - 3 am Daily 6pm - 12 am Sunday |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | +81 11-251-1087 |
| Notes | A small bar that is very popular. Can be full seating often. |
| Location | 7 Chome Minami 2 Jōnishi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 060-0062, Japan |
Front entrance to Kalahana
Although perhaps most famous for its auto and electronics exports, there are of course other markets in which Japan participates globally. Booze is one of them, and the name Sapporo is synonymous with beer, which you can read about here. A sister city with Munich, Sapporo holds an annual beer garden where revelers consume countless liters of light pilsner style lagers. In convenience stores, hotel lobbies and pretty much any restaurant you swing into, you will no doubt be offered the choice of a beer. With sales eclipsing those of traditional Japanese spirits, it is the favored social lubricant of the masses.
The owner, always more than happy to serve up his ale.
Sapporo is a beer lover’s city and has several downtown bars that specialize in the getting the good stuff. I’m talking proper brown and red ales, skull-splitting stouts and aphotic porters. Thirsting for an IPA potent enough to have you buzzing by the bottom of the glass? You’re in luck. You can find all of these and more at Kalahana. Located in the 7th block of Tanuki Koji (狸小路7丁目), this funky little bar is a mainstay in the covered Susukino arcade.The round table in front of the store is a great place to people watch when the temps permit. Inside you’ll find a cozy, wooden-floored bar, with all the trappings of a legitimate local watering hole. There’s seating for 22, although one or two more can squeeze in with a bit of shuffling. Edibles are listed on the large blackboard on the back wall, all of it simple, well-executed pub fare. Beers are in constant rotation and one week’s specialty might be the following week’s fond memory. The atmosphere is perpetually jolly in Kalahana, and it’s easy to become a fixture for the night. The staff is happy to talk beer, or whatever banter your greased gears crank out. It doesn’t take long before things get chummy and cross-table conversation becomes inevitable.
Some good craft beer
On a recent Friday night, my wingman and I were fortunate enough to grab an open table in the back. He started with a Belgian Wit bier, while I went to the opposite end of the spectrum with a 9% orange chocolate porter. So as not to drown ourselves early in the night, we ordered assorted cheeses and pâté to line our stomachs. Thirty minutes later we were into our second round of drinks, both of us opting for a full glass of Oregon IPA. The owners of the bar are a salt-of-the-earth hippie couple with impeccable taste in funk and jazz music. Couple this with good food and drink and you’re bound to leave satisfied. I’d be remiss not to point out that Japan’s version of a pint and a real pint (American or UK) are two different things, something to keep in mind if you’re drinking on a budget. The craft beer movement isn’t new in Japan, but it’s slow to gain the same traction as it has in the United States. High national taxes on malt are to blame, making beer drinking prohibitively expensive for some. Many younger patrons feel 1,200 yen is better spent on an all-the-mass-produced-beer-you-can-drink-in-2 hours option than a single glass of import beer. Still, there comes a time when plebeian swill just won’t cut it. In such a case, stroll on down to Kalahana for a glass of righteousness.
| Admission | – |
| Opening Hours | 10AM - 7PM |
| Closed | Mondays |
| Contact | shugakuso.com +81 11-726-1235 |
| Notes | - |
| Location / Getting There | N12, Chuo Ku. Japan, 〒001-0012 Hokkaido Prefecture, Sapporo, 北区北１２条西３丁目２−１５ |
Entering paradise
Just walking through the doors of the Shugakusou (秀岳荘) in N12, Chuo Ku, Sapporo makes you feel you’re headed for adventure. For Hokkaido outdoor enthusiasts this store is the one-stop supplier, its floors replete with everything needed to explore paradise Earth. Be it a day hike or month-long alpine mission, this compact, densely stocked home store (Hokudai-ten, 北大店) is the best spot on the island to sherpa up. It is a gearhead’s nirvana.
Enter into a thicket of hiking poles, headlamps and gas camp stoves. A long glass display counter to the left displays the newest gizmos for tracking outdoor metrics and location. GPS systems and watches segue into more primitive multi-tools, knives and axes. Beyond that tower stacks of literature, from magazines to guidebooks to topographic maps. Cups and pans, Dutch-ovens and thermoses, freeze-dried dinners and back-packing coffee grinders – it’s all there. No less than 100 bags hang along the back wall, from 70 + liter expedition monsters all the way down to svelte trail running belts.
All the major outdoor brands are carried here.
Leave camping and ascend to the second floor for a full selection of mountaineering gear. Boulder crushing alpine boots to toe crushing climbing shoes stock the shelves. Gaze and be reminded that winter here is a protracted, freezing affair. As one who’s been to countless outfitters, the collection of snow boots and ice studs here rivals much bigger stores. For those who really embrace the cold, Shugakusou carries snowshoes and snow shovels, ice axes and crampons. Rock-climbing supplies are available year round, while a corner of the floor is devoted to skiers from November to April. If only they covered snowboarders as well…
The entire store is festooned with the trappings of world exploration. Take a moment to look at the many maps, paintings and framed photographs adorning the walls. Pat the sea-lion head as you climb the stairs to floor three. Next stop – clothing.
Anyone who’s hiked around Hokkaido knows the locals dress well on the mountain. One could easily drop $500 here – indeed many shoppers spend much more. Most major outdoor brands are featured, ensuring that nature lovers will pitch their tents and shred pow in style. If there’s any place to rationalize spending stupid money on clothes, it’s here. Hypothermia? Sunstroke? Can’t risk it. We all know matching proper attire to the occasion is crucial. So if dropping $140 bucks on a pair of lined pants makes you balk, just tell yourself it could mean the difference between life and death.
Boom! Goodbye guilt.
Top floor!
It’s bad, but I’ve got to default to a cake metaphor now, because the fourth floor can only be described as icing. Bouldering crash pads and jidohanbaiki (自動販売機, vending machine) drinks are the only items for sale up here are. The rest is a space of utility and sport. Bathrooms and the office designate the former, while a no nonsense bouldering room indicates the latter. Set by real climbers, the problems bolted onto the walls of this modest gym range from first timer fun to badass rock ninja. Shugakusou’s commitment to providing a quality training room for climbers has had me coming here for years.
And that’s the crux of it – commitment. For 40 years the company has been committed to providing the best outdoor gear the world has to offer. The staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, both in the store and on the trail. Even if you’re not shopping, drop in and get a feel for Hokkaido outdoor culture and history. One of the only real outfitters in a city of upscale shops, it’s the rough in the diamond.
Two other Shugakusou stores exist, one in Shiroishi, Sapporo (白石店) and Asahikawa (旭川店). Link to their homepage for details regarding business hours and merchandise.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | 1500 - 5000 Yen |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday - Saturday 6pm to 3am Sunday 6pm to midnight |
| Closed | Mondays Every 2nd Tuesday Tuesdays following a Monday holiday |
| Contact | 011-272-1557 (+81-11-272-1557) 予約可 |
| Notes | - |
| Location / Getting There | 7-6-2 Minami 2 Jonishi Chuo-ku Sapporo Hokkaido 北海道 札幌市中央区 南二条西 7-6-2 南2条ビル 1Ｆ |
Sapporo has no end of tratorrias, bistros and pubs. If ambiance, flavor and comfort are what you seek, look no farther than La Salamander, located just around the corner from western end Tanuki Koji 7(狸小路７丁目), the covered arcade in downtown Sapporo. A French-styled bistro, this little shop is a cozy refuge from the throngs of holiday tourists and locals crowding the main thoroughfare shops.
The dinner menu offers a variety of reasonably priced appetizers, soups and entrée dishes. During our visit my wife and I started with Akeshi (an eastern Hokkaido town) oysters on the half shell, served with a tart vinegar relish. Spicy chorizo salami came next, which went well with our Pilsner Urquell beers. A thick slab of homemade pate arrived soon after, accompanied by warm bread crusts. I should note that La Salamander specializes in regional French wines, and has a limited selection of pricey beers.
A bottle of Alsace Sauvignon Blanc complimented our next dish: crab and shrimp croquettes served atop a shallow bath of zesty tomato puree. A hearty country soup followed, setting us up for the baked scallop and sea bream soufflé. By now, my wife and I were reaching the limits of our capacity for gastronomic goodness. Upon finishing the wine and our last dish, she ordered an herbal tea and I an espresso. For a final sendoff, I had a cognac and we shared a fudge brownie drowned in crème anglaise. It was sublime.
Being that it was my birthday, we splurged on our first visit to La Salamander. Had we trimmed our dinner by a dish or two and halved the alcohol, our bill wouldn’t have exceeded ￥10,000. One could easily swing in for an entrée and a glass of wine without exceeding ￥3,000. Whatever your budget, La Salamander is recommended to those seeking authentic, casual French cuisine in the heart of Sapporo, Japan. For more pictures, reviews and a map, please look here. Bon appétit!
Cozy and simple interior design.
Cozy and simple interior design.
The Akeshi oysters to start.
The hearty country soup was perfect for a cold night.
Seafood croquettes done to perfection.
Dessert!
And fuel for the walk home.