| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 20:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-213-5088 |
| Notes | Tourist information centre, English speaking staff, ATM, money exchange, coffee shop, wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | Located at Sapporo station, across from the east exit. It is next to the Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza. 〒060-0806 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Kita Ward, Kita 6 Jonishi, 4 Chome, JR Sapporo Station West Concourse |
For those newly arrived in Sapporo, or Hokkaido for that matter, this centre is an extremely useful resource to have access to. The information centre is convenient to find and easily accessible. The centre is located across from the east exit at Sapporo Station and is part of the Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza. The large counter here is attended by helpful employees who can speak English. They are happy to assist you with any inquiries you may have whether it be for the JR train to bookings and hotels.. There are plenty of brochures with information not only of Sapporo, but of all the main sightseeing cities in Hokkaido.
The Sapporo Information Centre also has a money exchange machine which is very handy. This machine has ten different languages to choose from making it easy to use and about a dozen different currencies to exchange. For other quick money, there is an ATM on the premises. There are prepaid sim cards to use for your phone which are available here. Also for electrical appliances there are charging stations. So, for those just arriving and need some extra info, the Hokkaido Sapporo Information Centre is the perfect spot.
| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 20:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-213-5053 http://www.dousanhin.com/shop/sapporo_jr |
| Notes | Hokkaido goods store, part of tourism information center, parking available; ¥340 per hour (Sapporo Station North Exit Underground Parking) |
| Getting There | The plaza is directly across the walkway from the Sapporo station west ticket gate. 060-0806 Sapporo Kita-ku Kita 6 Jo Nishi 4-chome JR Sapporo Station West Street north exit |
The Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza is part of the large tourism information center at Sapporo station. The information center not only has the Dosanko Plaza but also a cafe area and help desk. The Dosanko Plaza makes up the food section here. It is a small supermarket that sells over 2,000 specialty Hokkaido food products and souvenirs. All the items sold here can be found only in Hokkaido. It makes the perfect spot to pick up some souvenirs to take home with you. This store is not only a popular spot for tourists, but you will find many of the locals come here to pick up some specialty food items.
The Dosanko Plaza is full of delicious Hokkaido produce including items such as seafood, butters and cheese, meats, large crab, local vegetables, local liquor such as sake, wine and beer. They also have some nice sweets and confectionary here. Every three months, the store introduces a new item so keep an eye out. Apart from the food products, there are also handmade arts and crafts you can pick up as a souvenir. Some of these items include Ainu carvings and fabrics. The Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza is easily accessed as it is right by the western ticket gates at Sapporo station and is one of the first places you will see upon exiting the station.
| Opening Hours | JR call center 6:30 - 22:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Notes | Ticket counters, restaurants, tourist information center, lockers, wheelchair access, souvenir stores. JR Hakodate main line for Otaru, Niseko, Hakodate, and Asahikawa. Access to the subway Namboku, and Toho lines, Transport to Sapporo New Chitose Airport, Limited Express Lilac and Kamui for Sapporo & Asahikawa Limited Express Okhotsk for Sapporo, Asahikawa & Abashiri Limited Express Suzuran for Sapporo, Chitose, Noboribetsu, & Muroran. |
| Contact | 011-222-6131 011-222-7111 JR call center |
| Getting There | Located in the central Sapporo. A 40 minute express train ride from the New Chitose Airport. Or a 55 minute bus ride from New Chitose Airport 4 Chome Kita 6 Jonishi, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0806 |
Sapporo Station is the hub of the city of Sapporo. All travelers will pass through its gates before branching out to different parts of the city, or for most, different cities in Hokkaido. It originally opened in 1880 and was revamped in 2003. With its ten platforms, it is an easy station to use! From New Chitose Airport, it is a 40 minute express train ride or 55 minute bus ride. The JR train arrives on the elevated platform giving views over the south of Sapporo (which includes Odori park, and Susukino). Once arriving simply follow everyone down the stairs or escalators to the ground floor. From here, you can either head to the western exit or eastern ticket exit.
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The east exit leads to JR tower (the highest building in Sapporo), plus the Esta building and Bic Camera (a popular tourist spot for shopping) which is on the south east side of Sapporo station. On the west side of Sapporo station, the west exit leads to the Sapporo subway station. You can also find the Daimaru department store, plus the tourist information site, souvenir store, and JR ticket counter for Hokkaido travel, and Paseo West which has about twenty different restaurants! Also above the station there is the department store, Stellar Place. The west exit out of the gates is the main exit if you need to head into the heart of Sapporo. It is at Sapporo station, you can find JR Hakodate main line for Otaru, Niseko, Hakodate, and Asahikawa. There is access to the subway Namboku, and Toho lines, transport to Sapporo New Chitose Airport.
| Admission | Free entry Volcano Museum ¥600 Adults - ¥300 Children |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | December 31 to January 3 |
| Contact | 0142-75-2555 http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/volcano/ |
| Notes | Museum, parking available, local information. Volcano Theater show times are held every 30 minutes from 9:30 to 16:30 |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the southern shore of Lake Toya. A 2 minute drive up the hill from central Toya Onsen district. 142-5 Toyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta District, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
The Toyako Visitor center is a beautifully designed building that was established in May of 2007. The facility was made by the Ministry of the Environment. It is an information center that focuses on the environment and the interesting biodiversity of Lake Toya. Through exhibitions and displays, the facility helps visitors get in touch with the area, and introducing various eco-museum projects. There is also a fantastic Volcano Museum inside, which looks at the volcanic activity of the area, both past and present!
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The volcanic science museum can be found at the Toyako Visitor Center. It is an interesting small museum that focuses on the eruptions at Lake Toya that occurred in 1977, and in 2000. Through exhibitions, and experience devices you can get a real feel for the impact of these volcanic eruptions, and introduces the history of Mount Usu. There is a theatre inside which is fascinating and definitely worth a visit. The 13 minute documentary delves into the eruptions with sound and visuals which leave a strong impact. The audio device has translations into English, Korean, Chinese, and Thai.
| Pricing Guide | ¥1420 adults ¥710 children ¥1280 adults ¥640 children (groups of 15 or more) Extra ¥200 for firework viewing tour |
| Operating Hours | 8:30 - 16:30 Ferry leaves every 30 minutes 9:00 - 16:00 (during the winter) |
| Closed | – |
| Contact | 0142-75-2137 http://www.toyakokisen.com/price/price01.html |
| Notes | Last cruise from Nakanoshima is at 15:00, free parking available (large-size vehicles allowed), firework tour unavailable in winter |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the southern shore of Lake Toya, between the lake and the hotels. Found at Funsui Hiroba Fountain Square. 049-5721 Hokkaido, Abuta-gun, Toyako, Tōyakoonsen, Route 2 |
Local ferry
In the centre of Lake Toya , there is a large island called Nakanoshima. This beautiful area can be accessed via the local ferry that leaves from the southern shore of the Toyako Onsen district. The ferry leaves the port every thirty minutes. The last ferry to leave from the island of Nakanoshima is at 15:00, so don’t miss it! Once on the island you are free to walk around and follow the well kept trails. The forest here is a beautiful escape, and is a popular spot to take in the greenery.
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One of the small swan boats for hire
For those who don’t want to visit the central island in Lake Toya, there is a small cruise package available. The cruise goes around Nakanoshima and takes fifty minutes (an additional thirty minutes if passengers are alighting at the island). There is a summer cruise and a winter cruise, both offering beautiful views. The summer cruise operates slightly longer than the winter schedule. From April 28th to October 31st there is a special fireworks cruise. The departure time is at approximately at 20:30 and from the boat you can enjoy the spectacular firework display that lights up the lake.
| Podcast time | Every Thursday from 10:00 |
| Contact | voicesinjapan@gmail.com |
| Website access | http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com |
| Notes | Podcast is in English |
Tune in
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The masters, Ben & Burke
The podcast is great for those living in Japan (or thinking about it), traveling to Japan, or even for anyone who wants to practice their English listening skills! The podcast can be accessed on their site http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com. For more information on Voices in Japan, you can access them at https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan, https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/, and on their instagram account https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/. So, to learn more about Japan and to get some perspective on its deep culture, take a listen to Voices in Japan!