| Dates | May 19 - August 14 Night Market - last Saturday of July |
| Opening Hours | From 17:00 |
| Contact | 011-241-5125 |
| Location / Getting There | Central Sapporo. 5 minute walk from Odori subway station and a 5 minute walk from Susukino subway station Sapporo-Ekimae Dori, 4 Chome Minami 3 Jōnishi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 060-0063, Japan |
During the hot summer months there is a lot going on in the city of Sapporo. Every weekend, there seems to be something going on. Tanukikoji is a shopping arcade that runs through the center of Sapporo. It can be found between the Odori subway station and the Susukino subway station. It’s very hard to miss! From May 19th to August 16th the Tanuki Koji arcade comes alive with decorations. The shopping arcade which runs for seven blocks is busy even during the weekdays so its a great time to enjoy the festivities.
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On the last Saturday of every July the night market is held. The night market sees all the local stores open, plus there are stalls set up in every block. Live bands and music are also the order of the day that perform on the elaborate stages that are set up! The arcade is also decorated with lanterns, plus giant blow up floats of the local mascot, the tanuki (which is means raccoon in English). At about five in the afternoon, the raccoon mascot comes out and visits each block. This is the best time in the year to visit the Tanukikoji shopping arcade.
| Dates | First weekend of July |
| Opening Hours | All day |
| Contact | - |
| Location / Getting There | Located in West Sapporo in the suburb of Maruyama. It runs down 6 blocks adjacent to Maruyama subway station. Minami 1 Jo-dori Ave, 25-chōme-2 Minami 1 Jōnishi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0801 |
Street festivals in Japan are a fantastic look into Japanese culture and a great way to enjoy a day, taking in the sights, activities, and the local food. The Omotesando Street Festival is one of these festivals. This festival runs all day and can be found running the length of one of the main streets in the suburb of Maruyama, West Sapporo. It is on on the same day as the Sapporo Craft Beer Forest, which is not too far away. It’s a great idea to check out the Craft Beer Forest event and then finish the rest of the day at the Omotesando Street Festival!
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The day is a real family affair. There is a lot to see and do. Lining both sides of the streets, there are plenty of food stalls. It is here you can grab some local food and enjoy it with a beer, wine or non alcoholic drinks. Local food includes oysters, BBQ chicken, edamame (steamed beans), and shellfish, just to name a few. For the kids, there are magic shows, and game stalls to win a price. The cafes, bars, and restaurants are also open along this street, so its all happening here! On a beautiful sunny day, you can’t beat the street festival.
| Dates | First weekend of July |
| Opening Hours | 11:30 - 18:00 |
| Cost | ￥3000 per ticket (includes cup + drink ticket) |
| Contact | 011-391-7775 http://www.sapporo-craft-beer-forest.com/enjoy/ |
| Location / Getting There | Located at Bankei ski field. Access via bus from Maruyama bus terminal. Taxis are also available. 410 Bankei, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 064-0945, Japan |
Cheers
As Hokkaido begins to warm up in the summer months, the Sapporo Craft Beer Forest has become an increasingly popular spot to enjoy a huge selection of craft beer from local sellers. There are over twenty-five different craft beer stalls at this event, each selling a selection of their hard work. You can sample beers from all over the world at this event, and find a variety of beers ranging from light and flavorful pale ales, sweet and malty blonde ales, flowery or spicy pilsners, to smooth & creamy dark lagers and everything in between. The Sapporo Craft Beer Forest has something for everybody.
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Beer stalls
Upon on entry, and paying for your ticket, you will receive a cup (which you need to keep all day) plus two beer tickets. For further beer tickets, simply buy them at the ticket stall inside the venue. It is possible to get advance tickets for ￥3000. The premium advance ticket includes an event glass and six drink tickets. The normal advance ticket will get you seven beer tickets for the same price. Across from the beer stalls, there are food stalls set up. You can enjoy a selection of meats such as mutton, ribs, and sausages. There is also pizza, curries, and some Jacksonville Hamburgers. Besides the stalls, there are tables set up to grill your own!
As there is no outside seating, be sure to bring a mat to sit on the grass and any gear to make the day comfortable. Inside the Bankei building itself there is inside and a couple of stalls selling souvenirs. If you don’t have your own transport, or do and want to drink (of course), there are taxis that will cost around ￥2000 yen one way. There is also a free shuttle bus that will leave from Maruyama bus terminal which is across from the Maruyama subway station.
| Shuttle bus | Leaves from Maruyama bus terminal to Bankei ski field |
| Times | Leaves every 8 minutes |
| Cost | Free |
| To Bankei ski field | 11: 00 - 15: 00 |
| To Maruyama bus terminal | 17: 00 - 19: 00 |
| Dates | Mid July to Mid August (1 month) |
| Opening Hours | 12:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) |
| Contact | 011-281-6400 |
| Location / Getting There | Odori park. Odori-nishi 5-chome to 11-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 1 minute from Odori subway station |
The winters are long in Sapporo, so when summer finally arrives, people love getting out to the summer festivals and events. And the beer garden is no exception! The Odori Beer Garden is the biggest event in summer, and the biggest beer garden in Japan! Since its beginning in 1959 the beer garden runs for a month. Located in the heart of Sapporo, the beer garden takes up 6 blocks, runs over half a kilometer and seats up to 13,000 people!
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Each venue is run by each of Japans leading brewers, so you can enjoy your favorite beer! Each venue offers seating with tables, standing-only spaces, as well as tables under a roof cover, it gets busy so be sure to get there early! Reserved seats are possible. Food is also available to buy. To buy a beer, you need to purchase a ticket then give the ticket to one of the friendly staff. Enjoy! The Odori Sapporo Beer Garden is broken up into the following venues:
5 Chome Venue: Suntory Beer “The Premium Malt’s Garden”
| Opening Hours | 12:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) |
| Contact | 011-222-8188 011-222-5122 (reservations) |
Located on the 5th block west, Suntory has nice seating around the fountain. Non smoking seats are available. There are 160, all weather seats, and stand-up drinking space. Plus the Suntory beer, you can enjoy a 10-liter refrigerated pitcher and Suntory’s Kaku highballs.
6 Chome Venue: Asahi Beer “Asahi Super Dry Beer Park”
| Opening Hours | 12:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) |
| Contact | 011-210-6990 |
6th block west, at Asahi you can enjoy sitting under the overhanging trees and enjoy your beer. Asahi has an English menu and as with Suntory, it has plenty of seating. Asahi also has Super Dry chilled to below zero degree at the popular Extra Cold bar.
7 Chome Venue: Kirin Beer “Kirin Yoroko Beer Garden”
| Opening Hours | 12:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) |
| Contact | 011-518-8010 |
7th block west is the Kirin beer garden, with plenty of undercover seating. Kirin has 3 litre beer tubs, or the mighty 6 litre towers that are a popular choice. You can also enjoy the Kirin Ichiban Shibori frozen draft beer. Reservations are possible, stand-up drinking space available.
8 Chome Venue: Sapporo Beer “The Sapporo Beer Garden”
| Opening Hours | 12:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) |
| Contact | 011-233-3305 |
On the 8th block west and underneath the largest tent out of the whole event, lies the Sapporo beer venue. You can can enjoy draft beer direct from the factory, as well as the “Classic Furano Citrus” exclusive to the venue.
10 Chome Venue: “World Beer Plaza”
| Opening Hours | Weekdays: 12:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) Weekends: 16:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) |
| Contact | 080-1972-6336 |
10th block west on Odori park will see you at the world beer plaza. Here you will find a variety of overseas draft beers such as Guinness, Lowenbrau, and Carlsberg, just to name a few. The perfect opportunity to try out some new ales!
11 Chome Venue: “Sapporo German Village”
| Opening Hours | Weekdays: 12:00 - 21:00 (last order is at 20:30) |
Last but not least on the 11th block west is the Sapporo German village. Enjoy authentic draft beer brought in directly from Germany. You can also savor German cuisine and happy hours from noon until 4 o’clock in the evening on weekdays. Reservations are available.
| Dates | 2nd weekend in July |
| Contact | 011-391-2160 ichi@yakimono21.org |
| Location / Getting There | 3 minute walk from JR Ebetsu Station. |
Just one of many stores
The Ebetsu “Yakimonoichi” Ceramic Art Fair is an annual festival held in the heart of Ebetsu. Ebetsu is a town on the outskirts of Sapporo (about a 20 minute drive) and is famous for its brick making. The ceramic art fair sees hundred of artists and craftspeople congregate to sell their wares over the summer weekend. Stalls and tents are set up throughout the streets, where customers can peruse at their leisure looking for a bargain out of the thousands of hand crafted items.
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The festival is relatively easy to find. Take the JR train to Ebetsu station. You will be able to see the fair from the station, just follow the crowds! If you are driving, there is only parking near the city hall which is a 10 minute walk away. The artists range from amateur to professional and there are thousands of ceramic items to choose from, whether it be some kitchenware or a small trinket to decorate the home. Prices, of course, vary depending on the artist. Don’t be afraid to barter a better price, as it’s all part of the fun!
The main event of the festival is the domino topple. About 2000 red bricks are set up on one of the streets and toppled over domino style! The festival ranges over half a dozen streets, so there are a lot of shops to see. In the summer heat there are plenty of places to sit and rest. As with all the festivals there are food stalls and vans set up to serve tasty lunches. Local food and more exotic curries are available. The Ebetsu Yakimonoichi Festival is a great place to buy some hand crafted ceramics, walk around, or to grab a beer and sit in the summer sun!
