| Admission | Depending on show Usually from ¥1000 - ¥8000 per ticket |
| Opening Hours | Depending on show |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-520-2000 https://www.kitara-sapporo.or.jp/ |
| Notes | Concert hall, no parking, public transport available (near subway station), restaurant plus bar inside |
| Location / Getting There | Located in Nakajima Park. The hall is a 5 minute walk from Nakajima Koen subway station. 1-15 Nakajimakoen, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0931 |
One of the top concert halls in Sapporo
There are only a couple of concert halls in the city of Sapporo where you can see some great musicians and orchestras. The Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara is one of the best in the city and is synonymous with beautiful music. The venue can be found in the heart of Nakajima Park which is a beautiful and tranquil spot in itself. The concert hall mainly known as ‘Kitara’ was established in 1997. It is not only famous for its sound, but in the main concert hall there is a huge pipe organ which was built by Alfred Kern &Fils Manufacture D’Orgues.
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The pipe organ is modelled after the needle leaved trees of Hokkaido and has an impressive 4,976 pipes. Every year an exclusive organ player is invited from overseas to play. The concert hall consists a large main hall, a small chamber music hall, and rehearsal rooms. There is also a nursery room, restrooms, and museum shop located in the building. The large arena style hall has seating for up 2,008 audience members. To buy tickets and look at the monthly schedule, simply click on their website www.kitara-sapporo, where you can order online. If you are in the mood for a bit of classical music and a great show, Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara is a great hall!
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥500 - ¥700 per drink ¥500 - ¥800 food |
| Opening Hours | 18:00 - 2:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-520-8960 https://r.gnavi.co.jp/h805600/ |
| Notes | Rock bar, Seating 35, smoking, pool table (free), duke box, food available, all you can drink plan available no WiFi, live music underneath |
| Location / Getting There | 3 minute walk north from Nakajima Koen subway station. 〒064-0808 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 8 Jonishi, 4-422-51 8 • 4 Sound Building 1st floor |
Pool table area
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Bar area with screen
Whenever a band has a gig at Studio 810, Bar Stingray will live feed it on their screens in the bar area, so you can enjoy a drink and get an idea of which band is playing downstairs. When it comes to the beer menu, they have Sapporo and Carlsberg on tap. Bottled beers include Budweiser, Corona, Heineken, Suntory, and Asahi. They also have Japanese sakes from around Japan, such as Lotus and Mitake to enjoy, plus wines and spirits. The food menu includes usual bar fare, including hamburgers, spicy tacos, and duck pastrami. There is a party plan, and Bar Stingray can be rented out for group parties.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ￥500 per drink *cost of entry depending on live show |
| Opening Hours | 17:00 - 24:00 |
| Closed | *days depending on live shows |
| Contact | 011-223-3554 http://vinnies.info/ |
| Notes | Live music venue Bar Recording studio |
| Location / Getting There | 10 minute walk from Naebo station 12 Chome-316 Kita 1 Jōhigashi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 060-0031 |
Grab a beer
Vinnie’s bar is a small live music venue that often has live bands playing very week. The stage is reasonably large and there is enough seating for about 30 people plus standing room. The bar area sells beer on tap (Suntory), plus a variety of cocktails, non-alcohol beers, and non-alcohol cocktails. All drinks are ￥500 each. There is also a food menu that has some pastas and finger food. The live house has a good sound system and the music played is well mixed by the owner. For local bands, this is not a bad place to have a gig! 
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The Vinnie’s bar sign
Vinnie’s bar is slightly out of downtown Sapporo (it’s about a ￥1000 taxi fare), but this bar is part of a music studio, and it is also located underneath a bowling alley, so there is there is quite a lot do in this building. The bowling alley is called ‘Sapporo Olympia Bowl’ and is a good spot to get your bowling shoes on. There is plenty of parking for those driving. The music studio operates in tandem with the bar, and many bands that practice at the studio will often have a live show. For upcoming events at Vinnie’s bar please check the calendar on their site (in Japanese).
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ￥300 ~ ￥400 per hour (depending on membership status & equipment rental) |
| Opening Hours | Open everyday, year round 10AM ~ 6AM |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-231-1955 |
| Notes | - |
| Location / Getting There | Sapporo, Central Ward, South 3 West 3, Dai Ni Tamura Building, B1 札幌中央区南3西３、第２タムラビル地下１F |
It’s a well-known fact that musicians travel, as they are travelers by heart. They may be called to the road to perform in the next town over, or at a gig clear across the country. And when their momentum really gets going, they hit the international scene. Sapporo is no stranger to hosting a wide spectrum of talent, from globetrotting buskers to world-renowned superstars. It’s also a city brimming with local talent with new bands sprouting up every year. As with any craft, being a musician requires a constant sharpening of ones skills. Even musicians on vacation get a hankering to practice their chops. If in the northern capital they should look no further than SHIRAKANSU, a first class music studio located in the heart of downtown Sapporo.
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Named after the coelacanth, a prehistoric fish that has evaded extinction for 65 million years, SHIRAKANSU is the newest generation of practice studios in Sapporo. Opened in 2015, it quickly established itself as the most accessible and well equipped of the downtown studios. While there are several other studios nearby, SHIRAKANSU is the easily the best. It boasts 12 practice rooms that accommodate anywhere from 3 – 15 people. Each room is fully equipped with gear any musician worth their salt would expect to find. Plug into to Yamaha EMX212 preamps, Hartke and Marshall stack amps, and EV PA systems. Drummers will be pleased to find well tuned DW, Tama, Pearl and Yamaha drum kits, pedals and cymbal stands and Paiste and Zildjian cymbals.
Far removed from the bring-your-own-gear ethos of the past, any folk or rock musician can show up empty-handed and still enjoy having a jam here. SHIRAKANSU offers a range of rental guitars, snare drums, microphones, and keyboards for a few dollars more. Drumsticks, headphones, guitar and bass lead cables – literally everything necessary to rock out is available to customers.
Open everyday for the better part of 24 hours, SHIRAKANSU has become the busiest studio in downtown Sapporo. And at ￥400/ hour for nonmembers and ￥300/ hour for members it’s a cheap way to have fun in the city. If you’re a musician spending a few days in Sapporo, call ahead or swing by to reserve a room for an hour or two. Just make sure to do it a day or two in advance. The staff is knowledgeable, energetic and able to overcome most communication gaps with a little patience. Remember that any trip is enhanced by some music. That’s a fact.
Click here for more pictures of SHIRAKANSU and a map.
