Tag: Sightseeing
Ta Ke E Sushi

| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥3000 - ¥5000 |
| Opening Hours | 07:00 - 15:00 |
| Closed | Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays |
| Contact | 011-251-5362 |
| Notes | Small restaurant, fresh seafood, no parking (paid parking nearby), seating 5 (can reserve a seat at a specific time) |
| Location | This restaurant can be found in central Sapporo and is part of the Nijo Market. To get here, the market is on the east side of the Tanuki Koji shopping arcade. It's a walkable distance from anywhere in central Sapporo. For those outside of Sapporo, get off at Odori subway station. From here it is a 3 minute walk. 〒060-0053 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 3 Johigashi, 1 Chome−8 |
You can’t get much fresher seafood then at a seafood market! Ta Ke E Sushi is located in Sapporo and is in the Nijo Market. The market is in central Sapporo across from the Tanuki Koji Shopping arcade. There are a few very small restaurants here where sightseers and locals alike can go shopping for seafood and sample some fresh produce. The seating numbers here are tiny, of usually up to five places. But if the restaurant is full, then you will be given a time to during the day to come back. The menu here is a little expensive but still very affordable. You can enjoy all kinds of seafood here but the sushi is recommended. They have sea urchin, crab and scallops you can grill as part of the menu. You are eating on small tables on the sidewalk and get a real great experience. In winter they have small fires to keep you warm.
Ta Ke E Sushi is recommended if you are looking for a real sushi experience. Not only are you getting the freshest sushi but you are dining in a real Japanese fish market. This is a great experience for tourists whilst visiting Sapporo
Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival

| Admission | ¥500 |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 20:00 |
| Dates | January 27 - February 25 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0123-23-8288 |
| Notes | Parking available, cold so wear warm clothes |
| Location / Getting There | The lake is a 1 hour 15 minute drive from Sapporo or an hour drive from Chitose. Alternatively, for ¥1050 there are buses from New Chitose Airport to Lake Shikotsu. Click here for more information on the bus timetable. |
Put on your warm coats and hats when heading to the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival as it is a cold one! This amazing festival lies on the shores of Lake Shikotsu. This lake boasts some of the cleanest waters in Japan and it is these very waters that are key to the Ice Festival here. The main feature of the festival are giant ice mounds that rise four metres into the air. These are formed by water (from the lake) sprayed up into the air like a fountain. The water freezes over making these interesting sculptures which are illuminated at night.
This monolithic sculptures of ice are fantastic to walk around at night which is the best time to go and visit. It gets dark in winter from 4:00pm so this is a good time to get down there. There are small restaurants and a museum hall there to stay warm after walking around the festival. There are ice steps leading to an observation deck overlooking the festival. There is also an ice hut plus large open spaces encircled with ice. This festival isn only ¥500 to enter so it is worth it. Getting to the lake itself is more difficult as you need your own transport. There are buses to and from the lake which can be accessed at the New Chitose Airport.
Otaru Canal Museum & Information Center

| Admission | ¥300 |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 17:00 Information center closes at 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 013-4221-258 |
| Notes | Museum, wheelchair access, lockers available, sled activities (winter), paid parking close by |
| Location / Getting There | The museum is located right by Otaru Canal. It is a 10 minute walk south from Otaru train station. From the exit, walk down the main road to the canal. The museum is on the left, along route 454 2 Chome-1-20 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0031 |
Otaru City General Museum Canal Museum has an extensive collection that introduces the history of Otaru City including information on the natural environment. The exhibition includes 20,000 objects and materials in its collection. The museum is located by Otaru Canal and can be found in the ‘former Otaru warehouse’. This beautiful building was constructed in 1887. The museum itself is a historical icon. In 2007, the museum was opened as well as the Otaru Information Center which has direct access to the museum.
The first exhibition room looks at the history of Otaru from its origins connected with the Ainu. There are materials related to the Ainu as well as the herring fishing industry. The latter part of the exhibition looks at a cityscape of Otaru during the Taisho era (1912 – 1926). There are some hands on exhibits here. The second exhibition room looks at the extensive flora and fauna of the Otaru area. These fascinating exhibits include a skeleton of a giant sea lion. Apart from the museum, there is a nice small coffee shop located in the information center. The information center is recognizable by its champagne glass pyramid. This room as tonnes of information about Otaru. Very useful for tourists.
Tokai Lavender Fields

| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Viewing times | July & August |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Car needed, small parking area, festival in mid July |
| Location / Getting There | Located at Tokai School campus. It's a 30 minute drive from central Sapporo. Head south along Ishiyama Road and turn right onto route 82. Public transport, take the subway to Makomanai Station (Nanboku line). From here take the bus 24 to Tokai Highschool. 1 Chome-1-1 Minamisawa 5 Jo, Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 005-8602 |
On the Tokai Sapporo School campus the grounds really comes alive with lavender. It is said that the south district of Sapporo, where the campus is located, is known as the birthplace of lavender cultivation in Japan. The lavender field here has been planned since 2002 and now it has 3,600 lavender plants that create a beautiful scene from late June to mid August. There is a festival held here annually in mid July. This includes a “lavender concert” which is performed by the brass band of the school here (noted as the best school brass band in Japan).
During the festival a ‘Yosakoi Soran’ dance is also performed by the students. The festival has become an annual event not only for the students but also for the whole community. The fields are accessed easier by car. There is a large parking lot right near the campus grounds and this parking is free. For those taking the bus, the bus stop is directly in front of the school. These lavender fields are pleasant to walk around. They have a few benches on which to rest. The backdrop of the new modern school is also nice. These small lavender fields are not well known so for those traveling you can experience a very local and non touristy sightseeing spot!

Mt. Teine

| Height | 1,023 metres |
| Length | 10km round trip |
| Hiking Time | Summer - 3 hours to summit |
| Notes | Hiking trail, popular ski field in winter, car access |
| Location / Getting There | To hike the trail during summer. Drive to Heiwa no Taki (peace waterfall). This drive is a 30 minute drive east from central Sapporo. From the shrine near the waterfall you can find the trail head. During winter, it is a 1 hour drive from central Sapporo. The easiest route is to get on route 5 and then turn left onto the road that leads up to the mountain top. Heiwa, Nishi Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 063-0029 |
Mt Teine is a very popular mountain on the western outskirts of the city of Sapporo. The mountain has an elevation of 1,023 meters, or 3,356 feet. This mountain is busy during summer as well as winter. During the winter months Mt Teine serves as a ski resort which sees thousands of locals and visitors enjoying the ski slopes whether it be skiing, or snowboarding. Mt Teine was one of the sites of the first Winter Olympics held in Asia, in 1972. This mountain hosted the giant slalom and slalom events in alpine skiing.
During the summer months there are hiking trails that lead to the summit of the mountain. For those who don’t wish to hike the trail (which takes about 2 hours to the top), there is an access road which can be used to drive up where you can enjoy the views over Sapporo and Ishikari Bay. The trail head can be found at Heiwa no Taki (peace waterfall). There is parking here and you can find the trail next to an old shrine here. Along the path you can see the Nunojikino Falls, a small waterfall, plus along the path you can pick wild vegetables including mushrooms. The trail turns into a rocky slope near the top so be sure to wear suitable foot wear.
Tokachi No Nagaya & Kita No Yatai

| Opening Hours | *17:00 - 24:00 Each bar has its own opening and closing times. Some stay open until 03:00 |
| Closed | *Depends on bar |
| Contact | 0155-26-2330 http://www.tokachinonagaya.com/nagaya |
| Notes | Walking street with small bars and restaurants, toilets, smoking area, paid parking near the area. |
| Location / Getting There | The street is a 7 minute walk north from the JR Obihiro station. From the airport it's 40 minutes to Obihiro Station Bus Terminal by city hotel patrol bus (¥1000 one way). 10-chome, Nishi 1 Jominami, Obihiro-shi, Hokkaido |
For a night out on the town in Obihiro most of the bars and restaurants are on the north side of Obihiro Station. Walking the streets you will come across Tokachi No Nagaya & Kitanoyatai. These narrow streets cover two blocks and seem to be one of the most popular areas for the locals. Lining the streets are around forty small bars, izakayas, and restaurants. They are all quite compact and can fit up to around twelve people (some even have standing space only). Each bar is unique and as you walk down the street you can see and hear the revelers enjoying a good night out on the town.
The compact shops at Kita no Yatai and Tokachi no Nagaya serve locally brewed sake and the food here is fantastic. You can find dishes made from the fresh produce of Tokachi. One of the great things about these bars is that they are open all year and can be enjoyed in any weather. They have covers to keep the warmth in winter and are opened out during the summer. There is a great atmosphere throughout the streets and is a great Japanese experience. These streets are a must see while in Obihiro and worth more than one visit to enjoy all the bars and restaurants!


























































