How to Spend 2 Days in Sapporo, Japan (Full Travel Guide)

This 2 day itinerary in Sapporo is perfect if you want to experience the best sights, food and off the beaten track recommendations from a local, to help you get the most out of a 2 day trip to the biggest city in Hokkaido.

I might be biased living here, but Sapporo really is one of the greatest cities in Japan, with so much to do, explore and many day trips from Sapporo that offer even more of an experience in Hokkaido, besides the big lights and fun of the city.

If you’re heading to Sapporo soon, bookmark this 2 day itinerary for later!

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How to Spend 2 Days in Sapporo, Japan (Full Travel Guide)

All of the recommendations below have been designed so you can enjoy these without needing a car on your trip. Everywhere can be accessed via public transport and walking so you can get the most out of your 2 days, without the stress and cost of a hire car.

If you’re looking for some rainy day ideas or what to do with kids in Sapporo, I have another 1 day Sapporo itinerary with lots of alternatives that you can pick and choose from!

Day 1 Itinerary

9am – Hokkaido Shrine

Location: Miyagaoka 474, Chuo-ku, Sapporo

How to get there: 15 minute walk from Maruyama Park Station on the Tozai Line of the Sapporo Municipal Subway.

Start your day early at the Hokkaido Shrine, this main shrine in Sapporo is a must visit and is surrounded by the beauty of Maruyama Park which looks incredible, no matter the season you visit Sapporo in. It becomes a particular hotspot during spring as 1,100 cherry blossoms start blooming. Sakura season is much later in Hokkaido, usually falling between the end of April, and start of May which also coincides with golden week. It can get pretty busy during this period, so it’s best to start sightseeing earlier in the day to avoid the peak.

There is no admission fee to explore the grounds, pay your respects, admire the breaking beauty of the shrine, and don’t forget to get your fortune before you leave!

Depending on the season you visit, there are often food stalls open, and a small cafe onsite where you can grab light snacks and drinks to enjoy in the grounds.

9:30am – Maruyama Park

The Hokkaido Shrine is pretty much directly next to Maruyama Park, and it’s well worth exploring whilst you’re in this area of the city. In the winter, there is a small snow tubing section which is completely free to use, and the park becomes super magical in the snow.

The park totally transforms from one season to another, with cherry blossoms late April-early May, and the trees taking on a fiery appearance in autumn.

If you’re with kids you might also want to check out the Maruyama Zoo whilst you’re here!

11:00am – Sapporo TV Tower

Location: 1 Chome Odorinishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0042

Head on the subway back into the city towards Odori Park, the Sapporo TV tower is an iconic landmark of the city, make your way up to the top to take in the incredible sweeping views of the city, and surrounding mountains that hug Sapporo.

Admission is ¥1,200 for adults, and well worth it for the views, and to see the city from a different perspective. The unique thing about visiting Sapporo is that you will enjoy a different landscape in each season. We first went up the tower in Autumn and the whole skyline and Odori park comes alive with fiery reds and oranges. Fast forward to spring and you’ll see sakura lined streets and beautiful flowers blooming in the park.

It will take approximately 40 minutes for this experience, depending on the time of year and day you visit, this time might vary. You’ve worked up an appetite, so it’s time to get back down to Odori Park for a quick, Hokkaido special snack!

12:00pm – Odori Park Food

When you exit the TV Tower, enjoy the walk through Odori Park to take in the beautiful scenery from ground level. If you visit during spring, summer or early autumn you’ll spot the iconic corn wagon which is a staple here in Sapporo.

Grab some buttered corn or a jacket potato, a drink and enjoy on the benches before heading onto your next stop of the day. If you’re visiting Hokkaido, they are two food staples that you must try on your visit!

12:30pm – Susikino

Location: Minami 4-jo Nishi 3/4-chome

No visit to Sapporo is complete without heading to the bustling area of Susikino. A little slice of the buzz of Tokyo, but so much calmer and quieter to enjoy, no matter what time of the day you head here.

This is Japan’s largest entertainment district north of Tokyo, and you could spend the rest of the day here exploring the shops, eating and enjoying a spot of Karaoke if you want a true Japanese experience!

There are so many shops to enjoy in this district of Sapporo, whether you’re a Pokemon collector, a lover of Japanese skincare or just love to window shop, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Whilst you’re in the area, grab a late lunch at ramen alley. This famous narrow 42-meter alleyway in central Sapporo features 17 small, specialised ramen shops. Enjoy your favourite ramen, or go for a classic ramen Sapporo style which includes corn and butter.

If you want a sweet treat and something a little bit different, you’ve got to head to pâtisserie OKASHI GAKU vending machine which is around a 3 minute walk from Susukino Station and can be found on the side of the building (accessible 24 hours), outside their actual store.

Yep, you can get a cake in a can here, I recommend the strawberry shortcake one, it’s so delicious!

3:30pm – Sapporo Clock Tower

The clock tower is another iconic landmark of Sapporo, built in 1878, it makes it officially the oldest clock tower in Japan! It’s only a short walk from Susikino and is ideal for short visit.

Come here for a fab photo opportunity and you can even go inside the museum to learn more about the clock tower and its heritage which is super interesting.

4:30pm Sapporo Beer Museum / Genghis Khan Dinner

Head over to the final stop of the day for some beer, and food! No one does beer quite like the Japanese, and the Sapporo Classic Beer can only be purchased here in Sapporo. This is actually the only beer museum you can visit in the whole of Japan.

You can go on a paid tour of the Sapporo Beer Museum, but you can also enter a large portion of it for free and on your own (exhibition spaces on the 3rd and 2nd floors of the building), exploring it as much or as little as you like at your own pace.

Then head down to the bar, and get yourself a beer tasting set to enjoy. A great opportunity to try all of the different types of beer they brew here.

Next door is a Genghis Khan restaurant called the Sapporo Beer Garden, this is another Hokkaido special dish to tick off your list on your 2 day food tour in Sapporo! Genghis Khan (ジンギスカン / Jingisukan) is a famous grilled lamb dish from Hokkaido. An interactive cooking experience that is a great way to round off your first day in Sapporo.

If you’re looking for more entertainment and food into the evening, I recommend engaging in the late night parfait culture in Sapporo and grabbing a parfait and drink before heading back to your accommodation for the night.

Day 2 Itinerary

Day 1 is very much about exploring the city of Sapporo, so for day 2, it’s time to get more of a taste of Hokkaido, the surrounding nature and create some more unforgettable memories.

Jozankei Onsen Town

How to get there from Sapporo city: The most convenient option is the direct Jotetsu Kappa Liner bus, which departs from JR Sapporo Station and reaches Jozankei in approximately 60 minutes. This is a reservation-only service, so it’s recommended to book at least one day in advance, earlier during peak seasons to avoid disappointment.

Local buses (such as Rapid 7 or 8) also run regularly and do not require reservations, though they take slightly longer (around 70–80 minutes).

(If you’re coming straight from New Chitose Airport, it’s only around an 80 minute journey by bus)

Exploring onsen towns are always the best type of days in Japan, you never quite know what you’re going to find, you can experience a traditional onsen experience and there’s plenty of different things to do. Jozankei is a great day trip from Sapporo and it’s only around an hour away by bus. I recommend an early start to make the most of your second day.

I have a full breakdown on what to do in the day at Jozankei, and there’s so much to do depending on what you’re interested in. For keen hikers, you can do the Mount Asahidake trail which takes around 1 hour, or enjoy a calm stroll following the Toyohira river path to view the Futami-tsuribashi suspension bridge. There are many foot spas dotted around the area which are such a treat on a cold day, and a lot of walking!

My favourite is the Shiki-no-seseragi Futami-no-ashiyu foot bath which overlooks the Toyohira river.

For a mid morning snack or lunch, buy some eggs from the Omoideya Souvenir Shop and cook them at the Ontama-no-yu by the Jozan Gensen Park for hot spring boiled eggs. This is a true onsen town experience and so much fun! You can bathe your feet in the hot springs whilst you wait for them to cook.

Once they’re cooked (takes around 20 minutes) take them back over to the shop where they’ll give you some bowls and salt to enjoy the eggs. They also have a drink menu so you can take a moment to enjoy your lunch.

Of course, you can’t leave without taking on onsen! There’s actually plenty of onsens to choose from in the Jozankei area and most of the hotels here offer one to non hotel guests. Jozankei onsen’s sodium components adheres to the skin to seal heat in and warm you up from the inside, making you sweat to detox your body, improve joints and ease your stress. A perfect antidote to jet lag or rejuvenating after a lot of walking in the city!

The best one for access without a car is the Jozankei Manseikaku Hotel Milione which is near to the Ontamu-no-yu where you cook the onsen eggs or Yunohana Jozankeiden which is a public bath house.

There are however 10 hotels and bathing facilities in total in Jozankei that offer day trip bathing with no reservation required which are;

Catch the bus back into the city, refresh at your accommodation or enjoy some shopping in the city before heading to Mount Moiwa in the evening.

Moiwa Ropeway & Dinner

Location: Sapporo city Chuo ward Fushimi 5-3-7

To finish off your second day in Sapporo, I recommend a truly incredible restaurant that’s off the beaten track, it will deliver an evening to remember!

The best way to get here from the city is to take the tram. Take the tram to the Ropeway Entrance, then board the free shuttle bus that runs every 15 minutes from the free shuttle bus stop to the Ropeway Base Station. Alternatively, grab a taxi which takes around 15-20 minutes from the city centre.

Aim to head here for around sunset, this time will vary depending on the time you visit in the year. Coincide this with booking a reservation in advance for the Jewels Restaurant, a lot of people don’t even know this exists, and in my opinion, has the most incredible views of the city, from a totally different perspective.

When placing a reservation you can book ‘luxury seats’ – it costs an extra ¥12,100, but it is 100% worth it for the experience!

If you have a restaurant reservation, let the ticketing team know and you get to ride the ropeway for free. Take in the views at the top of the observation deck, or do so by heading straight to the restaurant.

We booked the luxury seats, and you literally have the view to yourself from the comfort of a luxury sofa. There are lots of different meals to choose from, we had a 7 course dining experience, and you can pay for a cake if you have a specific celebration too.

Watching the sunset here will make the end of your trip, what I loved is that they turn all the lights off at a certain point and the servers come around and take photos of you. Everything has been thought of here, and the food is absolutely incredible and changes seasonally.

This is a true hidden gem in Sapporo and you can enjoy the peace and beauty of Sapporo at your own pace during your evening here.

If you don’t fancy the dining experience, riding the Ropeway to explore the views at the top is still worth the journey, and you can then head back into the city to grab dinner.

This 2 day itinerary can be enjoyed no matter what season you visit in, as a local in Sapporo, this includes some of the best things to do to get a mix of both tourist attractions, and off the beaten track places that you won’t find on other itineraries online. All of these things have been tried and tested by us, so you know you’re getting a unique experience, from a local.

If you have any questions for your next trip to Sapporo, please leave a comment below!

How to Spend 2 Days in Sapporo, Japan (Full Travel Guide)