Sapporo Itinerary 5 days – Designed For Any Season
Spending 5 days in Sapporo? We’ve pulled together the ultimate Sapporo itinerary 5 days that is packed full of places off the beaten track (we’ve discovered as a local), the best food spots, things to do, and tweaks that can be made so it’s relevant, no matter what season you’re planning on visiting Sapporo.
5 days is such a great time to spend in Sapporo, and there is so much more than meets the eye here. This itinerary is suitable for those who have a rental car, and also those who are relying on public transport for the trip, including some epic day trips that you have to include in your plans whilst you’re here.
Keep on reading for the ultimate itinerary, and don’t forget to bookmark this one for your next trip to the capital of the north!
Sapporo Itinerary 5 days: Local Spots, Food & Things To Do!
Day 1
Nakajima Park
A lot of places don’t open until 10am in Sapporo, and if you’re up early for day 1, jump on the Namboku subway line for Nakajima Park. There’s no shortage of beautiful parks in Hokkaido, but within close proximity to the city, this really is one of the best, and it can be enjoyed throughout all of the seasons.
There’s a Japanese botanical garden in the park which is so peaceful and tranquil to see, you can hire row boats in the summer to take out onto the water, view it by illumination during the autumn festival, and it’s also one of the hotspots to view sakura blossoms (end of April-early May).
If you’ve not had breakfast yet, head to Hasamiya for a hot sandwich, they are so good! There’s a few seats inside, or grab it to go and settle down on a bench to enjoy it whilst taking in the beauty of Nakajima.
For other easy breakfast spots, check out Komeda’s Coffee during your trip for affordable breakfast sets, their bread is delicious!
Odori Park – TV Tower
A short subway ride away on the Namboku line from Nakajima Park is Odori Park. Odori Park is the central hub of the city, and a place where so many festivals and events are hosted throughout the year. There’s something happening here most weeks throughout the spring and summer, with the epic Sapporo Snow Festival taking place here in February.
Any trip to Sapporo has to feature a visit up the TV tower. Take in Odori Park and the staggering mountainous scenery from the top, it really is worth it and looks incredible in all the seasons. The whole thing takes around 40 minutes to complete.
During the spring, summer and early autumn, you’ll find a corn wagon in Odori Park selling corn which is a food speciality in Sapporo, and it’s so delicious with some butter for a mid morning snack.
Clock Tower
Just a short 5 minute walk from Odori Park station is the infamous clock tower in Sapporo. This beautiful building was built in 1878 and becomes very busy later in the day as a key photo spot during your time in the city.
If you want to learn more about the history of the clock tower, you can pay to go inside the exhibition room, and there is more opportunities for photos at the top of the clock tower.
Cafe Nagayama Rest
There’s no shortage of amazing places to eat in Sapporo. But somewhere off the beaten track but still easily accessible in the city is Cafe Nagayama Rest.
Set inside the Former Takeshiro Nagayama Residence and Former Mitsubishi Mining Dormitory, step inside and visit Cafe Nagayama Rest and you’ll be transported back inside with the retro style interior and setup of the restaurant.
They have a small but mighty menu, best known for their curries, pizza toast and parfaits! There is a late night shime parfait scene in Sapporo, and it’s a real must have during your stay here. The parfaits are beautifully arranged, packed full of ice cream, cream, jelly, mochi and bits of cake.
If it’s a rainy day or you fancy getting inside for a bit, just opposite this building is the Sapporo Factory, with plenty of places to go shopping, eat, drink and a cinema if you fancy watching a film. There’s also a really cool lift that’s shaped like a Sapporo beer can!
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
Something about Sapporo? The shopping here is absolutely amazing, but you don’t deal with the same level of crowds like you do in larger cities like Tokyo.
Tanukikoji Shopping Street is 1km long and is nearby to the buzzy area of Susikino. This narrow shopping street is lined either side with shops, restaurants, cafes and bars and is one of the best places to stock up on souvenirs, gifts and, whether you like collecting Pokemon cards, Don Quijote or beauty shopping, there’s something for everyone to enjoy here.
If you like beauty/skincare shopping check out Matsumoto Kiyoshi pharmacy which is much quieter than Don Quijote, and if you like stationery, quirky gifts and beauty, Loft in Moyuku is one of the best!
Susukino
In the evening head to the district of Susikino to take in the busy streets, neon lights and buzzing nighttime experience. There are so many places to eat, whether you fancy sushi, a warm bowl of ramen or something a bit lighter.
Ramen Alley is a 42m alleyway, lined with 17 speciality ramen shops, and it’s definitely a place that you should head to at least once during your trip. You could dine here each night if you wanted to for a different ramen experience each night. In Sapporo, miso and corn ramen are the local ramen dishes that are a must try.
After dinner, enjoy a spot of Karaoke at Round1, try and win something on the claw machines or just indulge in some late night parfait at Parfaiteria Pal (some of the most elaborate parfait designs in Sapporo!) – one of our favourite parfait restaurants in the city!
Day 2
Noboribetsu & Lake Toya
There are so many amazing day trips to enjoy from Sapporo that aren’t too far away, and this Noboribetsu & Lake Toya day trip is one of the best ways to bundle together two of these must visit places in one day. It’s easily accessible on this day tour without a rental car, and it runs throughout the year.
Noboribetsu looks incredible throughout the seasons, but autumn foliage is absolutely incredible during September & October here, with harsh, fiery reds set against the rugged, brown terrain. It is Hokkaido’s most famous hot spring town, nestled within Shikotsu-Toya National Park and it is celebrated for its active, otherworldly volcanic crater.
It’s a great photo spot to see mother nature doing its thing, and you might be lucky enough to see some wildlife whilst you’re here too!
Depending on how much time you get at Lake Toya, there are so many things I would recommend doing with your day! Take the ropeway up to Mount USU (only open April-early November) to take in the staggering views of Lake Toya beneath. There’s a little coffee shack up the top if you fancy a mid morning pick me up.
If you have the time and you like walking, there is a one hour round hike to the innermost crater which is really worth the views. We took a picnic with us and had it on the bench when we reached the inner crater.
Lake Toya spans roughly 43km in circumference, and if you’re visiting by car you can drive around the entire circumference to take in incredible lakeside views. There are so many beautiful walks you can take along here, with lake side foot spas, and swan boats that you can take out onto the water in the warmer months.
If you’re looking to grab something to eat in the town, Cafe House Raidojuku is one of the cosiest finds off the beaten track. Run by a lovely elderly couple, the menu is limited but absolutely delicious. I recommend the pancakes and hot chocolate on a cold day! Directly opposite is one of our favourite roadside foot spas, don’t worry if you forgot to bring a towel as there is a towel vending machine to the side of it.
Depending on the time you leave Lake Toya, I recommend a stop at Lake Hill Farm on your return to Sapporo.
It sits opposite their dairy ranch, and it’s some of the best soft serve we have had in Hokkaido. They also have a little restaurant next to the ice cream shop with pizza, warm meals and other dairy themed sweet treats so you can grab some dinner on the way home.
Day 3
Takino Suzuran Hillside Park
How to get here by bus: From Sapporo city centre (Sapporo Station / Odori / Susukino), take the Namboku Subway Line south to Makomanai Station (about 20 minutes). At Makomanai Station, go to Bus Stop No. 2 outside the station. Take the Hokkaido Chuo Bus #106 (Takino Line / 真106) toward Takino Suzuran Park. Ride the bus for about 30–35 minutes and get off at “Suzuran Park Higashiguchi (East Entrance)”. From the bus stop it’s about a 5-minute walk to Takino Snow World inside the park.
Around 1 hour on public transport is Takino Suzuran Hillside Park and where better to spend day 3 of your trip in Sapporo, as there’s something different going on here throughout the year.
Arrive in the winter and you’ll be greeted by Takino Snow World, you could spend a good majority of your day here as they offer FREE snow tubing and snow shoeing, you can walk to see the frozen waterfall of Ashiribetsu and you can also hire skis and go skiing. Whilst it is a starter, beginner slope, it’s great fun for the whole family and you really do need to enjoy the famous JAPOW snow if you come here during snowy season.
As spring starts to approach you can view so many varieties of flowers here, with the Tulip Lily of the Valley Festa taking place mid-end of May with blooming lavender in mid to late July, and outdoor spaces where you can cook your own BBQ.
You can also tie it in with a trip to the hill of the buddha throughout the seasons, looking particularly spectacular in the snow and in the summer when it’s blanketed in rows of blooming lavender plants.
Mount Moiwa
In the evening, take the ropeway up Mount Moiwa. A scenic 5 minute cable car ride that takes you to an observation deck, allowing you to take in the staggering views of the city below. Watching the sunset into darkness is one of the best times to see the city below in my opinion.
If you want a spectacular and unforgettable dining experience in Sapporo, book an evening table a The Jewels Restaurant which is at the top of Mount Moiwa.
We paid a little bit extra for the ‘luxury seats’ (as shown below) and we had a completely private 7 course dining experience which was phenomenal. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, it’s really worth it. If you have a table booking, let the staff know at the ropeway as you don’t have to pay to use the ropeway with a table booking.
The ropeway is actually open throughout the winter season too, and whilst each season brings a different vantage point, it promises an incredible view no matter when you visit.
Day 4
Lake Shikotsu
Shikotsu-Tōya National Park is one of six national parks in Hokkaido, and it’s one of the closest to Sapporo, being only an hour away from the city of Sapporo. It is one of the clearest deep caldera lakes in Japan, and it’s just the most beautiful place. Public transport by bus is available, or you can book onto a Lake Shikotsu day trip from Sapporo.
If you’ve got a rental car, take the scenic road when approaching Lake Shikotsu to take in the amazing views.
The type of activities available at Lake Shikotsu are very seasonal, but there’s always something fun you can plan during your day here. Go clear bottom kayaking in the summer or SUP paddle boarding, snow trekking in the winter or hiking and bird watching in the autumn. We went kayaking with our dog in the summer and used Ocean Days for a private tour, it was an incredible way to take in the staggering size of the lake whilst learning more about the history of how it was formed.
Grab some of the number 1 Hokkaido soft serve ice cream in a charcoal cone before you leave, and visit the cute souvenir shop before heading back.
Day 5
Jozankei Onsen Town
How to get to Jozankei by bus: 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.
There’s no better way to relax from a busy few days walking and exploring the Sapporo area than heading to an onsen town. Jozankei is only an hour away from the city which makes it another excellent and very doable day trip, by car or coach.
We have put together a full Jozankei itinerary for more inspiration on what to do during your stay. Every season is wonderful here, but perhaps the real beauty happens during autumn as the entire town is shrouded with red, orange and yellow autumn foliage.
There’s so many walking opportunities and the natural hot spring foot baths are one of my favourite things! There’s quite a few in the Jozankei area to enjoy but the Shiki-no-seseragi Futami-no-ashiyu foot bath which overlooks the Toyohira river is one of the hottest and it has the benefit of being sheltered so ideal in snowy and rainy conditions.
A Japanese onsen town experience is like no other, and what else to have for lunch than cooking your own onsen eggs? Grab a bag of eggs from the souvenir shop and cook them over the onsen before taking them back to enjoy at a table for lunch.
In terms of onsens where you can just turn up to on the day, there is a handful that you can enjoy here. If you have a car though, I recommend driving over to Koganeyu Onsen which is a short drive away, they have the benefit of a private onsen in Sapporo which is ideal if you’re on holiday and want to enjoy the onsen experience with your family.
They have a great restaurant at Koganeyu with set meals, curries, zangi chicken and kakigori which is the ultimate sweet treat to help you cool down after an onsen.
If you decide to head back out for dinner in the evening, you’re spoilt for choice! If you fancy something a little bit different, we really rate the okonomiyaki and mini gyozas from Nandeyanen, this seemingly hidden restaurant is on the fifth floor of the building and I wish more people knew about this restaurant, as it’s a total gem!
Soup curry is another local speciality, and if you like spicy food, it’s got to be tried before you leave. SOUPCURRY&GYOZA NUMU is a very popular one in the heart of the city.
This is a jam packed Sapporo itinerary 5 days that you can follow no matter what season you come to visit. Staying for longer? Take a look at our 7 days itinerary for more inspiration to help you plan the best trip.
