Sapporo

Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido island of Japan. With a population of almost two million, Hokkaido's lively and booming capital Sapporo is the fifth largest city in Japan. As transport hub of the island, you're almost bound to pass through here. However, it's worth staying for a while as Sapporo is well equipped with parks and gardens and laid out in an easy-to-follow grid plan. The mountains that attract skiers and snowboarders are in close proximity to its south, while the coast is less than 30 minutes away. When visiting this interesting city, you are advised to check out if there is any festival going in the city at the time of the visit. It is good idea to be prepared also for lively nightlife and some exploring in the neighboring areas. Sapporo is maybe best known for its beer, which has been brewed here since 1891. A visit to the handsome, late-nineteenth-century Sapporo Brewery is advisable. After dark, the bars and restaurants of Susukino come to life and it would be hard to find a livelier nightlife district outside of Tokyo or Osaka. During daytime you could visit the Botanical Garden in the Bachelor Memorial Museum and the Clock-tower - a major landmark of Sapporo. The Geijitsu no mori (Art Park) located just outside of Makomanai is also a great place to spend a sunny day wandering in an outdoor sculpture garden. During the winter there is the Sapporo snow festival (Yuki Matsuri), that attracts visitors from all over the country to see the huge (some 15 to 20 meters high) snow sculptures that are displayed all over Odori-koen Park. Pleasantly cool summer temperatures tempt many visitors to Sapporo's Festivals (dance in June and beer in July and August), which feature outdoor performances and beer gardens and other events in Odori-koen Park, the parkland that cuts through the city center. And don't forget - there are tons more of attractions, activities and interesting places to see in Sapporo, visit them and write here at HolidayStreets.com about their beauty and mystery!