Posted on September 25, 2024September 25, 2024 by admin

Cosplay event in Sapporo 2024

It was Sunday and my wife and I decided that we do not want to spend the whole Sunday at home, so we decided to check the Autumn Festival in Odori Park. We stopped in Odori Park Station and went to Tanuki Koji for quick shopping first. On the way to Odori Park, we noticed that there were so many people dressed up in costume. I knew it was still too early for Halloween, so we decided to follow the cosplayers crowd and we were lucky to find an annual cosplay event in Sapporo. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, September 22 (autumn)
Address: 2 Chome-1 Minami 1 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0061
Access: Odori Station

Cosplay Event in Sapporo 2024: Tanuki Koji Venue

Not only people dressing up in costumes, but there were also some professional-looking photographer taking pictures of the event. There are many characters I noticed, mostly from Japanese anime. I do not really watch anime recently so there were many characters that I did not notice. Some characters I noticed mostlye came from my childhood anime, which include ones from One Piece, Detective Conan, Hunter x Hunter, and of course, Hatsune Miku. Pictures featuring some cosplay models have been taken by the cosplayers’ permission, otherwise their face will be blurred. Here are some of the best pictures from the cosplay venue.

Cosplay Event in Sapporo 2024: Sapporo TV Tower Venue

On the way to Autumn Festival in Odori Park, we also noticed many cosplayers were gathering near the Sapporo TV Tower, mostly to take pictures. In the end I did not take pictures from the Autumn Festival, and instead write blog article about the cosplay event. Pictures featuring some cosplay models have been taken by the cosplayers’ permission, otherwise their face will be blurred. Here are some of the best photos taken from the cosplay event.

Thank you for reading this short travel blog! Feel free to let us know if you need guides/clues if you are planning to come to Hokkaido! Specially if it is your first time! And do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on September 11, 2024September 11, 2024 by admin

Bon Odori Festival in Sapporo 2024

Bon Odori Festival in Sapporo 2024

It was mid August and the weather was really hot. Summer in Japan means that there will be a lot of festival. One of the most famous festival is called “Bon Odori Festival” or “Obon”. This traditional festival has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and it is a festival to honor ones’ ancestor. This festival is famous because spectators do not only watch, but they can also participate by dancing with the performers! Sapporo Bon Odori Festival is also the same. The event was held in Odori Park near Sapporo TV Tower and it was held in the evening. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, August 11th (Summer)
Address: 1 Chome Odorinishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0042
Access: Odori Station

Inside the Festival

Even though we arrived a bit earlier, the festival area was crowded already. This is because there were some stalls that sell foods and liquors. There was also a Coca-Cola stall in which you can exchange your pet bottle for a bottle of Coca-Cola.

Afternoon Dance: Kids Dance

After strolling around a bit, finally the dance started. Before dark, the dance festival actually is more for kids. In the picture below, you can see that the afternoon session are mostly filled with kids and parents.

Evening Dance: Adults Dance

After enjoying the afternoon dance session, we left for a bit to eat some dinner, and then we came back in the night time to see the adult session. By “adult” here does not mean any innuendo, but it is when the session is targeted for adult audiences. My hypothesis for this is because maybe the organizer wants to separate adults and kids, because the Obon dance can be crowded and participants need to circle around a stage. Separating adults and kids may be due to safety reason to prevent kids from being trampled over by the adults by accident.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on August 1, 2024August 1, 2024 by admin

Sapporo Firework Festival UHB Doshin in Toyohira River

sapporo firework festival 札幌花火大會 festival kembang api sapporo

Sapporo Firework Festival UHB Doshin in Toyohira River

It was Friday night after finishing work and everyone was in a great mood. I was planning to just stay at home and rest, but my wife asked me to accompany her to see firework show in Toyohira River. I reluctantly agreed to go with her because I also went there last year, and it was so packed with people! But in the end, I really enjoyed the show really much! There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024 July 26th (Summer)
Address: Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0057
Access: Hosui Susukino (Toho Line)

Sapporo Firework Festival: Heading into the Venue

We went there at around 18:30 in the evening, everyone was just finishing work, as well as people who just want to get into the venue to watch the firework shows. I was actually thinking about getting there by car, but since I was planning to drink a bit, we decided to go by subway instead. It was really crowded even though we went there a bit early! Upon arrival to the nearest subway station, we walked all the way to the venue, it took only around 10 minutes. Roads were blocked and there were some police presence everywhere in the area.

Sapporo Firework Festival: Finding a Spot

Since it was an open area, we needed to find our own place to sit and watch the firework. We also brought a picnic mat for our convenience. There were many ladies wearing Yukata, I think it is because a cultural norm for Japanese women to watch fireworks while dressing up in Yukata. My wife did not wear Yukata that time because we did not have time to change. After getting a good spot to watch, I immediately opened a can of beer to enjoy my Friday night.

Sapporo Firework Festival: the Show

The firework show lasted for around 40 minutes, there were some various fireworks that produces certain shapes like heart, star, and even butterfly shape. Here are some of the best shots from the show.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on July 23, 2024July 23, 2024 by admin

Sapporo Beer Garden 2024 Odori Park

Sapporo Beer Garden 2024 Odori Park

It was Sunday during a hot summer heat, and I was craving for a pint of cold beer, so I took my wife to Odori Park to check the annual Sapporo Beer Garden. If you are craving for a high-quality beer, then this event is for you; in this event you can enjoy many world famous beer brands, mainly Japan’s famous brands. There are also some world famous beer brands from all over the world you can try here! This event spans 6 blocks along Odori Park, and this event is held from Friday, July 19 to Wednesday, August 14, 2024. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, July 21st (Summer)
Event time: 2024 July 19th ~ August 14th (Summer)
Address: 5 Chome Odorinishi – 11 Chome Odorinishi
Access: Nishi 11 Chome (Tozai Line); Odori Station

Nishi 5 Chome: Suntory

We started from the east part of the event, nishi 5-chome, since it is the closest from Odori Station. This block mainly serves Suntory brand, one of the most famous Japanese brand. This block has good access to the public toilet. Not only beer, they also serve some foods here, ranging from pizza and grilled foods.

Nishi 6 Chome: Asahi

This block mainly serves Asahi brand, and one good thing I like about this block is the amount of tree, and the number of portable toilets available. So if you prefer to drink under tree shades, this block is recommended! At first this place seemed like a good place to drink, but my wife and I decided to explore further before make a final decision.

Nishi 7 Chome: Kirin

This block belongs to the Kirin brand, this place has quite good atmosphere, with good access to public toilet as well as smoking room. However, there was limited tented seats, and I did not really want to drink under sun heat, so we decided to walk further more.

Nishi 8 Chome: Sapporo

This block belongs to Hokkaido’s beloved beer brand, Sapporo brand. This place is one the most crowded venue, and the tented seats were mostly taken. I noticed that there was 90 minutes limit for drinking and dining. There was also a ticket vending machine. Next to the Sapporo brand venue, there was also a small water park in the next block in which parents could bring their children to play together escaping the summer heat. Well, as a citizen of Sapporo, I felt obligated to choose this venue, but unfortunately, my desire to escape the heat outweigh my loyalty to Sapporo City (Sorry). So we kept on exploring.

Nishi 10 Chome: World Beer Square

This block sells not only beer brands from many different countries (USA, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Germany, Philippines, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Belgium, Jamaica, Ireland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, UK, Tahiti, Korea), but also some local brewers. There were some tented seats as well as pet-friendly seats. Also this place were not that crowded, and the beer price were reasonable, so we decided to drink here. I ended up buying a cup of Denmark beer as well as a locally crafted black beer.

Nishi 11 Chome: German Village

This is the last block on the west side of the event. This block sells mainly German beer as well as some German traditional foods like Pretzels. I remember I went to this block to drink some German beer last year. This place also has some nice seats and not that crowded, but this year I decided to skip this part and tried the beers on the World Beer Square section instead.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on July 8, 2024July 9, 2024 by admin

Royce Chocolate Factory and Rose Garden in Sapporo

Royce Chocolate Factory Sapporo Rose Garden

Royce Chocolate Factory and Rose Garden in Sapporo

It was a rainy Sunday in the afternoon, my wife was craving for some chocolate and she asked me if we can go visit Royce Chocolate Factory as well as seeing some rose garden nearby the factory. Apparently strong rain was not enough to stop my wife from getting the chocolate she craved! We went to two separate places that day, but since it was located close to each other, it was not much hassle to visit both in the same day. It was raining quite hard so instead of taking JR train, we decided to drive there. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Royce Rose Garden

Nestled in Sapporo, the Royce Rose Garden is a serene haven featuring over 200 varieties of roses, making it a must-visit for nature lovers and flower enthusiasts. The garden’s meticulously landscaped paths and vibrant blooms offer a perfect setting for a peaceful stroll or a picturesque photo session. Open from late spring to autumn, visitors can enjoy the ever-changing colors and fragrances that make each visit unique. The Royce Rose Garden not only showcases the beauty of roses but also emphasizes environmental sustainability, making it an ideal destination for those seeking tranquility and natural splendor. We were actually lucky to visit during rainy day since there were not many visitors, so finding parking spot was really easy! The rain also stopped a bit when we arrived.

Visit Date: 2024 July 7th (Summer)
Opening time: mid May – end of October (9 am – 17:30)
Address: 9 Chome-21-50 Ainosato 3 Jo, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 002-8074
Access: Ainosato Koen (JR)

Royce Chocolate Factory: Garden

After walking around the rose garden under light rain, we decided to buy some souvenirs for family. My wife told me that there is another Royce factory built nearby the rose garden and it has more choices of souvenirs, it is called Royce Cacao & Chocolate Town. It was located not far away from the rose garden, only around 5 minutes drive. Upon arriving in the place, it was not that crowded so finding parking space was relatively easy. The garden is smaller compared to one in the previous rose garden, but they are really beautiful nonetheless! There is also a free shuttle service from nearby JR station, so if you are planning to come by public transportation, it will be convenient as well!

Visit Date: 2024 July 7th (Summer)
Opening time
Shop: 9 – 18 o’ clock; Factory Tour: 10 – 17 o’ clock
Address: 640-15 Bitoe, Tobetsu, Ishikari District, Hokkaido 061-3775
Access: Royce Town (JR)

Royce Chocolate Factory: Royce Cacao & Chocolate Town

The Royce Chocolate Factory in Sapporo is a paradise for chocolate lovers, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the art of premium chocolate making. Visitors can witness the meticulous process of crafting Royce’s famous chocolates, from the selection of high-quality ingredients to the final packaging. The factory also features a shop where you can purchase an array of delicious chocolate products, perfect for gifts or personal indulgence. With interactive tours and tastings, the Royce Chocolate Factory provides a delightful experience that blends culinary education with sweet enjoyment, making it a top attraction in Sapporo.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on July 4, 2024July 4, 2024 by admin

Asahiyama Memorial Park: Capturing the Beauty of Sapporo

Asahiyama Memorial Park: Capturing the Beauty of Sapporo

Asahiyama Memorial Park in Sapporo, Japan, is a picturesque destination offering stunning panoramic views of the city and its surrounding landscapes. Established in 1970 to commemorate the centennial of Sapporo, the park features beautiful walking trails, well-maintained gardens, and observation decks that are perfect for visitors seeking tranquility and natural beauty. During spring, the cherry blossoms add a magical touch to the park, making it a popular spot for hanami (flower viewing). Ideal for families, photographers, and nature lovers, Asahiyama Memorial Park is a must-visit destination that captures the essence of Hokkaido’s natural charm. Since this park is located in the west part of Sapporo that may be a bit hard to reach with public transportation, we decided to drive there during the weekend. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024 June 30th (Summer)
Address: 4 Chome-1-3 Sakaigawa, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0943
Access: Ropeway Iriguchi (tram), 30 minutes walk from the tram station.

Asahiyama Memorial Park: Entrance

We were lucky that during the time of our visit, it was not that crowded, so finding a parking spot was really easy. There is a reception building in the entrance part. The toilet in the reception area has opening time from 10 am to 5 pm, but there is another public toilet inside the park that may take a while to reach by walk. Another posted rule is that you cannot ride you bicycles inside the park area. If you come with your dog, make sure you keep your dog on leash, otherwise you may get fined up to 100,000 yen.

Asahiyama Memorial Park: Observation Deck

The observation deck is located really close from the reception area. It did not take much time to get into the observation deck, so in my opinion, this place is highly recommended for those who like to enjoy extremely easy hiking. After you reach the observation area, you will be greeted with a stunning panoramic view of the whole Sapporo City! There is also a small fountain that makes the view even more breathtaking.

Asahiyama Memorial Park: Bears, Deers, Crows, and Mosquitos

There is a small trail path nearby the observation deck that is still connected to a forest. There are many signs warning us about bear encounter. We were lucky that the only animals we encountered that day were crows, mosquitos, and even deer! Spotting deer in Sapporo city area is really rare occurrence and we were lucky enough to capture the moment in the camera! We did not explore the path too much since it was getting late and there were so many mosquitos, so we decided to end our trip early and drive back to home. Even though it was a short visit, it was definitely a great experience!

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on July 1, 2024July 3, 2024 by admin

Sapporo Flower Festival Hana Festa 2024

The Sapporo Hana Festa 2024 is a vibrant celebration of flowers and nature held in the heart of Sapporo, Japan. This annual festival showcases a stunning array of floral displays, themed gardens, and horticultural exhibits that transform Odori Park and its surroundings into a colorful paradise. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities including flower arrangement workshops and some cultural performances, making it a perfect event for families and flower enthusiasts. The festival aims to promote environmental awareness and the beauty of seasonal blooms, creating a delightful experience that highlights the unique charm of Sapporo in spring. Do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024 June 22nd – 30th (Summer)
Address: 〒060-0042 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Odorinishi, 4 – 8 Chome
Access: Odori Station

Sapporo Flower Festival Hana Festa 2024: Starting Point

My wife and I was just finishing an appointment near Sapporo Shiryokan in 13 chome, so we decided to first start from the west part of Odori Park. Even though the event area is in 4 – 8 chome area, this part of the area is also filled with beautiful flowers!

Sapporo Flower Festival Hana Festa 2024: Festival Area

There were a lot of miniature gardens within the park that were either crafted by volunteers or professionals. Regardless, these miniature gardens are really stunning! Here are some of the best mini gardens in my own highly-subjective opinion.

Sapporo Flower Festival Hana Festa 2024: Selling Area

If you are really mesmerized by the flowers that are on display, you can also buy some of them in the selling area. Not only flowers, but also some garden decorations that you can buy to make your own garden more beautiful!

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on June 17, 2024June 18, 2024 by admin

Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival 2024 Sapporo

Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival 2024 Sapporo

Yosakoi Soran is an annual dance festival that originated in the city of Koshi, Japan. In Sapporo, the first Yosakoi festival was held in 1992, and has been held annually every year during the summer period. It is interesting that everyone can participate in this dance festival regardless of age or work or status. It is common to see a dance group with a diverse group; a group with mixture of young and old age. Some of the dancers are not professional but they practice really hard just to entertain. This is why all dancers in the photos look really happy and passionate despite needing to dance in a costume and under summer heat! Yosakoi Festival is one of Sapporo main attraction, and there are many things to see here in Sapporo. Do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024 June 9th (Summer)
Address: 〒060-0042 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Odorinishi, １〜１２Chome
Access: Odori Station

Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival 2024: finding the seat

My sister in law was really nice to give us two VIP seats in Odori venue. We arrived at around 2 pm, so it was quite hot! We stopped in Odori Station and proceeded to the venue. Since Odori Park is really big, it took us quite a bit of time to traverse through crowded venue to finally find our seat!

Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival 2024: getting into the VIP seat

After finally getting through a sea of people and getting lost a bit. We finally found our venue! It was really sunny, but we were lucky to find a seat right under tree shade! We were staying in line not for long, and after several minutes, we were able to get inside the VIP area. We even got some free fans!

Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival 2024: the Show

There were several teams that were competing on that day, and we were able to see around 10 of them within 1 hour time span. I took a lot of pictures but I sorted some of the best ones here.

The Best shot

From many pictures I took, this single photoshoot below is the best in my opinion. This young lady definitely catches all the main traits of “Yosakoi Festival”, “energetic”, “strong”, and “beautiful”.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on June 12, 2024June 12, 2024 by admin

Hokudaisai 2024 International Food Festival

Hokudaisai is an annual festival held in Hokkaido University, a top university in Hokkaido well-known for its engineering and agriculture department. And it is currently ranked no.8 university in Japan and no. 173 in the world! This festival is well-known for its international food section, in which foreign students gather together and sell foods from each of their respective countries. The festival is usually held for three days during weekend, so it was really crowded! It is one of Sapporo main activity in the summer. Do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024 June 7th ~ 9th (Summer)
Address: 5 Chome Kita 8 Jonishi, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0808
Access: Kita 18 station (Namboku Line)

Starting point: Hokudaisai 2024

This festival is held inside Hokkaido University, and since the campus area is big, it is recommended to start from one part of the campus and then proceed to one end. I have been to this festival many times, and in my opinion, it is better to start from the northern part of campus, and then proceed to the south part of the campus near Sapporo Station. In the northern part, there are some tents made by Japanese students that offer various activities other than selling foods, like shooting games, cultural exhibition, and even “future letter”.

Indoor Activities: Engineering Department

Not only tents outdoor, but each department in the campus also offered various activities inside. We had limited time so we decide to get inside engineering department since it was on our way.

International Food Section

After exploring the engineering department, we were really hungry so we proceeded to the international food section to grab something to eat. There were so many options so it took us a while to finally get some foods. That day we decided to eat something we have never tried before; Ethiopian bread, South African couscous rice and meat, Uzbekistan meat bread, and Indonesian “Happy Soda”.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 by admin

Yurigahara Park, Hidden Gem in Sapporo, Lily Flowers and Mini Train

Yurigahara Park, Hidden Gem in Sapporo, Lily Flowers and Mini Train

There are many famous places in Sapporo, like Odori Park, Tanuki Koji, and other tourist attractions. But if you are married to a Japanese person, you will eventually find some hidden gems in Sapporo, which is basically some underrated spots that can be recommended to some visitors! There are many things to do in Sapporo regardless of the season and If you need help arranging private tour in Sapporo, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, May 19th
Entrance Fee: FREE
Address: 210 Yurigaharakoen, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 002-8082
Access: Sakaemachi Station (Toho line)

Yurigahara Park in Sapporo

There are many big parks in Sapporo which is famous worldwide, such as Maruyama Park, Nakajima Park, and of course, Odori Park. But none of them has a cute little train in which you can circle the park to see some beautiful flowers. Yurigahara Park has this small train called “Lily Express” in which you can enjoy in the spring. Not only that, this park has more flowers and plant variants in it. However, you need to walk around 25 minutes from the nearest subway station to reach the park, so maybe that is why this park is not that famous among foreign visitors. My wife and I drove there on Sunday afternoon during one of her driving practice.

I thought this railroad was not operational

Thank you for reading this short travel blog! Feel free to contact us if you need help arranging private tour in Sapporo! Make sure you enjoy your stay in Hokkaido!

moving and living in Sapporo