{"id":77163,"date":"2021-02-18T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=77163"},"modified":"2024-11-25T22:18:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T13:18:46","slug":"winter-weekend-sapporo-hokkaido","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/winter-weekend-sapporo-hokkaido\/","title":{"rendered":"Big City Life and World-class Powder Skiing: A Winter Weekend in Sapporo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In olden times, Hokkaido (\u5317\u6d77\u9053)<\/a><\/strong> was a wild frontier full of danger, adventure, amazing wildlife, and natural beauty. Thankfully, they\u2019ve long since done away with the danger, leaving just the adventure and beauty for us to enjoy.\u00a0Sapporo (\u672d\u5e4c\u5e02) <\/strong>is the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture and by far its most famous city. Here you can enjoy some of the freshest seafood, best powder snow slopes, and most unique traditional culture of anywhere in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s plenty here to fill an entire week and more. However, if you only have a short time to spare this winter, we have you covered. Let\u2019s dive into an ideal itinerary for your first trip to Japan\u2019s northern winter wonderland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Nikka Whisky billboard in Susukino <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What to Eat in Hokkaido<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hokkaido is well-known around Japan for its strong agricultural pedigree; fantastic milk, cheese, potatoes, wine, and nihonshu (Japanese alcohol) are just a few of the many top products this island produces. As you can imagine, this makes for a pretty spectacular dining scene in the prefectural capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask any Japanese person what to eat in Sapporo<\/strong>, and they\u2019ll be able to list off at least a dozen mouth-watering dishes. The city is synonymous with fine food, and there\u2019s a good reason for that; Sapporo has access to some of the best seafood on the planet<\/strong>, as well as a long menu of hearty dishes tailor-made to cap off a day of winter wandering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fresh Hokkaido Seafood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll find triple Michelin-starred Japanese sushi<\/a> restaurants like Sushi Miyakawa<\/a> here, where a series of expertly-crafted sushi dishes are served one after the other in omakase <\/em>(chef\u2019s choice) style. If the Michelin price tag is a little rich for your tastes, you can always swing by Nijo Fish Market (\u4e8c\u6761\u5e02\u5834) <\/strong>instead to sample the same premium Hokkaido seafood right at the source. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Crabs at Nijo Market | Photo by Sodai Gomi<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Nijo Fish Market has been the beating heart of the city\u2019s seafood culture for over 100 years<\/strong> and makes for a lovely piece of lunchtime sightseeing. Take a wander and choose from one of the dozens of restaurants in the surrounding area and market itself. Expect delicacies like Hokkaido king crab, super-fresh uni <\/em>(Hokkaido sea urchin), and ishikari-nabe<\/em>: a salmon and vegetable stew listen from the cookbook of the Ainu, the native people of Hokkaido.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hokkaido BBQ and Curry Soup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For a change from seafood, yakiniku fans will want to try Genghis Khan barbecue<\/strong> (pronounced by the Japanese as jingisukan<\/em>). This dining style is a Hokkaido specialty, which sees juicy pieces of lamb and mutton cooked at your table on a grill.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jingisukan<\/em> is a Hokkaido specialty named after the famous Mongolian military leader Genghis Khan. | Photo by Joachim Ducos<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The coup de gras, in my opinion, is Hokkaido soup curry<\/strong><\/a>. There\u2019s nothing better for beating the Sapporo winter chills than a huge bowl of vegetables and meat in a rich and spicy curry broth. The local chain Soup Curry Ramai<\/strong> is one of the best places to try it, with fantastically big portions and a high level of customizability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hokkaido soup curry will warm your chilled bones to the core. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Where to Go for the Best Views in Sapporo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no shortage of Sapporo sightseeing spots to fill up your afternoons. Odori Park <\/strong>is one of the cultural hearts of the city, and the venue for many of the main festivals throughout the year, including the famous Sapporo Snow Festival<\/strong>.<\/a> Sadly all of these matsuri <\/em>(festivals) have been suspended for 2021 for obvious reasons, but we can\u2019t wait for their return next year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n