Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [447]
SAPPORO TV TOWER
There’s no way you’ll miss this Eiffel Tower–shaped affair at the east of Ōdōri-kōen, which stands alongside Tokyo Tower in the category of misplaced monuments. Still, the views from the top of the 90m-tall TV Tower (241-1131; www.tv-tower.co.jp/en/index.html; Ōdōri-nishi 1-chōme, Chūō-ku; admission ¥700; 9.30am-10pm Apr, 9am-10pm May-Oct, 9.30am-9.30pm Nov-Mar) are very impressive, especially when the sun drops below the horizon and Sapporo lights up for the night.
If you’re counting your yen, the city hall’s viewing deck (Kita 1-jo Nishi 2-chōme, Chūō-ku; 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri May-Nov) is free – it’s just northwest of the TV Tower, on the 19th floor.
HOKKAIDŌ UNIVERSITY
Established in 1876, this university (www.hokudai.ac.jp/en/index.html; dawn-dusk) is a scenic place to meander, and has a number of unique buildings within its grounds. The bust of William S Clark, the founding vice-president of the university, is a famous landmark. Upon his departure in 1877, Professor Clark famously told his students: ‘Boys, be ambitious!’ Many of the tallest and oldest trees on campus were damaged in 2004 by a severe typhoon, though much of the damage has since been repaired. The Furukawa Memorial Hall and the Seikatei are architecturally noteworthy, and several campus museums are open to the public.
NIJŌ FISH MARKET
Buy a bowl of rice and select your own sashimi toppings, gawk at the fresh delicacies or sit down at a shop in Nijō Fish Market (S3E1&2 Chūō-ku; 7am-6pm), one of Hokkaidō’s best. Sea urchin and salmon roe are favourites; as is Hokkaidō’s version of Mother and Child (oyakodon), a bowl of rice topped with salmon and roe. Get there early for the freshest selections and the most variety; things close up by 6pm and individual restaurants have their own hours.
SAPPORO WINTER SPORTS MUSEUM
Housed in the ski-jump stadium built for the Sapporo Olympics, this highly amusing museum (631-2000; www.sapporowintersportsmuseum.com, in Japanese; 1274 Miyano-mori Chūō-ku; admission ¥600; 8.30am-6pm Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Nov-Mar) includes a computerised ski-jump simulator that allows you to try your skills without potentially breaking every bone in your body. Even if you do land a few virtual jumps, a chairlift ride (¥500) to the launch point of the actual ski jump used in the 1972 games should serve as a quick reality check. To reach the museum, take the Tozai line to Maruyama, and then take exit 2 for the Maruyama bus terminal. Next, take bus 14 to Okurayama-iriguchi (15 minutes, ¥200); from here, it’s a 10-minute walk uphill to the stadium.
MOIWA-YAMA ROPEWAY
Panoramic views of Sapporo can be had from this ropeway (561-8177; www.sapporo-dc.co.jp/eng; ticket ¥600; 10.30am-9.30pm 9 Apr-May & 1 Oct-19 Nov, 10.30am-10pm Jun-Sep, 11am-8pm 10 Dec-Mar, closed 1-8 Apr, subject to weather conditions), which runs 1200m up the slopes of Moiwa-san. You can easily access the ropeway by taking the tram to the Rōpuwei-iriguchi stop, and then walking west towards the hill for around 10 minutes.
HOKKAIDŌ JINGU
This temple (611-0261; www.hokkaidojingu.or.jp/eng/index.html; admission free) is nestled in a forest so dense that it’s easy to forget that the city is just beyond the grounds. Attention has been paid to labelling the natural surroundings: a large plaque lists a number of local birds and the largest trees have identification signs. The temple lies a few blocks east of Maruyama-kōen station (exit 1).
OTHER MUSEUMS
The Hokkaidō Museum of Literature (; 511-7655; www.h-bungaku.or.jp, in Japanese; Nakashima-kōen 1-4 Chūō-ku; admission ¥250; Tue-Sun) offers the opportunity