Sapporo (札幌市) is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan. Sapporo became world famous in 1972 when the Olympic Winter Games were held there. Today, the city is well known for its ramen, beer, and the annual snow festival held in February.
With about 4000 businesses ranging from bars and restaurants to soaplands and brothels, Sapporo has one of the best nightlife districts in Japan, and due to the cold winter a substantial part of it is covered. It has the largest collection of seedy businesses north of places such as Kabuki-cho in Tokyo, but it is mostly just a place to have eat, drink and have fun – the fastest money spinners are definitely karaoke and noodles – the latter made famous by Ramen Yokocho, but available everywhere else as well.
There are many nightclubs and discos – the most famous being the decadent King Xmhu, but there are also many bars for drinking, ranging from somewhat traditional yakitori or izakaya style establishments to “gaijin” bars such as Rad Brothers, Jersey Bar, Locotonte and Salsita. There is even a gaijin bar called Gaijin Bar, though it is a bit of a dump. There are quiet jazz clubs and noisy live houses, somewhat odd places such as Voodoo Dance and 350 Bar, as well as interesting but pricey beer pubs like Mugishutei. Susukino is a fairly easy place to pick up a Japanese girlfriend or boyfriend, though the relationships are likely to be somewhat fleeting.
‘SUSUKINO’ is one of famous places of nightlife.SUSUKINO is more beautiful than ROPPONNGI or KABUKICHOU, because SUSUKINO has Japanese atmosphere more than those other place.
The famous Ramen Yokocho alleyway in the Susukino nightlife area. There are about 16 shops in the street, with Rai Rai Ken the second from the left as you enter from the north side.
Sapporo Snow Festival
The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of Japan’s largest winter events, attracts a growing number of visitors from Japan and abroad every year.
Every winter, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the hundreds of beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures which line Odori Park,the grounds at Satoland, and the main street in Susukino.
For seven days in February,these statues and sculptures(both large and small) turn Sapporo into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow.
The Snow Festival began in 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. in 1955, the Self-Defense Force joined in and built the very first massive snow sculpture, for which the Snow Festival has become famous for now. The Festival has grown from these humble beginnings to become one of the biggest and most well known of Hokkaido’s winter events.
The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of Japan’s largest winter events, attracts a growing number of visitors from Japan and abroad every year.
Every winter, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the hundreds of beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures which line Odori Park,the grounds at Satoland, and the main street in Susukino.
For seven days in February,these statues and sculptures(both large and small) turn Sapporo into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow.
The Snow Festival began in 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. in 1955, the Self-Defense Force joined in and built the very first massive snow sculpture, for which the Snow Festival has become famous for now. The Festival has grown from these humble beginnings to become one of the biggest and most well known of Hokkaido’s winter events.
Photos of Sapporo City
Susukino, the center of nightlife in Sapporo
Ramen Yokocho Alleyway
Watch Sapporo Snow Festival 2008 video here
