Sapporo restaurants make up a culinary kingdom overflowing with fresh seafood and exemplary produce. Food from all over Hokkaido converge at Sapporo, making gourmet a definite part of your trip. Many unique seafood creations await you, as do locally-rooted gourmet Japanese foods like ramen and jingisukan. Sapporo restaurants flaunt so much variety that foodies can’t experience them all one day – or even two. Use this guide to sample as much gourmet Japanese food as you can from the best Sapporo restaurants!

Sapporo has many cafes and restaurants serving Japanese sweets. Each shop is designed with passion and the atmosphere is perfect for relaxing with exquisite desserts. Sweets are a proud part of Hokkaido culture which takes advantage of readily-available ingredients like golden wheat, sugar beet, and milk from cows raised in the abundant nature. Sapporo, in particular, is a destination for fresh ingredients from all over Hokkaido. As a result, the art of crafting Japanese sweets with fresh, delicious ingredients is flourishing. With much competition, every shop makes and sells prime Japanese sweets while polishing their artisanship. Each Sapporo sweet shop on this list has many local fans. Visit Sapporo to find your favorite Japanese sweets and satisfy your sweet tooth!

Hosting more than 2 million visitors annually during a week in early February, the Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japan’s most famous winter events. The winter festival dates to 1950, when local junior and senior high school students created six snow sculptures at Odori Park, which then served as a snow dump. The creative youths made an impact on citizens, and eventually sculptures became the gigantic, elaborate masterpieces that can be viewed each year. Odori Park serves as the main venue for the festival, while the Tsudome and Susukino sites host smaller exhibits. Visitors will want to bundle up for this spectacular event, but the festive mood and sparkling atmosphere will certainly warm you from head to toe.

Sapporo travel features many spots for enjoying gem-like night views. Mt. Hakodate is one of Hokkaido’s most famous night view spots, but the night views in Sapporo are so spectacular, it has been named one of the “New Three Major Night Views of Japan.” Its charm lies in a city of nearly 2 million people with few tall buildings. Here are eight must-see night view spots in Sapporo.

Quality hot springs in a beautiful valley, the Sapporo hot springs district Jozankei is popular in Hokkaido. Accommodating roughly 1.2 million guests a year, Jozankei is a little less than one hour from the center of Sapporo by car, so easy access adds to its appeal. The history of Jozankei Onsen dates back to 1866 when the monk Miizumi Jozan opened a healing spa. Guests can escape the city bustle and bathe during a day trip. Both hot springs provide scenic spots for encountering beautiful seasonal landscapes. Enjoy this roundup of the attractions at “Jozankei,” where guests can enjoy the hot springs as well as a stroll through the town and other activities!