Why Is Everyone Coming to Sapporo? (Japan’s Coolest City)

Why Is Everyone Coming to Sapporo? (Japan’s Coolest City)

After a month of living in Sapporo, I can 
tell you this. Tokyo is exciting. Kyoto is timeless. But this city—it’s Japan’s best-kept 
secret.
With wild nature, unforgettable food, and experiences I never saw coming, it changed 
everything I thought I knew about Japan.
So, why is everyone finally coming 
to Sapporo? Let me show you. Welcome back, my friends. Right now we are in the 
heart of Sapporo in the Odori Park Rose Garden, and it is one of my favorite places to start every 
day that I’m here.
They have dozens of different varieties of these gorgeous, colorful flowers, and 
they create this amazing perfume in the air that ignites your senses.
And you are going to need to 
be awake because we are doing a lot of fun things today.
So, let’s keep on heading down through the 
park to our first major stop of the day, which is the Sapporo TV Tower.
We are going to be getting 
some of the best views of the city.
Now, the park stretches a little over a kilometer through the 
city, and it is filled with amazing fountains, sculptures, places to chill out in the shade, 
grab some food, and they have a really cool slide. And speaking of places to grab food, I see 
something I’ve been really wanting to try since I got here, and that is some Sapporo soft 
serve ice cream.
I know it’s only 9:00 a.m., but you know what? This is my best day in Sapporo, and 
I want to start it with some ice cream. Yes.
So, the soft serve ice cream here is actually super 
famous in Hokkaido, which is the island we’re on right now.
And I don’t know if it’s because 
the cows are happier, but it’s supposed to have this super creamy, delicious flavor.
Oh yeah. No, they’re right. This could be the best soft serve I’ve ever had. 
Wow. All right, let’s keep going. All you need is love—
and the TV Tower to go and get the best view. Let’s go.
Now, I’ve never actually been here before. I see it all the time.
It’s an amazing place to 
come down and watch the sunset around.
And there are so many different angles of it you can see 
from around the city.
But we are going to head inside right now. I believe on the third floor is 
where you’re going to be buying your ticket.
So, let’s go in, hop in the elevator, and 
find out. Thank you.
And unfortunately, I didn’t realize, but my ticket comes with 
a free soft serve ice cream.
We might just have to have another one when we get down.
Wow. This view just goes all the way around. I guess that’s what 360 means, right? Oh, 
underneath. So gorgeous. Let’s take a closer look.
Oh wow. This is an amazing view. Look at 
that. You can see all of Odori Park—all of the fountains, the people walking, the traffic 
going by.
You really get that full sense of how gorgeous it is.
And I think that’s one 
of the things about Sapporo that’s different than Tokyo—
is that it feels so much more 
intimate. Like there’s two million people here, but it doesn’t feel like it.
You know, you 
can find peace while you’re walking around, and that’s really special.
And I love this part. 
It’s like the lean-out-over-the-edge part. So, if you’re afraid of heights, definitely 
look—wo.
And this is another amazing park they have right here called the Soi River 
Park.
And we are heading right here next to the Nijo Fish Market to get some breakfast because 
they have some of the best seafood in Sapporo.
So, let’s head down. And on the way out, they 
have a fun little arcade with whack-a-mole.
I haven’t played this since I was like six years 
old, so we’re going to just do a quick game. That’s first place, baby. Number one. Let’s go hit 
the park and get that seafood. That was so much fun. What a great view.
And while we’re walking 
over, I just wanted to mention that you probably know Sapporo even though you don’t think that you 
do.
This was where the first Winter Olympics in Asia was ever held and where beer in Japan was 
actually born.
So, whenever you go to a sushi restaurant, they normally have those big silver 
cans of Sapporo, and this is where they come from.
I had no idea either, so don’t feel bad. 
We are right across the street from the market, and I am so hungry right now.
I know I had that 
ice cream, but it just made me more hungry. And I can already smell that fish in the air.
Got some 
corn, melons, hairy crab. Oh, I want some of that melon.
Now, as I mentioned before, Hokkaido is 
known for its seafood, and this is the place you want to come to pick up some of the best that 
you can get.
So, I just want to take a quick look around and find the one that really speaks to me. 
This seafood looks amazing.
Look at that. We got some raw scallops that have a little wasabi and 
soy sauce on them, and four massive local oysters. Wow.
You can smell the ocean in there. I love 
that. Let’s jump in.
I learned this yesterday. You don’t break your chopsticks like this because 
you might hit people with your elbows.
You break them like this. Safer that way, people. And 
then I still get the splinters to come off like that.
Let’s start out with this oyster—I mean 
with the scallop. Gonna put the wasabi on it.
I don’t think I’ve ever had raw scallops before.
Wow. That is amazing. The texture—they’re so nice and cold, and the flavor explodes in your 
mouth.
All right, let’s move on to the oysters. Now, I feel like at home we put horseradish and a 
bunch of stuff on them, cocktail sauce, but here it is au naturel.
And this is a massive oyster 
right there. Look at the size of that thing. The best oyster I’ve ever tasted. I know I keep 
using the word “the best,” but I’m serious. This is the best oyster I’ve ever had.
Maybe this one’s 
going to be the best oyster I’ve ever had. I’m so glad we stopped here.
And again, I recommend 
coming here early in the morning because you are going to get the most places open.
I came right 
now because this is when the time worked out, but there’s also not a million people here like 
when I’ve been here in the past.
So, it’s kind of what you’re looking for.
And on the way in, 
I saw some melon that is also famous here.
So, I think we’re going to grab some of that 
on the way out as we head over to our next destination.
And this place is also really famous 
for different kinds of crab, but it’s a little bit out of my price range, so I think I’m just 
going to stick with the melon.
Okay. Okay, she got me. Man, it looks so good. Check out 
that crab right there.
And I think this is king crab. King crab. King crab. Okay.
And 
they’re going to even steam it for me. So, I have 10 minutes till my crab comes out.
Could I 
do one now? Yeah, I eat crab there. Is it okay if I take? Yeah. 800. 800.
These are massive melons. 
What a—we just met. Sorry, that’s two in a row for you.
But they are actually huge and they are 
really famous here. They’re supposed to be super sweet.
Each one of these has to weigh at least 4 
lb, 5 lb each. Wow. Thank you.
And now it’s all ready for me. Let’s go eat this.
Actually, I’ll 
just eat it right here while I wait for my crab to be prepared.
M. Wow. Once again, it is so sweet 
and tender. It just dissolves in your mouth before you even get to chew it.
I’m going to get some 
more of that. M—the perfect complement for my crab and seafood lunch, breakfast, whatever it is.
Here’s one for you.
There’s also so many restaurants here that you can go 
and sit down in, but you know, I prefer to eat on the street,
so I’m just going 
to wait for my crab patiently—or impatiently in this case.
I don’t want to get crabby. Where’s 
my crab? Where’s my crab? Where’s my crab? Oh, here’s my crab. Amazing. Thank you so much. 
Oh, for the shell? Yeah. Okay. Okay.
Look at this plate of crab meat. Steaming. Oh man. 
And again, you can smell the ocean.
Like, this is not frozen. It’s never been frozen. It 
came directly out of the sea to my plate.
And we can share it together. Let’s jump into this. 
Start out with that body. Oh yeah.
And I think one of the cool things is you don’t need butter. 
You don’t need anything else for it because it’s so fresh and sweet all by itself.
I’m sorry. I’m going to do it again. The best crab I’ve ever had. Hokkaido, 
Sapporo, you are blowing me away. All right. Now, let’s try one 
of these little crabby legs. Food can be fun. It should be fun. H. So good. 
So good. Uh yeah. Do I say oishi? Oi. Oishi.
All that’s left is a bag of shells and a crabby 
head.
I’m sorry I couldn’t save any for you, but trust me, it was absolutely crab-licious. 
Crustiancredible.
All right. Let’s grab our stuff, clean our hands, and we are going 
to head over to the train station to head to our next stop. I’ll see you there.
Now, getting around Sapporo is super easy. You can do mostly walking in the downtown 
area,
but things like where we’re going to right now at the Hokkaido Ginga are a little bit 
farther away.
And there are lots of options to get there like buses, above-ground streetcars, and my 
favorite—the subway.
It’s super easy to navigate, and Google Maps comes in really handy here
because 
you just put in where you want to go, it tells you the closest subway station,
and what platform to 
go down to, which makes it so easy.
And this one right here is actually right behind the TV Tower 
that we were just up in.
So, let’s head down, and I will show you just how easy it is.
All right. Well, we have arrived at the Maruyama Koen Station,
and it’s just about a 4-minute 
walk straight ahead of us into Maruyama Park, and it’s a really cool park.
So, I can’t 
wait to show it to you. Hello. Hello. And wow, it is so hot right now. You 
can see right here it’s about 33°, which is like 92.
And Sapporo/Hokkaido is 
the coolest part of Japan right now.
So, imagine what it must be like in Tokyo. So, make 
sure you are staying hydrated.
But what I’m going to do is head right over here and grab myself an 
iced coffee
because I haven’t had my coffee yet today, and it is my favorite way to cool down.
And 
after that seafood, I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.
H man, this coffee really hits the spot.
And I feel like this park is just like another one of so many amazing natural wonders that 
Hokkaido has to offer.
And Sapporo just has parks everywhere. Like there’s always a green 
space that you can go and relax in.
And this one is really special. They have some beautiful 
walking trails.
The forest is so dense here, and it’s like the sun just barely gets through.
So 
you can really stay cool when it is hot like it is today.
And if you keep those peepers peeping, you 
might even have the opportunity to see some of the local wildlife—
like the ducks. And my favorite 
was the squirrel just doing his little eating up all the nuts. I loved it.
And they also have this 
nice zoo right here in the park that is definitely worth checking out.
They have these beautiful 
exhibitions that make it look like you’re in the jungle while you’re viewing the animals.
And they 
have stuff from all around the world—like lions and tigers and bears. Oh my.
But my favorite thing 
was the underwater tunnel with the seals swimming overhead. It was very cool.
And right here behind 
me is Mount Maruyama, which has a cable car that goes up to the top
and gives you the most amazing 
views of the surrounding city and mountains.
You can actually get there on the above-ground 
streetcar that will take you over,
and it’s just a 10-minute walk to the base, and then 
boom—right up to the top, and you will thank me later.
Did you enjoy that little surprise 
visit to the zoo?
I would have loved to have taken you there myself today,
but there’s just not 
enough time to squeeze in all the stuff that we’re doing,
but I wanted you to see it anyway.
And 
that coffee and cookie completely reset me.
I’m appreciating the nature at a whole different 
level right now.
It is so peaceful here. You can smell the earth in the air when you’re walking 
around, and I just love it.
The shrine is coming up just in front of us, and I’m really looking 
forward to showing it to you.
So, let’s head over. Welcome to the Hokkaido Jingu Shrine.
It’s the 
largest and most significant shrine in all of Hokkaido,
and it represents the pioneering spirit 
of the people that settled this region.
It’s also a spot where a lot of festivals are based—
like 
in June, when I got here last week, they had the shrine festival
where the people paraded through 
the streets and it was absolutely stunning to see that history still alive here.
It 
really made me feel like I was part of it, and I’m so grateful I got to see it.
Now, 
before you enter the shrines here in Japan, they have these chozuya,
which are ritual 
purification places where you wash your left hand, your right hand,
then you rinse your mouth, spit, 
and then wash your left hand again.
And it’s a way of showing respect to the gods before you 
enter the temple. So now we’re ready to head in. All right. So, I just went and got an omikuji, 
which is a little luck ballot.
And it can be very good or very bad. If it’s bad, you tie it to 
one of these strings here and leave the bad luck at the temple
in hopes that it’s going to change 
for you. But I am hoping that this is going to be good luck.
So, let’s find out together. All right. 
And it’s in English. Yes! Extreme luck—daikichi! I will take that.
It says, “For travel: under no 
circumstances forget who you are while reaching your destination.” Okay, I like that.
”For 
health: be aware of injury more than illness.” Of course.
”For work: the best fortune comes from 
being low-key.” I’m not sure that’s going to work out for me. I’m not very low-key.
”For 
love: value the inner person more than how they look.” Okay.
And “For study”—of course 
there’s study on here, it’s Japan—”homework will ensure good results.” And I guess that’s always 
true.
And as far as my Japanese old proverb goes, it says that Japanese martial arts are a 
practice that begins and ends with a bow.
So, domo arigato, Japan, for my good luck.
And now that we are done at the temple soaking up some culture,
we are going to be 
going to do a fun and flavorful stop next.
And it’s going to be a happy, good time—hint, 
hint. I will see you when we get over there. Welcome to the Sapporo Beer Museum.
This place 
has been pouring pints since 1890—that’s before sliced bread was a thing.
It’s the beautiful 
mix of history, foam, flavor, and fun.
So, let’s head inside, taste some beer, 
and learn a little bit about how this became a worldwide phenomenon.
Nothing like 
a beer-nomenon. Nothing like a beer-nomenon. Wow. It’s like a giant hot tub for beer. 
Delicious. Wow. Pretty cool stuff.
But it’s all in Japanese. Luckily, they 
have these little English cards.
Plus, they have all of these beer labels since the 
beginning, and I bet you it’s been delicious the entire time.
Wow, I love these old beer 
posters. Who knew they could be so elegant? And I got my wish—I’m inside a giant glass 
of beer. Now, let’s go get some real beer. I’m so excited for these beers.
All right, so we 
got our three beers here. It is the Black Label, Classic, and Kaitakushi beer.
Kaitakushi 
beer—something like that. It’s made from the German recipe,
but I’m going to start with 
the Black Label because it’s like the Rolex of Japanese beers. Let’s do this—kanpai!
M. Wow. So crisp. So delicious. All right, number two. This is 
the Classic, which is that rich, smooth flavor we get when you get those 
silver cans at home at the sushi restaurants. M. I think that one is my 
favorite of the two so far. Yep. And last but not least is the German 
recipe—Kaitakushi. Kaitakushi.
I don’t know how to say it. I just know how to drink it, people.
That’s very different. It kind of reminds me of like a microbrewery from 
home.
While they’re all delicious, I think that the Classic really still steals 
my heart.
So, while I finish up my beer flight, I’m going to share with you a few more fun 
options for activities around the city
so that you can customize your own perfect day 
here.
Then, I’ll be meeting you over in the nightlife district for some food and fun.
And 
remember—when in doubt, foam it out! Kanpai! Now, Sapporo is filled with surprises, but this 
one has to be the sweetest.
Just 20 minutes from downtown, you can come to the Shiroi Koibito 
Park,
which is a whimsical wonderland that is part chocolate factory, part fairy 
tale, and all different kinds of fun. And it really does feel like you’ve stepped 
into a storybook.
It’s pure joy and so much fun—you just might need a nap.
Then head over to 
the factory floor, which is my absolute favorite part.
It’s so impressive to see the people and 
the machines working together to create these delicious little treats.
It’s like being in an 
episode of How It’s Made, and it’s technology at its tastiest.
And when you’re done on the 
factory floor, make sure to head up to the restaurant and get a seat by the window
with this 
amazing view of the clock tower in front of me, where there are hourly shows that are so much 
fun.
And I highly recommend the hot chocolate, but the strawberry parfait pancake was next 
level—
not just visually, but absolutely delicious. What—is there something on my nose? Oh.
And if you have the time, I also highly recommend heading over to the Hokkaido University Botanical 
Gardens
because it is a little slice of heaven right here in the heart of the city.
For 420 
yen, you can come into this 13.3-hectare park that was established in 1886,
and it still has 
some of the trees from that time period.
There are rose gardens, rock gardens, walking trails. 
They have a very cool museum—if you know what I mean.
It is just such a peaceful place, and you 
can just leave me a thank you in the comments after you experience it for yourself.
And if 
you want to get the best view of the city, head over to the JR Tower,
where on the 38th floor 
you can get a 360° panoramic view—grab a beer, sit in some comfortable chairs,
and just really 
take it all in. And if there’s one reason to come up here, it’s to use the bathrooms
because they 
are absolutely amazing. Look at that view right there.
This must be what Zeus feels like up on 
Mount Olympus when he’s handling his business. Welcome to Susukino.
This is the 
neon-beating heart of the city at night, and they have something for everyone.
There 
are bars, restaurants, a rooftop Ferris wheel, bowling alleys, people performing on the 
streets, there are maid cafés.
If you can’t figure out where you want to go, they even have an 
information center
that will pair you up with the best bar and restaurant for your needs.
And 
there’s even a guy giving out free hugs— and a high five.
But right now, after those three beers at the Sapporo Beer Museum, I need some 
food.
So, we are heading over to Ramen Alley, which is this famous place here that makes miso 
ramen.
It’s this narrow alleyway that has about 15 restaurants on it that you can go in
and just 
enjoy this lovely local dish. So, hopefully it’s not too busy, because sometimes the lines get 
crazy.
All right, we found my spot right here. Now, they do a ton of options here.
I’m a 
big fan of the scallop one, but the butter ramen—it’s just like a giant pad of butter on 
top—is so delicious.
What should I get? What should I get? I’m doing the scallops. I don’t 
care. They’re so good.
Could I do the scallops and a Sapporo, please?
Kanpai once again. Man, Sapporo is just so good here.
I 
feel like it’s like when people say, “Oh, you have to go to Ireland to have a 
Guinness.”
You need to come to Sapporo to have a Sapporo
because it’s that much better than 
I’ve ever had in all the Sapporos I’ve ever drank. And what I love about coming down here is you can 
watch them preparing the food—
seeing the steam come up while they make the noodles and the 
soup and put it all together for you into one delicious bowl of heaven.
So, I’m really looking 
forward to this. Hey, thank you so much.
Oh yeah. Look at that miso ramen right there. And those 
giant scallops on top—corn, egg, some bamboo.
And it smells amazing. I got to jump into this.
Look at that scallop. So fresh. Wow. Every time I come here, it gets better. And I 
come here a lot.
I’m going to finish up this soup, but I really hope that you enjoyed our time 
in Sapporo.
And while we did a lot today, there is so much more to do that you should come 
and discover when you are here on your own,
and then leave me a comment and tell me what I should 
do next time.
I think Sapporo really surprised me. You know, I didn’t really know what to expect.
I 
was just coming here to get away from the rain and the heat,
but it’s so much more than I could 
have ever imagined.
It’s so peaceful here. There’s so much nature. The people are lovely.
And 
even with two million of them around, it doesn’t feel like the city is packed. And I love 
that.
So, I hope you come here and you enjoy it for yourself.
Discover the best things to do, and 
make sure you come down to Ramen Alley
and have at least one bowl of miso ramen because it will blow 
your mind.
And next week, we’re heading to Otaru, which is a seaside town about an hour away 
from here
that is supposed to just have this amazing vibe.
And it’s along the canals. They 
do glasswork there, and it’s supposed to have the freshest seafood in Hokkaido/Japan.
So, 
make sure to come around for that.
If you enjoyed this video, please give me a big thumbs 
up, comment, subscribe,
and don’t forget to dling, dling, dling, dling, dling the Sapporo. 
I’ll see you next time. Arigato and sayonara.

Tokyo is exciting. Kyoto is timeless. But Sapporo? It blew me away.
I came for cooler weather—what I found changed how I see Japan.
Here’s everything you need to experience before the world catches on.

From sunrise in a rose garden to miso ramen at midnight, I take you through the REAL Sapporo—raw seafood, icy beers, secret temples, and wild nature.

If you’re wondering where to go in Japan this year… this is your sign.
In this full Sapporo travel guide, I uncover the best things to do, the food you have to try,
and pack in so much fun it might just leave you laughing through customs. Welcome to Hokkaido’s capital and Japan’s Coolest City. In this travel adventure guide we explore:

🌸 Odori Park & Rose Garden
🗼 Epic city views from the Sapporo TV Tower
🍦 Famous Hokkaido soft serve (yes, at 9am)
🦪 Fresh seafood breakfast at Nijo Fish Market
🦀 Giant steamed crab, local melons & street eats
⛩️ Spiritual reset at Hokkaido Jingu Shrine
🍺 Beer tasting at the legendary Sapporo Beer Museum
🌿 Zen in Maruyama Park & hidden animal encounters
🍜 Midnight ramen in Susukino’s neon glow
🍫 A literal fairytale at Shiroi Koibito chocolate park
🌇 And a final 360° view that will take your breath away

I filmed after a full month of exploring, eating, laughing, and learning—so you can plan your trip, feel the vibe, and maybe… book your ticket.

➡️ Planning your Japan trip?
This video covers the top spots, hidden gems, local food, easy transit, and cultural etiquette—all from someone who’s actually been there.
Whether you’re visiting Japan for the first time or looking for new things to do in Hokkaido, this guide is packed with real travel insight and good vibes.

Sapporo surprised me. I didn’t expect to fall in love with this city—but I did.
And I think you will too.

👇 Drop a comment and let me know what you want to see next—Otaru’s up next week.
And if you’re new here, welcome to the adventure.

#Sapporo #Hokkaido #JapanTravel #ThingsToDoInSapporo #TheCountryCollectors #JapaneseFood #TravelJapan #SapporoTravelGuide #SoloTravelJapan #BestOfJapan #JapanVlog

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00:00 Introduction
00:25 Odori Park: Flowers, Food, and Fun
02:23 Sapporo TV Tower: The Best View in Town
04:59 Nijo Fish Market: Oysters, Crab and Cantaloupe!
11:22 How to Get Around Sapporo
12:31 Maruyama Park
14:04 Maruyama Zoo: Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!
14:30 Mount Moiwa Ropeway
15:23 Hokkaido-Jingu Shrine
17:57 Sapporo Beer Garden & Brewery
21:01 Shiroi Koibito Park: Magical Chocolate Wonderland
22:34 Hokkaidō University Botanical Gardens
23:13 JR Tower Observatory T38
23:29 The Coolest Toilet View in the World
23:47 Susukino: Sapporo’s Night Life Wonderland
24:34 Ramen Alley: Over 70 years of Delicious Ramen