Sapporo 1 Day Itinerary (Fun Guide To Bicycle Sightseeing)

There is so much to see and do in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido! For a day in Sapporo, you can enjoy the fresh seafood, immerse yourself in the greenery of this city, and visit famous cafes to experience Japan’s coffee culture.

One of the best ways to get around Sapporo’s famous attractions is by bicycle because it saves time and gives you plenty of flexibility to change your route to explore a different part of the city. I am so excited to share about my bicycle sightseeing adventure through this Sapporo 1 day itinerary, let’s go!

I visited Sapporo in early October and some trees already started turning orange, but i think the best time for autumn colors is late October to early November. Check out my vlog!

Overview 

Destination	Cycling Time
Nijo Market	–
Odori Park, Sapporo TV Tower	2-3 min
Former Hokkaido Government Office	3-5 min
Hokkaido University	10-15 min
Maruyama Park	30 min
Café Morihico	3-5 min
Nakajima Park	30 min
Sapporo Garden Grill	–
Susukino	–

This is the bicycle route that will take you around the city of Sapporo. The best part about this itinerary is its flexibility, because if you want to modify any destination, you just need Google Maps to guide you!

Before you set off for your trip, make sure to book your accommodations in advance to secure the best prices. If you enjoy onsens, here are some of my recommendations for the top hotels and ryokans in Hokkaido. You can also refer to my 8-day Hokkaido itinerary for road trip ideas to make the most of your trip here.

Nijo Market For Fresh Seafood

Nijo market is open from 7am everyday, and it was recommended to go early as the seafood will be at its freshest. It was a 7 minute walk from my hostel, and there were plenty of restaurants where you can eat kaisen don (rice with fresh sashimi). Walking around the wholesale market, you will see stalls selling whole king crab, rockmelon and seedless grapes, and other souvenir snacks. I ate at Oguma Shoten, which is a cosy traditional restaurant with counter seats (up to 8 pax). You can watch the chef slice the fish and prepare your food in front of you in close proximity. You also get free soft serve for posting a photo on Facebook/SNS, and they even offered to take my photo!

Getting Bicycle Day-Pass

Porocle is the bike sharing company and they cater to tourists by offering one-day passes for 1,200 yen (S$15). There are 40 ports all over the city and located near many attractions, making it easy to pick up and return bikes. Over the 24-hour rental period, the ports are open from 7:30am till 10:00pm, so you can pick up and return your bike as many times as you want. 

It was very easy to understand the instructions because they were all in English. The bicycles come with locks, so you can park them anywhere (e.g. when you are entering a mall). Porocle centers are open from 10am till 7pm, so the best time to purchase the pass would be after breakfast. Perfect timing! With your new transportation mode, you can explore many of the nearby attractions.

Odori Park & Sapporo TV Tower 

Odori Park is in the center of Sapporo, and it really brightens up the city with its bright and colorful flowers. I can just imagine the autumn leaves framing the park beautifully in late October (I visited in early October). It is a nice place for a stroll and to take some pictures. On the eastern edge of the park, you can go up the Sapporo TV Tower for about S$9 to have a panoramic view of the city.

Former Hokkaido Government Office

This attraction was not a huge deal to me, but it was worth passing by on my way to Hokkaido university. I guess people come to this former Hokkaido government office for photos, because I saw a couple taking their wedding pictures here. It does have a retro look with its red bricks, quite photogenic.

Hokkaido University

I initially wanted to visit Hokkaido University because it was recommended as a top spot for viewing autumn leaves. I think I was too early for it (early October), so only some leaves were yellow. However, I had a nice time cycling through the school, which was about 6km wide. You can explore as much as you want, and have something to eat from their cafes. Many of the students also cycle around in the school compound, so it is not awkward at all!

Maruyama Park 

Travelling west from the city centre, you will come to Maruyama Park, where locals go to relax. If you visit in late April, it is a great place for viewing cherry blossoms. In June, you can witness the Hokkaido Shrine Festival. It is a pretty big park, with sports facilities like public field, baseball stadium, where children will usually go to play. You can also walk between the Maruyama wild forest trees, or go to the nearby Hokkaido shrine and Maruyama zoo.

Cafe Morihico 

Cafe Morihico is a famous cafe located in the quiet residential area of Maruyama, and known for being one of the pioneers of the Japan coffee culture. You probably need a break from all that cycling, and this place is the perfect hideout for good coffee and chill ambience. With its forest-house theme, it is cosy and serves very good cakes and coffee. There is also an English menu, very accessible for foreigners. I tried their cake and coffee set for S$15, and bought their drip coffee packs, which made really fragrant coffee. You can consider bringing some home as souvenirs.

Nakajima Park

Traveling back to the city centre, Nakajima Park is in downtown Sapporo. You could take a slow cycle around the park’s ponds and streams while the sun sets, and enjoy the last bits of daylight. You might pass by the Hoheikan, another photogenic building within the park, a historic guest house/hotel. There is also a Japanese garden, which is funny because a garden in Japan is already Japanese, but it is probably the cultural side of the park.

Sapporo’s Famous Genghis Khan

You could either cycle and then return the bicycle at one of the ports there, or take the public train. One of the must-tries in Hokkaido is Genghis Khan (Jingisukan), a Sapporo-style barbecued lamb. In Sapporo Garden Grill, you can sit along ceiling to floor glass windows and enjoy the view as you eat. It is near the city centre, and you can either cycle or take the train there. We spent SGD $40 per person, which is cheaper than the buffet option in Sapporo Beer Garden. You can also find shops in the city center selling this kind of barbecue.

Explore Susukino 

If you are looking for supper or a dinner alternative, Susukino is truly a food paradise, because it is densely packed with so much variety of good food! The famous Ramen street is in this area, and you can try Hokkaido-style ramen which uses yellow noodles. There are also many Izakaya restaurants, which are places that sell sashimi, yakitori, and other types of finger food. One of the things I wish I had time to try was soup curry.

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Travel Tips

Buying a SIM card/WiFi

Hokkaido is different from Tokyo in terms of its connectivity because free WiFi is hard to get in public spaces. Hence I recommend getting a SIM card if you are traveling in small group (2-3 people), and consider a WiFi router for a larger group (4-5 people) or if you need to tether data on the go. For 8 days, I got an unlimited data SIM card (5,500 yen) with only internet access (no calls or SMS). The booth was really easy to find when I looked around in the arrival hall, so the whole process took about 15-30 minutes.

Getting to Sapporo

Follow the signs to the JR Airport Express Train, which lead you through the basement. The train ride to Sapporo takes only 37 minutes, costs 1,070 yen for each ticket (do note that they charge more if you select the reserved seat option), and trains depart every 15 minutes. Alternatively, this website talks about other transportation modes (bus, taxi, rental car).

Where to stay?

I recommend staying in Grids Hostel Sapporo (SGD $40 per night), which I stayed in for 2 nights. I picked this hostel because it was cheap and conveniently located in the city, near Susukino and Odori Park. It was comfortable, spacious, and lockable compartments are provided for extra safety. There is also a lounge on the 2nd floor that people hang out at, so this is perfect for those looking for social interaction in a hostel.

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Hopefully this guide has given you some ideas about Sapporo sightseeing. If I had more time I would take a little longer to enjoy each place, and spend more time eating and cafe-hopping. Feel free to email me at janice@wheresjanice.com if you have any related questions. 🙂 

Read more:
The Ultimate 9-Day Japan Itinerary: Exploring Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo
3 Days In Hokkaido Lake Camping & Onsen Hopping
Nikko 2-Day Itinerary: The Best Way For Nature Lovers
9 Unique Souvenirs To Buy From Japan That You’ll Actually Want
Amazing Japan Hiking Trips For Mountains, Lakes and Islands
A First Timer’s Guide To Hokkaido: Daisetsuzan & Furano

I will also write about my road trip around Hokkaido, so do subscribe to my mailing list to be notified of new posts! 

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