Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido and Japan's fifth-largest city, a modern grid-plan metropolis surrounded by mountains on three sides. It feels nothing like the dense, ancient cities of Honshu. Sapporo was purpose-built in the 1870s as a frontier capital, modelled on American city planning, and that open, spacious character still defines it today.
The city is best known for two things: beer and snow. Sapporo Beer, Japan's oldest brand, was first brewed here in 1877 and you can still visit the original brewery in the atmospheric red-brick Beer Garden complex. Every February the Sapporo Snow Festival transforms Odori Park into a gallery of enormous ice and snow sculptures, drawing over two million visitors. But Sapporo rewards a visit in any season. The food alone is worth the trip: Sapporo-style miso ramen is rich and hearty, the seafood comes straight from Hokkaido's cold waters, and the soup curry scene is unlike anything you will find elsewhere in Japan.
The Susukino entertainment district south of Odori is the largest nightlife quarter north of Tokyo, packed with bars, izakayas, and restaurants across several city blocks. By day, the tree-lined Odori Park splits the city into north and south, and makes for a pleasant walk between the old Clocktower, the former Hokkaido Government Office with its distinctive red-brick facade, and the Hokkaido University Botanical Garden.
Sapporo also serves as the natural base for exploring the rest of Hokkaido. The ski resorts of Niseko are under two hours away, and the wild volcanic landscapes of Daisetsuzan National Park are within reach for a day trip or overnight excursion.