Sapporo Fall Travel Guide: Fall Foliage, Hot Springs, and Local Cuisine

This hot spring town extends along the banks of the Toyohira River and has a history spanning more than 150 years.
Its 56 hot spring sources naturally emerge from cracks in the bedrock along the riverbanks and riverbed, producing 8,600 liters per minute at relatively high temperatures of 140°F to 176°F.
Nearby Futami Suspension Bridge is a well-known spot for forest bathing and fall foliage in Jozankei. Walk along the Toyohira River beneath the colorful trees and take in the hot spring town's seasonal scenery.

Sapporo Art Park is an arts complex where visitors can experience art amid abundant natural surroundings. Its expansive 40-hectare (99-acre) grounds contain a museum, studios, craft workshops, an outdoor stage, and other arts facilities.
The craft workshops offer classes and hands-on activities in ceramics, textiles, cloisonné, glass, metalworking, woodworking, and printmaking. There is also a museum in the relocated and restored former home of writer Takeo Arishima. Explore a wide range of art as you stroll through the colorful forest.

This historic American Neo-Baroque building was constructed with approximately 2.5 million bricks. Beside the Red Brick Office are the remains of the main office of the Hokkaido Development Commission, which played a major role in Hokkaido's development and industrial promotion during the early Meiji period.
The surrounding grounds offer abundant natural scenery, with cherry blossoms and lilacs in spring, greenery in summer, and colorful foliage in fall. Stroll through central Sapporo while viewing the historic building and its front garden with a pond.

This market is said to have originated in the early Meiji period, when fishermen from Ishikari Beach began selling fresh fish. About 20 seafood shops form the heart of the market, alongside produce vendors and restaurants, with the day's catch filling the storefronts.
The extensive selection ranges from Hokkaido seafood such as crab, atka mackerel, and scallops to dried fish and processed seafood products. Restaurants serve sushi, seafood rice bowls, and flame-seared dishes, while some seafood shops also have eat-in areas.

This beer museum traces the development of Japanese brewing alongside the history of Hokkaido's settlement. A paid Premium Tour is also available, featuring the 6K Premium Theater and guided explanations of period advertising posters, beer bottles, and other exhibits.
The brick building is designated a Hokkaido Heritage site, while its red-brick chimney and enormous brewing kettle are also popular photo spots.

Nippon Seishu Co., Ltd., which first began brewing sake in Sapporo in 1872, operates this museum beside the Chitosetsuru brewery. It sells a range of notable sake, including brewery-exclusive labels available only here.
Staff can explain the flavor and brewing characteristics as you search for a bottle that suits your taste. The rest area also serves sake lees soft-serve ice cream and amazake. Take your time browsing while learning about Sapporo's sake culture.

Located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of central Sapporo, this urban park encompasses approximately 85 hectares (210 acres) of natural scenery. It served as the main venue for the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics, and related facilities remain today.
In spring, the park's famed dogtooth violets bloom alongside approximately 1,000 cherry trees. In fall, maples and other trees turn brilliant colors. Walk through the spacious grounds and immerse yourself in the colorful maples and expansive natural surroundings.

Although within walking distance of Sapporo Station, Hokkaido University has an expansive campus ideal for a stroll. Its many attractions include a row of towering poplars, the statue of Dr. Clark, and the Hokkaido University Museum.
Both sides of Kita 13-jo Street are lined with ginkgo trees, creating an impressive golden display in fall. The colors typically peak from late October to early November. Walk beneath the golden canopy along Kita 13-jo Street while observing the entry rules for this educational and research facility.

Located upstream on the Toyohira River, this dam also serves as a water source for Sapporo. The surrounding mountains become a popular fall foliage destination when they change color.
To protect the environment, hybrid electric buses run from the entrance to the dam. Upon arrival, visitors can admire the expansive scenery from observation decks and other vantage points. Walking paths extend around the dam, and the nearby Kudan Waterfall is another sight to see. The foliage typically peaks from early to mid-October. Follow the paths to view the sweeping landscape formed by the colorful mountains and dam.

About 20 minutes from central Sapporo by public transportation, this 531-meter (1,742-foot) mountain preserves a primeval forest. Ride the ropeway and mini cable car to the summit while watching the urban scenery gradually give way to mountain views.
From the observation deck at the summit, you can look across the Ishikari Plain and even see the waters of Ishikari Bay in the distance. The foliage typically peaks from mid- to late October. Stay to watch the scenery change from daytime vistas to Sapporo's city lights, recognized as one of Japan's New Three Most Spectacular Night Views.

Centered on the theme of food from Hokkaido and Sapporo, this culinary event attracts 2 million visitors in a typical year. It takes place across seven sections of Odori Park in central Sapporo, with a total of 300 vendors extending for about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles).
Each section has a different theme, such as Hokkaido sake and appetizers or meat and vegetable dishes, and specialties from outside Sapporo also appear. Sample flavors from throughout Hokkaido as you walk through Odori Park.

This annual celebration of Hokkaido's brief fall season features approximately 700,000 cosmos flowers covering the upper section of the Country Garden. Alongside familiar varieties, visitors can see cosmos with distinctive colors and shapes while exploring the many different blooms.
The flowers typically peak from mid- to late September. The festival also offers activities such as crafts and garden tours, while kochia and dahlias add further color to the park. Walk through the expansive flower fields and discover one fall color after another.

Held at Moerenuma Park, which Isamu Noguchi designed as a single sculptural work, this event showcases artistic shells created by leading Japanese pyrotechnicians.
Highly regarded as a comprehensive art performance combining music, fireworks, and landscape, it differs markedly from conventional fireworks festivals and draws large audiences as one of Hokkaido's signature fireworks events. Watch as the production unfolds across both the night sky and the entire park.

This confectionery shop opened in 2016 in a Western-style building that formerly housed the Hokkaido Government Library. The first floor offers Hokkaido Kaitaku Okaki rice crackers, baumkuchen, and a wide selection of cream puffs, while the second floor contains a café.
Climb the grand stone staircase to a welcoming space accented by sunlight streaming through the windows. In a setting where internationally renowned architect Tadao Ando blended the old building with modern design, guests can enjoy exclusive pasta dishes, omurice, and cakes.

This seafood rice bowl restaurant makes the most of its Sapporo Nijo Market location with a wide variety of seafood bowls. After exploring the market, choose from options such as raw sea urchin or salmon roe bowls, the Golden Kaiho-don set of seven small bowls, or the Kita no Zeitaku-don topped with 13 popular ingredients.
Another appeal is the extensive selection expected of a specialty restaurant, with more than 50 seafood bowls to choose from.

This distinctly Sapporo beer hall serves draft beer and jingisukan in a brick building. Its spacious interior features the imposing Kessel, an enormous brewing kettle made in 1912.
There are five restaurants inside. The Kessel Hall on the second and third floors of the Kaitakushi-kan serves this classic Hokkaido pairing. Enjoy food and beer in spaces with different atmospheres, including the classical Trommel Hall and Lilac, which specializes in seasoned jingisukan.

This restaurant is known for coining the term “soup curry,” now firmly established as a Sapporo specialty. Its curry soup was inspired by the Indonesian dish soto ayam. Around 30 spices are combined with sweet, spicy, and sour notes to create a complex yet delicate flavor.
The vegetables are simmered in the soup, infusing it with their sweetness and producing a deeply satisfying flavor. Choose from seven spice levels to create a bowl that suits your taste.

Located in the Susukino area, this regional cuisine restaurant serves fresh seafood. It sources live seafood through its own channels and prepares it only after an order is placed.
The most popular dish is sashimi made from line-caught kinki rockfish from Abashiri, prepared using ikejime locally. After the sashimi, the remaining fish can be served in a hot pot with vegetables. Boiled live hairy crab and live squid sashimi are also popular. Select Hokkaido seafood from more than 200 à la carte dishes and savor an evening in Sapporo.

Located in Jozankei, often called Sapporo's inner retreat, this hot spring resort offers a stay surrounded by nature. Nestled amid the forest, the hotel provides a relaxing resort atmosphere among abundant greenery and tranquil surroundings.
After unwinding in your room, head to the open-air bath with birdsong and rustling leaves as your soundtrack. Facilities also include a large communal bath, a Finnish sauna with self-service löyly, and a hot stone spa exclusively for women. At dinner, spend the evening choosing from an open-kitchen buffet featuring dishes made with seasonal vegetables and kiln-baked pizza.

Located alongside Odori Park, this hotel is also within walking distance of Susukino. After a day of sightseeing, guests can relax in rooms filled with natural light.
The distinctive hotel lobby features a 50-meter (164-foot) atrium that creates an exceptionally open atmosphere. Accommodations include Japanese-Western rooms, Japanese-style rooms, and accessible rooms. Breakfast features Hokkaido pork shoulder, lamb, and seasonal vegetables cooked in a stone oven.

This inn in central Sapporo offers the atmosphere of a hot spring ryokan and features an open-air bath. Designed around the concept of a northern inn, it uses high-quality Hokkaido oak and Sapporo soft stone in key areas, giving traditional ryokan architecture a modern interpretation.
With reservations made by the previous day, the Japanese restaurant serves a Japanese breakfast set featuring seasonal Hokkaido ingredients and a dinner centered on genshiyaki charcoal grilling. Spend the evening surrounded by Hokkaido materials and relaxing in the hot spring.