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Where to stay in Sapporo

Pick your trip, then your base.

WHERE TO STAY — SAPPORO

Schematic map of five areas to stay in SapporoA map of central Sapporo with the Toyohira River, the Namboku and Tozai subway lines and the JR lines to New Chitose Airport and Otaru sits underneath. A marker at the right edge points towards New Chitose Airport, which lies south-east of the area shown. The same five areas are listed below the map with their travel times.CTS ↘1Sapporo Station2Odori3Susukino4Nakajima Koen5Maruyama
LINESSubway Namboku LineSubway Tozai LineJR Rapid AirportJR to Otaru
TRAVEL TIME0–40 min40–55 min55+ min

Tap a pin or a row to see who that area suits — and who it does not.

Pick by trip type

Where to stay depends on what kind of trip it is. Find yours below.

First visit · Sapporo-focused tripStay inOdori

Odori

Odori is the middle of the city. Odori Park and the TV Tower are on your doorstep, Sapporo Station is a walk to the north and the food and nightlife of Susukino a walk to the south. From the airport it is the Rapid Airport train plus one subway stop.

Day trips · Otaru and beyondStay inSapporo Station

Sapporo Station

If you plan to ride out to Otaru or further around Hokkaido, stay by Sapporo Station. The JR trains leave from here, so every day trip starts with a walk to the platform instead of a subway ride across town.

Early-morning arrivalStay inSapporo Station

Sapporo Station

Check-in is hours away when you land in the morning, so the question is where to leave your bags. The Rapid Airport train runs straight to Sapporo Station with no change; drop your luggage at a hotel by the station and start the day from there.

Late-night arrivalStay inNear New Chitose Airport

Near New Chitose Airport

New Chitose Airport is a long way from the city, and if your flight lands after the last trains, getting into Sapporo gets slow and expensive. Book one night at or near the airport instead, and take the Rapid Airport train into the city the next morning.

Travelling with childrenStay inSapporo Station

Sapporo Station

The Rapid Airport train comes straight here, so there are no changes with tired children and luggage. Underground walkways link the station area towards Odori, which helps a lot in winter when the streets are snowy and cold.

On a budget · Long stayStay inSusukino

Susukino

Susukino has plenty of budget-friendly hotels, so your money goes further on a long stay. It is lively until late, so for a long stay where quiet matters more than price, compare the residential streets of Maruyama.

Couples · A quieter stayStay inNakajima Koen

Nakajima Koen

Nakajima Koen is a park and riverside neighbourhood that stays calm at night, yet Susukino is only a short walk away when you want dinner out. From the airport it is the Rapid Airport train and a few stops on the Namboku subway line.

What about Jozankei Onsen?

Jozankei Onsen is the hot-spring town people picture when they think of an onsen stay in Sapporo, and it sits inside the city limits, in the mountains to the south-west.

If soaking in a hot spring is the whole point of the night, one night at an onsen inn there is well worth it.

As a base for sightseeing, though, the city centre wins: Jozankei is a bus ride of an hour or more from central Sapporo, so every day out starts and ends with that ride.

Ask whether the onsen is the trip or a side trip. If it is the trip, book Jozankei for that night; otherwise stay in one of the areas above and visit for the day.

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