Travel
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This Observatory In Osaka Offers Breathtaking Views Of The City
There’s a plethora of things to see, eat, and do while in Osaka. One of the most popular attractions in the city is the Kuchu Teien Observatory in Osaka.
Kuchu Teien Observatory In Osaka
Located in the Umeda Sky Building, this observatory in Osaka provides a 360-degree view of Osaka from various floors in a 40-story high building.
Tickets cost 1,500 yen, ($9.50 USD). To enter Kuchu Teien you first enter on the 3rd floor where an elevator will take you all the way to the 35th floor.
From here you take an escalator from the 35th floor to 39th floor. If you’re not a fan of heights you probably don’t want to look to your left or right while on this escalator ride. Both sides of the escalator are enclosed in glass. As you go up you can see the city, it’s kind of like you’re floating in the air. It’s definitely a bit of an experience.
All the floors here are circular and provide 360-degree views of the city. The 39th floor is the first floor you can walk around in the observatory in Osaka. It contains a Gallery Shop, a Chinese Restaurant, and a Sky Lounge as well.
The 40th floor provides the same views as the 39th and has an additional Cafe where you can grab some food and a drink and take a seat to soak in the views of the city.
There’s also a couple of small exhibits on this floor that shows the history of the Umeda Sky Building and how it was constructed.
Once you spend some time on the 40th floor it’s time to head up to the rooftop. This is where the Skywalk is located. This is a circular walkway around the rooftop that provides the same types of views as the 39th and 40th floors but obviously without the windows!
I’m glad I went at night and was able to see the city fully lit up. The views are quite spectacular!
The rooftop also provides a great view of the middle of the building and how high up you really are. The design of this portion of the building is definitely quite interesting. Especially when you see the escalators which look like they’re floating in the air.
Is The Kuchu Teien Observatory In Osaka Worth Visiting?
If you’re a fan of observatory’s and views of city landscapes then you’ll definitely want to check out Kuchu Teien Observatory In Osaka. It’s a fun attraction (the escalator ride and feeling of floating about 35 floors up in the air is quite an experience) and the way the building is designed in itself is something worth gawking at. For about $10 USD this won’t break the bank either so it’s something that’s pretty fair in price. If heights aren’t your thing you may not enjoy this. The “floating” escalators may not jive well with you, nor the Skywalk. I’m not a fan of heights myself but found these elements of the attractions to be fine though.
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Thinking Of Doing A Day Trip to Nara From Kyoto or Osaka? Here’s Some Suggestions!
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When thinking of Nara, one instantly gets that mental image of family or a friend that has made the trip to Nara and taken a classic selfie with multiple deer that are seemingly everywhere in the Deer Park. We’ve all seen the photos and it’s one of Nara’s biggest draws for good reason.
It’s likely the biggest reason why you’re planning on visiting. I know that was the biggest reason why I wanted to visit.
While the deer of Nara certainly live up to the hype (yes, they’re as adorable in person as in your friends photos!), Nara does have much more to offer and see as well.
Nara is a very old city and was once Japan’s capital. It’s home to some of the country’s oldest and largest temples, including the famous Todaiji Temple, making a day trip to Nara a perfect opportunity to explore it’s many offerings.
A Day Trip to Nara From Kyoto or Osaka
Nara is a very popular day trip from the neighboring Kyoto and Osaka. It’s a little less than an hr train ride from Kyoto (from Kyoto Station) and a little over an hour from Osaka as well (from Osaka Station).
The distance makes it a perfect day trip from either of the neighboring mega cities. Nara Station is also in a great location. You can walk directly from Nara Station to Sanjo Dori Street to all the major sites and Deer Park. It will definitely be a lot of walking but it’s certainly doable.
Sanjo Dori Street
When exiting Nara Station if you turn left and walk up the first major street you come across that will be Sanjo Dori Street. Most likely many people from Nara Station will be taking this route as well so you can just follow the crowd.
Walking down this street will take you directly into Nara Park which is where you can spend the whole day essentially. The street itself has many different souvenir shops and other stores and places to grab some food. With it being so close to Nara Station it’s a great place to stop off and get some souvenirs on your way back to the station at the end of the day,.
A very popular shop is Nakatanidou. Nakatanidou is famous for its live mochi making displays and its fresh mochi.
You can grab a three pack of these freshly made mochi for 540 yen, $3.81 USD. The mochi is unbelievably fresh. Soft, chewy, and filled with red bean paste, these are a perfect snack prior to entering Nara Park.
Nara Park
After enjoying some fresh mochi you can walk a little further down Sanjo Dori Street to enter Nara Park.
The park is massive, measuring over 660 hectares. This is where you’ll find all of the roaming deer and Nara’s most famous temples. Even devoting an entire day here you won’t be able to see everything, it’s just too large. But visiting all the main temples while enjoying the wild deer is certainly achievable during a day trip to Nara!
Kofukuji Temple Grounds
If entering the park through Sanjo Dori Street, Kofukuji Temple grounds is the first temple you’ll come across. There’s quite a few structures located here and the area is quite big. The five story pagoda – Kofuku-ji Gojunoto – is easily visible and towers over the other Kofukuji structures. The main temple is the Central Golden Hall.
The grounds are free to roam but The Central Golden Hall, the Eastern Golden Hall and Kofukuji’s National Treasure Museum require an entrance fee. I walked around a little bit but didn’t devote a ton of time here. If stretched for time a quick walk through with a few photos will suffice. You can always spend more time here on the way back from your day in the park as well!
Kofuku-ji Gojunoto 
Central Golden Hall Inside Nara Park
Once you get deeper into the park, you realize just how large it is. It’s a huge wide open park with deer roaming everywhere. And the deer are EVERYWHERE. It’s easy to see these deer and think they’re domesticated, they are definitely well behaved.
You’ll find clusters of deer chilling near entrances to the park, which is where you’ll find vendors selling rice cakes (200 yen, $1.27) that you can feed the deer. It’s important to keep in mind that they aren’t domesticated and to treat them as such. They will certainly start crowding you once they realize you have rice cakes so best get that camera ready!
It’s definitely a fun experience to walk through the park with so many deer around. I thought they would be contained to one portion of the park but they are literally everywhere so it’s a truly unique experience.
Isuien Garden and Neiraku Museum
The Isuien Garden and Neiraku Museum are located near the Todai-Ji temple grounds and are about a 10-15 minute walk from the Kofukuji Temple Grounds. There’s an entrance fee for this (1200 yen, $7.63 USD). There are two traditional Japanese gardens located here and a small museum.
If you need a break from temples and deer this is a nice spot to bask in some peace and tranquility while appreciating the well-kempt gardens. I always love Japanese gardens due to how serene and beautiful they are and Isuien Garden certainly lives up to those traits. The garden and museum are both quite small so it will not take much time to walk through both.
Todai-Ji Temple
The most famous and popular destination of Nara is Todai-Ji Temple (600 yen, $3.81 USD, entrance fee). It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site designated as one of the historic monuments of Ancient Nara. This is a must see during a day trip to Nara.
Constructed in 752, the temple was once one of the Seven Great Temples and wielded great power and influence. Todaiji’s main hall, the Daibutsuden, is one of the world’s largest wooden buildings standing at 57 meters in length.
Prior to sustaining fire damage which required the temple to be rebuilt in 1709, the orginal temple once stood at 88 meters in length, so it was actually 30% larger. The building is an impressively massive wooden building as it currently stands, so one can only imagine what it once looked like hundreds of years ago in it’s original size.
Daibutsuden means Big Budda Hall and housed within the main hall is a 15 ft seated Buddha. This enormous bronze statue was created in 752 and is the centerpiece of the temple. It’s the first thing you encounter once entering the temple and is certainly a sight to behold. There are other fantastic statues within the temple as well. Overall, this is a really cool temple, just due to the sheer size, the huge Buddha statue and the other statues within it.
The Todai-Ji area encompasses much more than just the temple. In and around the grounds are several other temples which you can walk to. Some of which may require an entrance fee.
My favorite of these nearby temples was Todaiji Nigatsudo (February Hall). This temple was free and provided a great view of the surrounding area.
Kasuga Taisha
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kasuga Taisha is Nara’s most famous and sacred shrines. This is another major attraction which should be near the top of a day trip to Nara.
Built in 768, the shrine has been re-built several times over the centuries. It enshrines many gods and deities and the grounds here are quite spectacular and tranquil.
The majority of the area is free to roam around. If you want a look at the shrine’s inner buildings within the offering hall, that will require a fee.
Famous for its lanterns, Kasuga Taisha is home to hundreds of bronze lanterns that can be found hanging from the buildings. There are around 2000 stone lanterns that line the many paths on the grounds as well.
The lanterns are only lit twice a year during two Lantern Festivals, one in early February and one in mid August. One can only imagine what a sight that would be to behold.
Kasuga Taisha is deeper into Nara Park than Todai-Ji Temple and you can easily spend a couple of hours walking around these ground. Deer roam freely in this area as well and are believed to be sacred messengers of the Shinto gods which inhabit the shrine.
Mizuya Chaya
Located near Kasuga Taisha is a cozy little udon restaurant called Mizuya Chaya. This is located right in the park and is a quaint little place with a thatched roof. When I went here there were a lot of people sitting across the road and sketching the building, it’s quite popular.
They specialize in udon here and have a few options. Menus are in English so it’s easy to figure out what you want.
I went with the edible wild plants udon (850 yen, $5.39 USD) and also got an iced coffee ( 450 yen, $2.85 yen). The broth had a nice, salty umami taste to it. The noodles were extremely fresh. Great al dente texture, soft and chewy. They were really good! The veggies included green beans, mushrooms, and bamboo. The veggies provided additional textrue and went great with the broth and fresh noodles. This is a perfect stop if you’re heading to or from Kasuga Taisha around lunch time and it’s very affordable!
Enjoy Your Time In Nara
There’s so much to see in Nara Park. Even though I was there for an entire day, I barely scratched the surface. It truly is massive. Fortunately, the major attractions are fairly close to one another and you can walk to them from Nara Station. It will be a heavy day of walking though. There are buses that you can take to the major attractions though if you prefer.
Some of the most enjoyable moments for me were finding pockets in the vast park where there weren’t many people milling around. These are great moments where you can really take in the beauty of the park and appreciate the moment.
Finally, you have to admire these deer. I mean look how polite they are, they even stand outside of shops, lol.
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Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan: One Of The Best Aquariums In Japan
Located within the Minato ward near the Osaka bay area, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is a major attraction within Japan’s third largest city.
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Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Home to over 30,000 sea creatures and 620 species, this is a massive aquarium. With over 15 large tanks there’s a lot to see and take in at the facility. Each tank represents a different region of the Pacific Rim, traversing through the Pacific Ocean. You’ll see all manner of aquatic sea life here ranging from otters, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, whale sharks, rays, and jellyfish, just to name a few.
What’s great about the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is the way these tanks are presented to you. You first enter and walk through the overhead aquarium tunnel. Then you make your way up to the 8th floor and spiral down floor by floor. Some of the tanks can be observed from multiple floors so you can see the animals at different depths. It’s a really cool experience.
The Pacific Ocean tank
The highlight of all of these impressive tanks is the “Pacific Ocean”.
The tank is 9 meters deep, 34 meters long and contains 5,400 tons of water. This is a truly massive tank wihch can be viewed from multiple levels. There’s a TON of species swimming around within the tank. The main attractions being the massive whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world. There’s also some seating locations in some areas around the tank. It’s quite mesmerizing to watch if you’re able to find a seat and just chill and watch for a time.
The Overall Experience
If you enjoy aquariums than Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan will be a must visit while in Osaka. It’s a world class level aquarium and is certainly worth the entrance fee (2700 yen, $17.33 USD). As you can imagine, this is a very popular attraction and you can expect big crowds here.
I went in the evening, about 3 hours before closing (it closes at 8 pm) which seemed to help with the crowds. There wasn’t any line to purchase a ticket at that time and the exhibits, while crowded, weren’t too bad. You can easily spend over 3 hours here so you will want to give yourself ample time to enjoy all the tanks and not feel like you have to speed run through it all.
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Otaru, Hokkaido Is A Great Day Trip From Sapporo
Otaru is a port city located in Hokkaido, Japan, about a 30-40 minute train ride from Sapporo, it’s a popular day trip from the biggest city in Hokkaido with some notable sights to take in. Staying in Otaru is certainly an option but this post looks at making a day trip or half-day trip for those staying in Sapporo.
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The Otaru Canal
The most well-known feature in Otaru is the Otaru Canal. This canal was an integral part of transporting goods from the ships stationed in the main port in the 20th century. Smaller vessels would transport goods from these larger vessels down the canal and unload them at the warehouses lining the canal. The canal became obsolete as modern technology took hold and more efficient unloading methods developed.
The canal remained during this shift of goods transportation and a part of the canal was restored in the 1980s with the warehouses being renovated into various shops, restaurants, and museums.
It’s a beautiful area and makes for quite a nice stroll. You can spend the majority of your day in the area around the canal since there’s so much to see here.
The Otaru Canal 
The Otaru
Canal at night, illuminated by lightsSakaimachi Street
Located near the Otaru Canal, Sakaimachi Street is a very popular tourist destination spot. It’s convenient location next to the town’s most popular attraction means you’ll most likely spend some time on this street. It’s home to several souvenir shops, museums, restaurants, and stores. The street is quite long so there’s a TON to see and eat here.
The Food
As mentioned above, Sakaimachi Street is jam-packed with all sorts of shops and stores. As one would imagine there’s a TON of different food options. Not only is there plenty of traditional Japanese food and seafood located on the street, there’s plenty of dessert options as well, not only on Sakaimachi Street but near the canal too.
A popular spot is Sawawa whose speciality are matcha and green tea products. Even though it was early December I had to try the the green tea ice cream with matcha mochi (670 yen, $4.28 USD). The ice cream was very rich with a heavy green flavor to it while the mochi was quite soft and chewy. It was quite jelly like.
Popura Farm was another stop. It’s not on Sakaimachi Street but is quite close to it. Popura Farm offers half cut or quarter cut melons piled with ice cream. I got the quarter melon (1900 yen, $12.13 USD). Even in December, the honeydew melon I got was sweet and juicy, while the vanilla ice cream makes it that much tastier!
Naruto Honten Fried Chicken is a famous fried chicken restaurant that’s located in Otaru. About a 10 minute walk from the Otaru Canal, it’s a large two-story restaurant with a waiting room, so you know the place is quite popular.
The menu is quite large, with many options besides just fried chicken, but the restaurant is known for its chicken so it was a must try for me. I got a half chicken combo meal and a beer for 1850 yen, $12.02 USD. Quite a good deal for the amount of food you get. The fried chicken is quite good. The skin is exceptionally crispy while the meat maintains its juiciness. It really is some tasty fried chicken.
LaTao is a famous dessert company not only in Japan but in other countries throughout the world. The orignal location is found in Otaru on Sakaimachi Street. It’s easily recognizable due to the tower that’s connected to the store. The tower was the original location of LaTao and you can walk to the very top and get a nice view of the surrounding area.
LaTao made its name based off its famous Double Fromage cheesecakes, so it’s certainly an item that deserves attention. Within the store, upstairs, there’s a restaurant where you can order and enjoy the many desserts that LaTao has to offer. I got a combo that included a slice of the original cheesecake (I believe) and a slice of lemon cheesecake, and a cup of tea (1500 yen, $9.60 USD).
Both slices of cheesecake are incredibly light. With a subtle sweetness, they are not overpowering or overly sweet at all. Both maintain great flavor and are extremely tasty!
Otaru Music Box Museum
At the end Sakaimachi Street is the Otaru Music Museum. A solid stone building, this is the main building that was constructed in 1915 and used as an office for a wealthy merchant. It was converted to a music box museum in 1989 and now houses over 80,000 music boxes.
As one might imagine with a place with so many music boxes, the air is filled with music as you walk around which is quite pleasant. There are so many different types and variations of music boxes housed here. It really is amazing. The wooden interior really adds to the unique feel and it’s just a really cool place to walk around and purchase a unique music box if you’re so inclined.
In the front of the museum is the world’s largest steam clock. Every 15 minutes, the steam whistles at the top of the clock produces a melody, which is really cool to both see and hear!
The Railway Museum
The Railway Museum is a little bit outside of Otaru Canal tourist area, about a 20 minute walk. It’s located at the site of Hokkaido’s first railway line. In the old trainyard outside there are several full size trains from various eras which are on display.
The inside of the museum has several exhibits detailing the history of trains in the Otaru area. If you have an interest in trains and museums this will be a place of interest for you!
Conclusion
There’s a lot more to see and do in Otaru but if you only have a day or half-day this is a good starting point. The Otaru Canal and its surrounding area, namely Sakaimachi Street, will undoubtedly be the biggest draw and there’s a lot to explore, especially if you enjoy shopping. You can’t really go wrong just walking around the area and exploring. It’s a charming place with lots to see and especially EAT!
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Stunning Osaka Castle Is One Of The Most Popular Places To Visit In Osaka
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Stunning Osaka Castle Is One Of The Most Popular Places To Visit In Osaka
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Osaka Castle History
Osaka Castle has over a 450 year history dating back to 1583 when the feudal lord Hideyoshi Toyotomi built the first iteration of the castle. The castle has been destroyed numerous times mainly due to war and fire but has been re-built afterwards each and every time during its exisitence. The last re-build occurred in 1931 when the castle tower was re-built. Although damaged during World War II, the main structure remained intact and was recognized as a historic site by the Japanese government in the 1950s.
Today’s Osaka Castle
Today, Osaka Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in not only Osaka, but all of Japan. When you get to the castle park and walk around, you have a great view of the castle towering over the premises, you can understand why it’s a tourist favorite. I was lucky to go on a clear, beautiful day, and the tower sitting on high was really a magnificent sight.
The area within the castle grounds contains citadels, gates, turrets, massive stone walls, and huge moats. It’s a great area to walk around to appreciate all of the impressive architecture. The stone walls are comprised of an estimated 500,000 – 1 million stones. The moat walls stand over 65 ft and are 295 ft wide. They’re certainly an impressive sight as you walk amongst them.
There’s two separate moats which encircle the castle and the castle park. Both are huge and provide a nice walk if you have the time and really want to take in views of the entire premises and see the castle from all angles.
The inside of the castle is completely modern and is a museum that provides the history of both Hideyoshi Toyotomi and the castle. The very top of the museum provides a great view of the castle grounds and of the surrounding Osaka area. You do have to pay a small entrance fee in order to enter the museum. The museum is interesting, especially if you’re a museum fan or history buff, but it would have been great if they had tried to re-construct how the castle may have once looked at the height of its powers. Wishful thinking.
While the castle itself is the highlight, the surrounding Osaka Castle Park is very large as well. It’s about 2 square km with lots of green space. It’s really a green oasis within Osaka. It really is a nice area to just take a stroll through. You can easily bring some snacks and drinks and just hangout in this area for a nice little break from all the sight-seeing.
The park gets very popular during cherry blossom season due to its abundance of cherry blossom trees in the area, which I imagine would be quite stunning. The fall colors within the Osaka Castle Park would be sight to behold as well.
Is Osaka Castle Worth Visiting?
If you’re visiting Osaka, the Osaka Castle is most likely one of the bigger attractions you’re looking to visit. If it’s not, it should be. It really is one of the bigger attractions in all of Japan and one of its most famous castles. Once you get there and start walking around the Osaka Castle Park, cross over the moat bridge into the inner Osaka Castle grounds, you’ll understand why the castle is such a popular destination.
In a sense, you feel like you’ve been transported back in time once you’re walking around the enormous stone walls and stand up on them and look out over the moat. It’s really a spectacle that needs to be experienced if you’re in Osaka!
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10 Popular Things To Do In Sapporo, Hokkaido
Sapporo, the capital of Japan’s northern most island, Hokkaido, is a fantastic city that offers many sights and things to do. It’s a fairly spread out city and while there is a subway, it isn’t nearly as extensive as the subway systems found in Tokyo or Osaka so some of the locations may take a little longer to get to. But certainly it’s worth the extra effort to explore this wonderful city.
So what are some of the top things to do in Sapporo? Here’s a list of 10 Popular Things To Do In Sapporo, Hokkaido.
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10 Popular Things To Do In Sapporo, Hokkaido:
Visit Ramen Alley
If you’re a ramen fan a visit to Sapporo’s Ramen Alley is a must. With 17 ramen shops within the alley there are plenty of places to try here each with their own unique twist on the beloved food. It’s a unique experience since it’s a narrow alleyway that is packed with ramen restaurants. You won’t this many ramen spots in such a small area anywhere else.
Take A Stroll Through Odori Park
One of the top things to do in Sapporo is to visit its famous Odori Park. Located right in the middle of the city, it’s nearly impossible to miss. This overly large strip of a park, over a mile long, that has major streets running along side of it. The Sapporo TV Tower is also located here and can be seen throughout the park.
There are several festivals held throughout the year at the park including the Snow Festival, Lilac Festival, Soran Festival, and Beer Garden.
In December Odori Park gets a Christmas makeover with several exhibits with lights and a German Village that has stalls selling Christmas decorations and food. It’s a good time!
It’s definitely worth visiting to see what’s going on even outside of the popular festivals. It’s certainly a nice stroll through a unique park which is why it lands on my popular things to do in Sapporo list.
Check Out Maruyama Park and Everything Within It
Maruyama Park is a large sprawing park in Sapporo housing over 300+ different types of trees and plants with over a hundred different types of birds. It’s a huge park that offers a lot when visiting and is certainly one of the top things to do in Sapporo.
One of the most famous shrines in Hokkaido, Hokkaido Jingu Shrine, is located right next to it.
The Maruyama Zoo has been housed within the park since 1951. It has over 170 different species including polar bears, wolves, deer, elephants, giraffes, hippos, chimpanzees, and brown bears, just to name a few.
The Maruyama-Hachijuhakkasho Trail offers a nice little hike within the park that takes you up to a point that has a spectacular view of Sapporo. It’s a short hike which will take you uphill for that view but isn’t overly strenous. A visit to Maruyama Park is definitely one of the more popular things to do in Sapporo and is well worth the visit.
Go To The Sapporo Beer Museum
The oldest beer in Japan, Sapporo, was founded in 1876 and has a long history not only within Sapporo but Japan itself. It remains one of the country’s most popular beers and is quite popular around the world. The Sapporo Beer Museum is the only museum in Japan that’s dedicated to beer. This attraction is one of the most popular things to do in Sapporo.
The museum itself is free. It’s pretty tiny and will only take about 20-30 minutes to walk through. There’s a paid tour as well which provides more detail about the history of the legendary beer. On premises as well is a beer garden, a couple of stores with merchandise, and some restaurants, including a Genghis Khan restaurant.
Eat Famous Hokkaido Dishes
Hokkaido has a few signature dishes that originate from the area and are trying some of these dishes is certainly one of the most popular things to do in Sapporo. Genghis Khan, Soup Curry, and Miso Ramen, all originate from Hokkaido. You will find these dishes in other parts of Japan, but the number of places you can purchase these from are more plentiful in Hokkaido and are certainlty worth trying!
Soup Curry 
Genghis Khan 
Miso Ramen Enjoy The View Of Sapporo On The Mt. Moiwa Ropeway
Mount Moiwa is a small mountain southwest of central Sapporo. At the base of the mountain you’ll find the Mount Moiwa Ropeway. There’s a transfer station about three quarters up where you get into another cablecar that takes you to the very top of the mountain. This is where the observation deck is located along with a restaurant. The observation deck offers some stunning views of the city. It’s especially nice at night when the city is lit up! The ropeway and view are what makes this one of the most popular things to do in Sapporo.
Visit The Hokkaido University Museum
If you enjoy museums then the Hokkaido University Museum is worth a visit. This free admission museum is located on the Hokkaido University campus and is one of the more popular things to do in Sapporo. The three floor museum houses over four million specimens and documents. It educates visitors on all the different types of research that has occurred on campus. The museum also has a small cafe. The museum itself is fairly small, this is afterall on the campus of a college, but it’s fascinating to see, especially for museum buffs. Also, the ice cream in the cafe is top notch!
Do Some Shopping At Tanukikoji Shopping Street
Undoubtedly, one the of most popular things to do in Sapporo is shopping. One of the more popular areas is the Tanukikoji Shopping Street. This pedestrian only shopping street is HUGE. It runs for seven blocks and is about 900 meters. It’s home to over 200 shops, restaurants, and other stores. You can find essentially everything here be it souvenirs, clothing, food, dessert, entertainment. If you’re a shopper you’ll no doubt be spending some time here. It’s very close to Sapporo Station as well, just a 10-minute walk.
Check Out Es Con Field Hokkaido
The impressive stadium to the only baseball team in Hokkaido – the Nippon Ham Fighters – Es Con Field Hokkaido field opened in 2023 and seats 35k people. This is a beautiful stadium with a retractable roof, natural grass, and massive glass wall in the outfield which provides excellent natural lighting. The field is open to visit during the off-season as well. The food court, brewery, stadium tour, and massive team store were all open in the middle of December. It’s a little further out from Sapporo and is a 20 minute walk from the train station to the stadium but it’s certainly worth it. If you visit during the season, seeing a game here should certainly be high on the list for any baseball fan.
Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill
This attraction is a bit of a trek if using public transit as you will need to take the bus. The pros: The scenic view of the famous bronze statue of Dr. William S. Clark. Clark was a famous American professor who came over to Hokkaido in 1876 and established the Sapporo Agricultural College, which is now Hokkaido College. His parting words “Boys, be ambitious” are immortalized on the statue as well. It’s a fantastic view with a wide open field in the background with the Sapporo Dome visible.
The cons: There’s not much else here. There’s some additional smaller buildings that serve as mini museums, and a restaurant and a place to grab some ice cream, but outside of that there’s not a ton here. It also costs yen to enter the parking lot. With the amount of time it takes to get here and how little is actually here, I wouldn’t place this at the top of the list of things to do in Sapporo.
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Lively Odori Park in Sapporo Is Well Worth A Stroll Through
What is Odori Park?
One of the top attractions in Sapporo is Odori Park. Located right smack dab in the middle of the city, this is an easy attraction to go and see. In fact, just walking around the city you’d undoubtedly stumble upon this at some point during your Sapporo adventure.
Initially used as a fire break back in 1871, the space has gone through a lot of transformation since those days.
Odori Park is unusual since it’s really a long strip of “park” that has major streets running along the side of it. Stretching east to west, over a mile long and over 12 blocks, in the heart of the city it’s hard to miss.
The Sapporo Tower is at one end of the park. Standing about 492 feet, it’s a nice sight to see as you stroll through the park. It’s also another top attraction in Sapporo that you can visit. It has an observation deck where you can get a full view of Odori Park and the surrounding area, if you please. I didn’t go to Sapporo Tower this trip but maybe next time!
Why is it so popular?
Odori Park hosts seasonal events such as the well-known Snow Festival in the winter, the Lilac Festival in the spring, the Soran Festival and Beer Garden in the summer, and the Autumn Festival, in well, the autumn.
This is a popular location for both locals and tourists alike for a nice place to either take a stroll or just hangout. It’s just a really unique park since it’s so close to the street and isn’t an enclosed “normal” park. The seasonal events attracts MEGA crowds, with the Snow Festival being the biggest of them all, for good reason.
I went in mid December and the park was decked out with Christmas light displays. It was stretched out for most of the park and was a lot of fun to walk through and see all the displays. There was a German Christmas Village set up that had shops selling Christmas souvenirs and there were a number of stalls selling food and beverages. It was a really fun and festive environment to be in and was really enjoyable on a cold December evening!
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Maruyama Park Sapporo Has A Lot To See And Do
Maruyama Park in Sapporo, not to be confused with the Maruyama Park in Kyoto, is a huge park that houses many different attractions and things to see and do. Located under the Maruyama Mountain, the park is home to over 300+ different trees and plants, which depending on the season you’re visiting, can create quite the scenic impression as you take a stroll through the park. There’s over 100 different types of birds located here as well, so avid bird watchers will certainly appreciate the park. Maruyama Park houses a zoo, sports facilities, a public field, a short trail that leads to a great view of the city, and a couple ponds. You could spend an entire day here if you wanted to!
I highlight of the bigger attractions below.
Hokkaido Jingu Shrine
Technically the Hokkaido Jingu Shrine is not inside Maruyama Park. It’s adjacent to it. But it’s hard to separate the two and if you’re visiting one the other one makes sense to visit as well.
The shrine is significant in Hokkaido due to it being the enshrinement of three Shinto deities – Okunitama, Onamuchi, and Sukunahikona. A fourth spirit, Emperor Meiji, has been included as well. It is very much a shrine of spiritual significance.
The area, much like Maryuma Park, becomes quite popular during cherry blossom season since it’s regarded as one of the best places to view cherry blossoms in all of Hokkaido.
Maruyama Zoo
Maruyama Zoo has been inside Maruyama Park since 1951, so it has a long history with the park. It houses over 170 different species within it including polar bears, wolves, deer, elephants, giraffes, hippos, chimpanzees, and brown bears, just to name a few. The zoo is quite massive as you’d imagine with so many different species. It’s pretty impressive. I wasn’t expecting it to be so large to be honest, and wasn’t expecting to stay as long as I did. But this was an enjoyable afternoon and I devoted around 3-4 hours here.
Maruyama-Hachijuhakkasho Trail
Feel like doing some hiking while at Maruyama Park? You can also do that here! There’s a small, short trail within the park that will take you to a point with a beautiful view of Sapporo. The hike takes about an hour both ways. It’s not overly strenous. It will take you uphill though and I was a little winded to be honest. If you take your time and take breaks if needed you will be rewarded with the view though. Just remember to bring some water along as well. The view is worth it. It’s really is quite nice!
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Top 7 Things To Do In Hakodate, Japan
Hakodate is one of the main cities located in Hokkaido. It’s the third largest city after Sapporo and Asahikawa. If taking a bullet train from Tokyo, Hakodate is the last bullet train station into Hokkaido. The trip will take about five hours.
Some people will choose to hop on another regular train and head to Sapporo but Hakodate is worth spending a couple days in to explore. Even though it’s the third largest city in Hokkaido, it’s not too big. It’s very laid back and things are slower paced here. If coming from Tokyo, it’s a nice break from the crowds and the hustle and bustle. Two days will be good enough to see all the sights that Hakodate has to offer.
Mt. Hakodate Observatory
One of the top things to do in Hakodate is making a trip to the Mt. Hakodate Observatory (1800 yen, $12.24 USD) at sunset or at night to enjoy the panoramic view of the city. It’s certainly a spectacular view with water on either side of this particular part of town. There’s technically not a best time to go here. Day or night you’ll get a beautiful view but I’m more partial to the night when the city is fully lit up. It’s a pretty sweet view! Nighttime is also the busiest time to go so expect to see some crowds on the observatory deck. There’s also a restaurant and gift shop located here if you want to hang out a bit and soak in some more of the view.
Fort Goryokaku / Goryokaku Tower
I’ll fold these two attractions into one. But you can certainly do one or the other and skip the other one if you wanted to. Fort Goryokaku is the iconic star shaped fort located in Hakodate. Completed in 1866 as a military site in the defense of Hokkaido, the fort was later converted to a public park sometime in the early 1900s when the fort lost its military importance. The star shape of it is really quite unique, as is the moat that surrounds it. There’s not a ton to see here but the grounds are quite peaceful and nice to take a stroll around. There’s also around 1000 cherry blossom trees planted around the fort so if planned correctly during cherry blossom season it would be quite the sight! Visiting the park itself is free.
Fort Goryokaku To get a full view of the fort and it’s unique shape you can go up the Goryokaku Tower (1000 yen, $6.81 USD) which has a great view of the fort as well as other views of Hakodate since the tower provides a 360 degree view. There’s also displays up in the tower which provides the historical backdrop of the tower.
Hakodate Morning Market
The Hakodate Morning Market is a four block stretch in Hakodate that sells fresh seafood, vegetables, fruit, and snacks. It’s definitely one of the top things to do in Hakodate in the morning to start your day. It opens from 5am to about 2pm, with about 250 places total, there’s a lot of food options to choose from. The seafood here is outstanding. Even though there’s 250 places here, the market doesn’t seem huge. Crowds are fairly mellow here as well, which is nice.
Cape Tachimachi
Cape Tachimachi is a scenic spot in Hakodate with a fantastic view of the ocean, with sharp cliffs surrounding the area. There’s a paved path that loops around on top of one of the cliffs with a great lookout point with a couple benches where you can take a seat and take in the stunning view.
Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
These old converted red brick warehouses were once used in the old trading days of feudal Japan when the Hakodate port was used for international trade. Now, the warehouses are home to souvenir, clothing, boutique type of shops. There’s a beer hall, restaurant, and some other places for snacks and dessert as well.
Eat At A Lucky Pierrot’s
One of the top things to do in Hakodate is a place you can both visit and EAT at. Lucky Pierrot is a chain of hamburger restaurants that are only located in Hakodate. There’s a total of 17 restaurants, all of which have their own individual personality and flair. No one restaurant is the same as the next. It’s immensly popular and is a tourist draw. It’s one of those things that you feel you need to try if in the area. I mean you’d try In N Out if you saw it wouldn’t you?
Hachiman Zaka Slope
Hakodate’s most famous slope, Hachiman Zaka Slope provides a scenic view on top of a hill down a stone paved, tree lined street, with a view that leads down to the bay. During Christmas time the trees are adorned with lights which provides quite the setting at night.
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5 Parks To Visit in Tokyo – You Won’t Be Disappointed!
5 Parks To Visit in Tokyo – Why Visit Parks In Tokyo?
Tokyo is a massive city with endless things to see and do. For a first time visitor there’s generally too much to see to be able to find the time to make a trip exclusively for a park. I was able to visit five parks while in Tokyo, some intentionally, some I just happened to stroll through on the way to an attraction. They’re a nice change of pace from the hectic and often very crowded sites of Tokyo. A lot of these, and other parks throughout Tokyo, you may just happen to walk through or see on the way to your next attraction. Intentional or not, visiting at least one of the parks is well worth it.
These are just a handful of the parks that Tokyo has, there’s quite a lot overall!
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
This was the favorite park that I visited. It was also the only one that cost yen to enter (500 yen) but it’s well worth it. Even though this is listed as a garden, it’s really a massive park. With huge open lawn spaces and wide meandering paths throughout, it’s a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku.
There’s three different types of gardens located within the park. There’s traditional Japanese gardens which feature well kempt shrubs and trees with ponds and bridges.
A French garden that is symmetrical, with clearly defined lines and very orderly.
And a English garden which would include the massive lawn areas which have cherry blossom trees surrounding them. Yes, the beloved Cherry Blossom trees are strewn throughout the park. There’s over 16 different varieties planted in Shinjuku Gyoen. I can only imagine what this park looks like in the Spring when it’s Cherry Blossom season and also in the Fall as the leaves change colors. It definitely must be a site to see!
I came here in the middle of December so nothing was in bloom and the trees were barren. But I still loved it. Due to the season and visiting mid-week added to the charm since the park was not busy at all. It was very peaceful to walk with minimal crowds.
There’s a Starbucks in the park, along with a couple other tea houses and places to grab a snack. The Starbuck overlooks one of the traditional Japanese gardens with a great outdoor area with seating. It’s a great spot to grab a coffee, relax with a great, peaceful view, and soak in all the surroundings.
Ueno Park
Ueno Park is located in the Ueno District of Taito, Tokyo. It’s a large public park that was first established way back in 1873.
This is a bustling park which includes a number of different museums, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum for Western Art, The Tokyo Metorpolitan Art Museum, and the National Science Museum. If you’re a fan of museums, this park is a must visit.
Not only is the park home to a number of museums, but it also includes the Ueno Zoo and a few temples and shrines.
Shinobazu Pond is also found in Ueno Park. It’s a large pond that’s broken up into three different subdivisions: the boat pond, lotus pond, and cormorant pond (where all the ducks and local waterbirds are located).
The park is a very popular place to visit during cherry blossom season since there are over 1000 cherry trees lining the central pathway. You’ll have to use your imagination since I was here in December. But even during this month these particular trees looked amazing.
When I went on a Sunday there was a small concert going on and seemed like a koi fish market. The park was busy and people were just hanging out enjoying the nice weather and park. It was great! Overall there’s just A LOT going on at this park. It has a good energy and vibe to it and there’s something for everyone here to enjoy.
You can easily spend an entire day here. There’s just so much to see and do here, especially if you’re a big museum fan.
Meiji Jingu
This isn’t a park per se, it’s a very famous Shinto Shrine located in essentially a forest right in the middle of the bustling Harujuku District. One of the most popular Shinto Shrines in all of Japan, Meiji Jingu is most likely on your list to visit while in Tokyo already.
Over 100 years old, the orginal shrine was destroyed during World War II but was rebuilt in 1958. It’s a very impressive shrine and one of the most iconic in all of Japan.
Walking through the massive torrii gate to gain entrance to the shrine grounds instantly transports you from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo to the tranquility of a massive forest.
You can’t hear any city noises, can’t see any massive buildings protruding from the treeline, you’re quite literally in a forest…in the middle of Tokyo.
I’ve been here before but was more invested in the walk to the shrine and the shrine itself and didn’t quite take in the beauty of the overall surroundings. There’s over 100,000 trees that were donated from all over Japan that create this city forest. It’s a really amazing walk once you pass through the torri gate and the area in general is amazing, outside of the shrine.
There’s also pathways that stray from the main path to the shrine, so you can wander off as well. These other paths don’t have as many people either so it can be a quieter experience allowing you to further soak in the surroundings.
Yoyogi Park
Yoyogi Park is a large spacious park located in Shibuya, right next to Meiji Jingu Shrine. After visiting Shibuya, I happened to walk through it on the way to Meiji.
This doesn’t have any spectacular gardens or real standout features. It’s just a massive, pleasant park with huge lawn space, plenty of trees, a large pond, a big dog run, and plenty of space on the pathways for a nice jog or bike ride.
There’s a lot of benches located throughout the park where you can chill at and take a break after visiting Shibuya if you’re walking to Meiji Shrine. It’s a peaceful place.
Inokashira Park
Inokashira Park is located in the Kichijoji district which is the western part of Tokyo. It’s home to a zoo and small aquarium and the popular Studio Ghibli museum as well. In the middle of the park the large Inokashira Pond, with bridges that cross over it. Rowing boats are available for rent as well.
The pond is the real centerpiece of the park. It’s massive. There’s plenty of pathways with benches around the pond where you can sit and just enjoy the surroundings. It’s a lively park on the weekend (I went on a Saturday), with a lot of people and families enjoying a nice stroll, jog, or taking their dog on a walk.
But you can also find areas that are more serene and quiet and you can just chill.
Even during December the ambience was quite nice and the trees full of color. Like all of these parks, I can only imagine what Fall and Spring must look like here. It must be amazing!
