Where should I go in Sapporo, Otaru and Hakodate?
Walk through Odori Park for a city stroll, or beside Otaru Canal for old warehouses and waterfront scenery. Choose Sapporo TV Tower to look down over Odori Park, or Goryokaku Tower for the star-shaped fort. Tour the biscuit factory at Shiroi Koibito Park or explore a former ferry at Mashu-maru. Visit the botanic garden during its outdoor opening season and the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway on an operating day.
Attraction prices, hours and directions
Odori Park
大通公園
Walk through the city or take a break here before or after visiting the TV Tower. The park stretches from east to west. Choose the eastern section near the tower or continue west, depending on your time and energy.
- AdmissionWalking through the park is free. Events and purchases at stalls cost extra.
- Opening hoursEvents may change which walking areas you can use.
- Getting thereExit Odori subway station at street level. Head towards the eastern section for the TV Tower.
Sapporo TV Tower
さっぽろテレビ塔
Look down over the park paths and city after your Odori Park walk. Choose an evening visit if you want to see the city lights.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 1,200 for senior high school students and adults, and JPY 600 for primary and junior high school students. Preschool children enter free.
- Opening hoursThe tower opens from 09:00 to 22:00, with last admission at 21:50. Events may change these hours. The whole building is scheduled to close on 11 November 2026 and 1 January 2027.
- Getting thereUse entrance 27 from Aurora Town at Odori station to reach the tower’s entrance on Level 1. Buy tickets on Level 3. The tower is at the eastern end of Odori Park.
Sapporo Clock Tower
札幌市時計台
See old photographs, records of Sapporo Agricultural College and displays about the clock mechanism. The building is small, so an exterior photo is also an option if you have limited time. Standard last admission is 17:00; check the notice for any evening opening.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 350 for adults and JPY 150 for university students with student ID. Senior high school students and younger enter free. Junior and senior high school students need student ID.
- Opening hoursThe Clock Tower opens from 08:45 to 17:10, with last admission at 17:00. Evening-opening notices specify the hours and areas available. It closes from 1 to 3 January.
- Getting thereWalk about five minutes from the City Hall exit at Odori station. From JR Sapporo station, follow the underground passage towards Odori and use exit 9; allow about ten minutes. Combine this stop with the TV Tower on your city sightseeing day.
Official Clock Tower admission, hours and last entryOfficial Sapporo Clock Tower exhibition guideOfficial Sapporo Clock Tower evening-opening noticeStation exits and facility access
Shiroi Koibito Park
白い恋人パーク
If you know the Shiroi Koibito biscuits, visit the park to see how they are made. The factory tour and exhibitions are in the paid area; you can visit the gardens and shops without a ticket. Workshops cost extra, and registration or booking requirements vary by activity.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 1,200 for senior high school students and adults, and JPY 600 for children aged four through junior high school. Children aged three and younger enter free. The gardens are free to enter; workshops cost extra.
- Opening hoursThe park usually opens from 10:00 to 18:00, with last admission to the paid area at 16:30. Check special opening notices for your date.
- Getting thereFrom Odori station, take the Tozai subway line to its terminus, Miyanosawa · 宮の沢. The ride takes about 16 minutes, followed by a walk of about seven minutes to the ticket centre. These times exclude waiting and the walk from your accommodation.
Admission and ticketsOfficial Shiroi Koibito Park facility list and factory tourKorean-language guideGetting there
Botanic Garden, Hokkaido University
北海道大学植物園
See trees and flowers close to Sapporo station from spring to autumn. The garden has a different atmosphere from the city streets and university campus. Look for alpine plants and lilacs around mid to late May, with other flowers and autumn foliage later in the season. Admission is separate from a campus visit, and the outdoor garden opens only from 29 April to 3 November.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 420 for visitors aged 16 and over and JPY 300 for ages 7–15. Children aged six and younger enter free.
- Opening hoursFrom 29 April to 30 September, the garden opens from 09:00 to 16:30, with last admission at 16:00. From 1 October to 3 November, it opens from 09:00 to 16:00, with last admission at 15:30. It closes on Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a public holiday. The outdoor garden closes from 4 November to 28 April. The glasshouse is currently closed, so it cannot serve as a winter alternative.
- Getting thereWalk about ten minutes from the south exit of JR Sapporo station. Use the main gate during the outdoor garden’s opening season.
Otaru Canal
小樽運河
Photograph the warehouses by day, or stay until evening for the gas lamps and reflections on the water. Decide whether to leave during the day or after dark, allowing for your return train. An overnight stay gives you more time for dinner and a walk. A canal cruise is an optional paid activity.
- AdmissionYou do not need a cruise ticket to walk beside the canal. Cruises cost extra.
- Opening hoursShops and cruises have their own hours, separate from access to the walking path. Check restaurant hours if you plan to have dinner here.
- Getting thereTake a JR train from Sapporo to Otaru, then walk about ten minutes to the canal. For the return journey, take a train bound for Sapporo.
Goryokaku Tower
五稜郭タワー
View the star-shaped fort from the observation deck. Tower admission is separate from walking through the park.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 1,200 for adults, JPY 900 for junior and senior high school students, and JPY 600 for primary school students. Preschool children enter free.
- Opening hoursOpen daily 09:00–18:00, with ticket sales until 17:50. Exterior wall works are scheduled until 15 November 2026; consult the notice confirming continued opening.
- Getting thereFrom Hakodate station, take a tram towards Yunokawa · 湯の川 and get off at Goryokaku-koen-mae · 五稜郭公園前. Walk about ten minutes to the tower and buy tickets on Level 1. JR Goryokaku station is a different stop.
Admission and opening hoursOfficial Goryokaku Tower works and continued-opening noticeGetting there
Mt. Hakodate Ropeway
函館山ロープウェイ
Look over the city and the sea on both sides from the summit. The ropeway ride takes about three minutes; ticket purchase and boarding queues take additional time. In cloud or strong winds, check visibility and operating notices first.
- AdmissionReturn tickets cost JPY 1,800 for junior high school students and adults, or JPY 900 for children. One-way tickets cost JPY 1,200 and JPY 600 respectively. Children aged 0–2 ride free. One preschool child aged three or over rides free per adult; the child fare applies from the second child. These itineraries use return tickets.
- Opening hoursServices start at 10:00. From 1 October to 19 April, the last ascent is 20:30 and the last descent is 21:00. From 20 April to 30 September, the last ascent is 21:30 and the last descent is 22:00. Follow any changes announced for your day of travel.
- Service suspensionSuspended from 20 October to 8 November 2026. Remove the ropeway and summit visit from the two-day B, three-day B and five-day B itineraries during this period. The summit observation building is listed as open 10:00–21:00, but these itineraries do not include alternative transport to the summit.
- Getting thereFrom the stop outside Hakodate station, take route 2 towards Yachigashira · 谷地頭 or route 5 towards Hakodate-Dock-mae · 函館どつく前. Get off at Jujigai and walk uphill for about ten minutes to the lower station. Allow time to walk slowly or take a break. Ticket machines are on Level 1 and the boarding lobby is on Level 3. If the climb is difficult, check whether a bus to the lower station is operating or consider a taxi separately.
Fares and opening hoursOfficial suspension noticeAccess mapLower station floor guideTram guide
Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
金森赤レンガ倉庫
Walk along the harbour, browse the shops or stop for a meal. To continue to the ropeway, head inland from the waterfront warehouses and walk uphill to the lower station.
- AdmissionGeneral browsing is free. Meals, shopping and performances cost extra.
- Opening hoursThe tourism guide lists 09:30–19:00; check individual facilities and special notices for your date. Kanemori Yobutsukan closes from 9 to 12 November 2026 for electrical works. The official notice lists BAY Hakodate and Hakodate History Plaza as remaining open, so check which building you plan to visit.
- Getting thereFrom Jujigai tram stop, walk towards the waterfront for about five minutes.
Hakodate City tourism guideOfficial Kanemori partial closures in November 2026
Hakodate Seikan Ferry Memorial Museum Mashu-maru
函館市青函連絡船記念館摩周丸
Explore the wheelhouse and interior of a former ferry moored near the station. There are stairs at the entrance and on board.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 500 for adults and university students, and JPY 250 for primary, junior and senior high school students. Preschool children enter free.
- Opening hoursFrom April to October, the museum opens from 08:30 to 18:00, with last admission at 17:00. From November to March, it opens from 09:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:00. It normally closes from 31 December to 3 January; check any special opening notice for that year. Ship inspections, cleaning, repairs or bad weather can also cause temporary closures.
- Getting thereHead towards the bay north-west of JR Hakodate station. Look to the left for the ferry’s ivory upper section and blue hull, and follow the waterfront. Climb the stairs in the adjacent building to the boarding entrance on Level 2. The walk from the station takes about four minutes, excluding stairs and the walk from your accommodation. There is no lift or escalator.
Admission, last entry and closuresSame-day facility noticesStation to boarding entrance
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the ropeway in October?
The ropeway is suspended for maintenance from 20 October to 8 November 2026. Weather and inspections may affect it on other dates. The ropeway suspension does not prohibit every visit to the mountain. If you plan to use a bus or taxi, check operations and road restrictions for your date separately.
Can I use the garden itinerary in winter?
The outdoor garden is closed in winter, and the glasshouse is also currently closed. For a four-day trip, choose the Otaru and Shiroi Koibito Park itinerary instead. The five-day itinerary with one night in Otaru and three in Sapporo has no winter alternative for day 3.
Opening hours and admissionMain gate and accessOfficial Sapporo winter walking guideTrains and operations for your date
Official sources and dates checked
- Official suspension notice ·
- Sapporo tourism guide ·
- Admission and opening hours ·
- Directions ·
- Station exits and facility access ·
- Admission and tickets ·
- Korean-language guide ·
- Getting there ·
- Opening hours and admission ·
- Main gate and access ·
- Official Hokkaido tourism guide ·
- Admission and opening hours ·
- Getting there ·
- Fares and opening hours ·
- Access map ·
- Lower station floor guide ·
- Hakodate City tourism guide ·
- Admission, last entry and closures ·
- Station to boarding entrance ·
- Same-day facility notices ·
- Tram guide ·
- Trains and operations for your date ·
- Official Sapporo winter walking guide ·
- Official Clock Tower admission, hours and last entry ·
- Official Goryokaku Tower works and continued-opening notice ·
- Official Kanemori partial closures in November 2026 ·
- Official Shiroi Koibito Park facility list and factory tour ·
- Official Sapporo Clock Tower exhibition guide ·
- Official Sapporo Clock Tower evening-opening notice ·