For four days, should you visit Otaru or stay in Sapporo?
For an Otaru Canal walk, stay in Sapporo and make a day trip. To walk among trees and flowers without leaving Sapporo, choose the route with the Botanic Garden. Both visit Shiroi Koibito Park. Choose the garden route only on outdoor opening days between 29 April and 3 November.
Choose a 3 nights, 4 days itinerary
Otaru and a confectionery theme park
Give Otaru Canal and the paid exhibitions at Shiroi Koibito Park separate days, keeping the same Sapporo hotel.
Otaru and a confectionery theme park →3 nights, 4 days BSpring-to-autumn sightseeing based entirely in Sapporo
Stay in Sapporo for walks and exhibitions without visiting other cities. Visit the Botanic Garden on an open day between 29 April and 3 November.
Spring-to-autumn sightseeing based entirely in Sapporo →Otaru and a confectionery theme park
Give Otaru Canal and the paid exhibitions at Shiroi Koibito Park separate days, keeping the same Sapporo hotel.
Day 1 | Odori Park and TV Tower after arrival
On arrival day, walk in Odori Park and enjoy the TV Tower view. Divide the canal walk and confectionery factory visit between the next two days. Visit the Clock Tower on the final morning.
- New Chitose Airport arrivals hall → JR signs in the domestic terminal
For an international arrival, complete immigration and baggage collection, then take the 2nd-floor connecting passage to the domestic terminal. For a domestic arrival, start by following the JR signs inside your terminal.
- Domestic terminal → New Chitose Airport Station, basement level 1
Follow JR signs down to New Chitose Airport Station on basement level 1. Travel between terminals and waiting for trains are excluded from the ride time.
- New Chitose Airport Station → JR Sapporo Station
Take an Airport train towards Sapporo and get off at Sapporo Station. Choosing a reserved seat adds a seat supplement to the non-reserved fare.
- JR Sapporo Station → Namboku Line towards Makomanai → Odori Station
Take the Namboku Line one stop towards Makomanai and get off at Odori. From an Odori hotel, walk straight towards the park.
- East side of Odori Park → TV Tower ticket counter on the 3rd floor and observation deck
Walk through the park’s east side and buy a ticket at the TV Tower’s 3rd-floor counter. Visit the deck for city views, then come back down.
- Odori and Susukino → Meal → Sapporo Station hotel
Eat in Odori or Susukino, choosing whichever makes your hotel return easier. For a Sapporo Station hotel, take the Namboku Line towards Asabu. The Clock Tower is a separate visit on the final morning.
After a late arrival, skip the first day’s sights or rearrange them around actual opening days.
Day 2 | Otaru Canal and lunch, then back to Sapporo
- Sapporo Station → JR Otaru Station → canal
Check your return train before setting off. Take JR towards Otaru, get off at Otaru Station and walk about 10 minutes to the canal.
Official Hokkaido tourism guideTrain and service information for your travel date
- Otaru Canal → Lunch → JR Sapporo Station
After lunch near the canal, return to Otaru Station, take a Sapporo-bound JR train and get off at Sapporo Station.
Official Hokkaido tourism guideTrain and service information for your travel date
- Sapporo Station → Odori or station-area hotel, and dinner
For an Odori hotel, continue one stop on the Namboku Line towards Makomanai. Have dinner in Sapporo.
Subway route mapTrain and service information for your travel date
Day 3 | Paid exhibitions at Shiroi Koibito Park
- Sapporo Station or Odori hotel → Tozai Line to Miyanosawa → walk and ticket centre
From a Sapporo Station hotel, take the Namboku Line one stop towards Makomanai to Odori, then change to the Tozai Line towards Miyanosawa. Get off at the final stop, walk about 7 minutes to the park and buy admission to the paid area at the ticket centre.
- Park’s paid area → Factory tour, exhibitions, optional activity and lunch
Explore the confectionery factory and exhibitions in the paid area, with time for lunch and a break. If you booked a confectionery-making activity, arrange your visit around that time.
Fees and ticketsKorean visitor guideOfficial Shiroi Koibito Park facility list and factory tour
- Shiroi Koibito Park → Miyanosawa Station
After your visit, walk back the same way to Miyanosawa Station, about 7 minutes away.
- Miyanosawa Station → Odori Station and your hotel
Take the Tozai Line towards Shin-Sapporo and get off at Odori. Return to your hotel there, or continue one stop towards Asabu on the Namboku Line for a Sapporo Station hotel.
Day 4 | Clock Tower, then New Chitose Airport
Finish with the Sapporo Clock Tower exhibition before travelling to New Chitose Airport.
- Sapporo Station or Odori hotel → Odori Station exit towards City Hall → Clock Tower
From a Sapporo Station hotel, take the Namboku Line one stop towards Makomanai to Odori. Walk about 5 minutes from the City Hall-side exit to the Clock Tower and visit the indoor exhibition after it opens at 08:45.
Subway route mapFacility’s station exit informationOfficial Clock Tower admission, fees, opening and closing times
- Clock Tower → JR Sapporo Station
After your visit, head to JR Sapporo Station, collecting any bags at your hotel first. From Odori, take the Namboku Line one stop towards Asabu. From the Sapporo Station area, walk to JR.
- JR Sapporo Station → New Chitose Airport Station and your departure terminal
Take an Airport train to New Chitose Airport and get off at the final stop. Go up from basement level 1 to the domestic terminal. For an international departure, use the 2nd-floor connecting passage and continue to departures on the international terminal’s 3rd floor.
Official JR access and timetablesAirport guide to JR accessOfficial New Chitose Airport floor maps · as of 2026-09-17
The Clock Tower opens at 08:45. Visit on the final morning only if there is enough time for the airport journey.
Included: Clock Tower, TV Tower and park’s paid area: JPY 2,750 + JR airport return: JPY 2,460 + JR Otaru return: JPY 1,600
Extra costs: The subtotal excludes flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, confectionery activities, shopping and Sapporo subway fares. Check final JR prices for your visit date and seat type on the booking page. Airport JR costs use non-reserved seats; the supplement for reserved seats in car 4 is excluded. Attraction costs use standard separate tickets.
If you visit only the gardens and shops without entering the paid area, the park’s JPY 1,200 admission fee does not apply.
Official Clock Tower admission, fees, opening and closing timesFees and opening hoursFees and ticketsOfficial JR access and timetablesStandard JR fares
Spring-to-autumn sightseeing based entirely in Sapporo
Stay in Sapporo for walks and exhibitions without visiting other cities. Visit the Botanic Garden on an open day between 29 April and 3 November.
Day 1 | Odori Park walk and dinner after arrival
Keep arrival day to a short walk in Odori Park and dinner in the city centre. Divide the Botanic Garden’s plants, TV Tower views and confectionery factory visit between the following days.
- New Chitose Airport arrivals hall → JR signs in the domestic terminal
For an international arrival, complete immigration and baggage collection, then take the 2nd-floor connecting passage to the domestic terminal. For a domestic arrival, start by following the JR signs inside your terminal.
- Domestic terminal → New Chitose Airport Station, basement level 1
Follow JR signs down to New Chitose Airport Station on basement level 1. Travel between terminals and waiting for trains are excluded from the ride time.
- New Chitose Airport Station → JR Sapporo Station
Take an Airport train towards Sapporo and get off at Sapporo Station. Choosing a reserved seat adds a seat supplement to the non-reserved fare.
- JR Sapporo Station → Namboku Line towards Makomanai → Odori Station
Take the Namboku Line one stop towards Makomanai and get off at Odori. From an Odori hotel, walk straight towards the park.
- Odori Park → Walk and dinner → hotel
Take a short walk in the park’s east side, then eat in the city centre. For a station-area hotel, take the Namboku Line towards Asabu. After a late arrival, move the park walk to the next day.
After a late arrival, skip the first day’s sights or rearrange them around actual opening days.
Day 2 | Botanic Garden walk, then TV Tower
- Sapporo Station or Odori hotel → Botanic Garden main gate
From a Sapporo Station hotel, walk about 10 minutes from JR Sapporo Station’s south exit to the garden’s main gate. From an Odori hotel, the main gate is about a 10-minute walk from Odori Station exit 2.
- Botanic Garden → Morning walk → lunch in the city centre
Walk in the garden in the morning. There is no restaurant inside, so leave through the main gate and eat in the city centre.
- City centre and Odori Park → TV Tower observation deck
In the afternoon, visit the TV Tower on the park’s east side. Buy a ticket on the 3rd floor, enjoy the city view from the deck and come back down.
- Odori Station → Your hotel
Walk back to your nearby Odori hotel. For a Sapporo Station hotel, take the Namboku Line one stop towards Asabu, then continue to the hotel.
Visit the outdoor Botanic Garden on open days between 29 April and 3 November. The outdoor garden closes in winter, and the glasshouse is currently closed to visitors.
Day 3 | Paid exhibitions at Shiroi Koibito Park
- Sapporo Station or Odori hotel → Tozai Line to Miyanosawa → ticket centre
From a Sapporo Station hotel, take the Namboku Line towards Makomanai to Odori, then change to the Tozai Line towards Miyanosawa. From an Odori hotel, take the Tozai Line directly. Get off at the final stop, walk about 7 minutes to the park and buy paid-area admission at the ticket centre.
- Park’s paid area → Factory tour, exhibitions and optional activity
Explore the confectionery factory and exhibitions in the paid area. For confectionery-making activities, check the fee and registration process for the activity you want separately.
Fees and ticketsKorean visitor guideOfficial Shiroi Koibito Park facility list and factory tour
- Shiroi Koibito Park → Miyanosawa Station
After your visit, walk back the same way to Miyanosawa Station, about 7 minutes away.
- Miyanosawa Station → Odori Station and your hotel
Take the Tozai Line towards Shin-Sapporo and get off at Odori. Return to your hotel there, or continue one stop towards Asabu on the Namboku Line for a Sapporo Station hotel.
Day 4 | Clock Tower, then New Chitose Airport
Visit the Clock Tower indoors before returning to New Chitose Airport.
- Sapporo Station or Odori hotel → Odori Station exit towards City Hall → Clock Tower
From a Sapporo Station hotel, take the Namboku Line one stop towards Makomanai to Odori. Walk about 5 minutes from the City Hall-side exit to the Clock Tower and visit the indoor exhibition after it opens at 08:45.
Subway route mapFacility’s station exit informationOfficial Clock Tower admission, fees, opening and closing times
- Clock Tower → JR Sapporo Station
After your visit, head to JR Sapporo Station, collecting any bags at your hotel first. From Odori, take the Namboku Line one stop towards Asabu. From the Sapporo Station area, walk to JR.
- JR Sapporo Station → New Chitose Airport Station and your departure terminal
Take an Airport train to New Chitose Airport and get off at the final stop. Go up from basement level 1 to the domestic terminal. For an international departure, use the 2nd-floor connecting passage and continue to departures on the international terminal’s 3rd floor.
Official JR access and timetablesAirport guide to JR accessOfficial New Chitose Airport floor maps · as of 2026-09-17
The Clock Tower opens at 08:45. Visit on the final morning only if there is enough time for the airport journey.
Included: Clock Tower, TV Tower, park’s paid area and Botanic Garden: JPY 3,170 + JR airport return: JPY 2,460
Extra costs: The subtotal excludes flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, confectionery activities, shopping and Sapporo subway fares. Check final JR prices for your visit date and seat type on the booking page. Airport JR costs use non-reserved seats; the supplement for reserved seats in car 4 is excluded. Attraction costs use standard separate tickets.
You can swap days 2 and 3 to avoid the garden’s Monday closure or the day after a public holiday. This itinerary cannot be followed unchanged in winter: the outdoor garden closes and the glasshouse is currently closed to visitors. Without the garden, day 2’s main visit is the TV Tower. For a winter trip, compare route A, which excludes the garden. Also check trains for the Otaru walking day and attraction opening days.
Official Clock Tower admission, fees, opening and closing timesFees and opening hoursFees and ticketsHours and feesOfficial JR access and timetablesStandard JR fares
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to change hotels for an Otaru day trip?
No. The Otaru day-trip option keeps you in Sapporo for three nights. Visit Otaru Canal by JR on day 2 and Shiroi Koibito Park on day 3. To stay by the canal into the evening and sleep in Otaru, compare the one-night Otaru and three-night Sapporo route.
Official Hokkaido tourism guideTrain and service information for your travel dateFees and ticketsHours and feesMain gate and access
Do you need a JR pass for an Otaru day trip?
The four-day Sapporo route with one Otaru day trip includes non-reserved JR airport return and Otaru return fares totalling JPY 4,060. Without extra JR journeys, compare this individual-ticket cost first. Check regional pass validity and coverage separately; they do not cover Sapporo’s subway or attraction admission.
Standard JR faresOfficial JR access and timetablesOfficial JR Hokkaido informationOfficial one-day pass information
Official sources and dates checked
- Sapporo tourism guide ·
- Fees and opening hours ·
- Getting there ·
- Facility’s station exit information ·
- Fees and tickets ·
- Korean visitor guide ·
- Access ·
- Hours and fees ·
- Main gate and access ·
- Official Hokkaido tourism guide ·
- Standard JR fares ·
- Official JR access and timetables ·
- Airport guide to JR access ·
- Subway route map ·
- Train and service information for your travel date ·
- Official one-day pass information ·
- Official JR Hokkaido information ·
- Official Clock Tower admission, fees, opening and closing times ·
- Official New Chitose Airport floor maps · as of 2026-09-17 ·
- Official Shiroi Koibito Park facility list and factory tour ·