It was after 10pm in Sapporo, so I used Rapym to find somewhere nearby that was still serving food.

Ended up at this tiny place with counter seating.

There were four of us sitting next to each other.

All four were eating alone.

For almost an hour, nobody really spoke. Just background music, chopsticks hitting bowls, and the occasional sound from the kitchen.

And somehow it was incredibly peaceful.

No awkward feeling that I should be talking to someone. No worrying about what anyone else was doing. Just sitting there and actually paying attention to my food.

When we finished, all four of us somehow ended up leaving around the same time.

Nobody said anything.

We just gave each other those tiny Japanese nods and went our separate ways.

Sounds stupid, but for a second it felt like there was this weird unspoken solidarity between four people who were all perfectly happy being alone.

If you're solo traveling in Sapporo, I highly recommend finding a tiny late-night restaurant and sitting at the counter.

10/10 solo travel experience.

Hello and thank you for helping me! I am looking at flights from US right after Christmas in order to ski in Niseko with relatives who live in Asia. They chose it so we are committed to Niseko.

I found a great round trip flight from west coast (with only one stop) to Sapporo, which can save us $10k in flights for a family of four (with 2 teens), but, that means we won’t stop in Tokyo 🙃. If we did stop in Tokyo it would have only been for 1.5 days due to ski itinerary. We would leave for Niseko after a brief stop at Tokyo.

My question is - Is no Tokyo stop a major mistake? I hear that Niseko is brimming with tourists so kind of bummed we won’t get same cultural experience there, but wondering if this Sapporo stop may be the remedy.

Thank you for your kind help and insight!

Hey, I‘m thinking of travelling to Sapporo from 20th - 25th November. Is it usually snowing during this time or should I come at some other point?

Is Apple Pay generally accepted at stores? Or you need to use PayPay?

I am absolutely impressed by this airport. Not only because it has a huge shopping centre attached to it with tons of food options. Very different from the "liquor and perfume airports" elsewhere

I'm an engineer currently based outside Japan, looking at a couple of engineering/semiconductor roles in the Sapporo-Chitose area. Japanese isn't an issue for me in daily life, so I'm less worried about the language barrier than about daily life and the general vibe.

For anyone who's made that move, or lives around Sapporo or Chitose:

• How does Chitose actually feel once you get past the obvious, such as the airport, Lake Shikotsu, and the Fighters' ballpark? Is there anything going on, or does everyone head to Sapporo on weekends?
• Is there any kind of expat/engineer community outside work, or does everyone keep to themselves?
• For those at the new fabs: what's the mood among people who relocated? Settling in, or counting the days?
• Could you see yourself staying there long-term (say, more than 5 years) with a family?

Honest takes welcome, including the negative ones. I'd rather hear the complaints now than after signing. Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’m Mai. I'm a Japanese teacher in Sapporo, and I’m curious about the experiences of foreigners who have moved here.

If you moved to Sapporo from another country, what was the most difficult part of getting settled?

For example:

• City hall / paperwork
• Finding an apartment
• Setting up electricity, gas, water, or internet
• Getting a phone/SIM
• Opening a bank account
• Going to the hospital
• Understanding garbage/recycling rules
• Using public transportation
• Something else?

How did you deal with it? Did you get help from your workplace, school, landlord, friends, or someone else?

And looking back, was there anything you wish you had had someone help you with?

I’m not trying to sell anything. I’m just interested in hearing about your experiences. Thanks!

Hi everyone!  

I’m an Honours student at the University of Sydney Business School researching the experiences of Australians who are currently or have been on a Working Holiday in Sapporo or broader Hokkaido, Japan. I’m really interested in hearing about what the experience was actually like the highlights, the challenging, the surprising, and everything in between!  
  
There hasn’t been much research on what the Aussie experience on this visa in Japan looks like so hearing your stories and insights would be invaluable. 

What my research involves:  

• A 5 minute survey   
• A casual 45–60 minute chat (Online) 

Eligible participants must be:  

• 18 years old or above; and  
• Have completed or are currently pursuing a working holiday in Japan   

If you’re interested in participating, please contact the researcher: [yzha3493@uni.sydney.edu.au](mailto:yzha3493@uni.sydney.edu.au).  

It’s completely voluntary and all responses will be confidential.   

If you’d be open to sharing your Japan working holiday stories, lessons, or memories, I’d love to hear from you!  

Otherwise, please share this with others who might be interested!  

This project has been approved by the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) [2026/HE000396]. 

Help!
I was thinking of bringing my Dyson airstrait and Airwrap to Sapporo because my last trip without my tools left me with crazy frizzy hair
My boyfriend’s convinced using it at Karaksa hotel will be fine but I’m reading on Google that it’s not as safe since Hotel’s in Japan often run off of 100V and the Dyson is averagely 120V
Do you guys think it’ll be fine or should I leave it at home ?

Hey Sapporo,

I've been building an app called MoguMogu for the past year. It scans Japanese food labels and tells you whether a product is safe for your allergen / halal / vegetarian profile. Free, no ads, and the dietary profile stays on your phone (no analytics SDKs, nothing shipped off-device).

Why I'm posting here specifically: I built this in Sapporo, my testing has been at the Aeon in Kotoni and the Lucky in Miyanosawa, and I know a good chunk of this sub is either foreign residents figuring out konbini snacks or Japanese folks with kids who have allergies. If either of those is you, I'd love to hear where it breaks.

iOS only for now, in the Japan App Store — search MoguMogu. Android is in closed testing.

Not asking anyone to install if you don't need it. But if you or someone in your household reads 原材料名 in the supermarket and squints, give it a try.

Happy to grab a coffee at Morihiko and demo it if anyone's curious. Comments open for bugs.

- hari

I’m especially looking for places to shop for cute trinkets, souvenirs, collectibles, stationery, and character goods. I love Snoopy, Sonny Angel, Smiski, Monchhichi, and other cute/unique little finds.

Also, what places would you recommend visiting in Sapporo? I’m open to anything—cute cafés, sightseeing spots, shopping areas, hidden gems, or must-visit places!

Will go next week with my sister and her family. Would love to hear your favorite spots and any recommendations for a first-time visitor. Thank you! 🫶🏼

Does anyone know where I can take several rolls of B&W 35mm film for development and scanning? I don't need anything right now outside of the standard 4x6 prints, but the collection of film is getting to be a little comical.

am planning to go to Sapporo in early october and would like to know if there are any sort of pickup football games that are foreigner friendly that happens in and around sapporo? if so, is it more so futsal pitches or astroturf?

would love to play against Japanese people so would appreciate any sort of help!

Hi, I'd earlier posted here under u/democratsabroadjapan and this is the second (and final) reminder I'll make for eligible US voters who want to participate in the 2026 American midterm elections, especially for those in Sapporo and Hokkaido. Democrats Abroad is dedicated to mobilizing overseas US voters; if you're over 18 by November 3, here's how you can get involved:

Steps to Request Your Ballot

1. Register or update your registration through Votefromabroad.org. As an alternative, you can also use FVAP.gov.

2. If you're already registered, request a ballot! You need to request a ballot every calendar year that you want to vote.

3. Fill Out and Return Your Ballot: Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions carefully to complete it and return it by the specified deadline.

Need Assistance?

We're here to help! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at GOTV @ votefromabroad .org (just remove the spaces). Additionally, our FAQ for voting can answer questions on how to make the process go smoothly.

Importantly: Spread the word!

Do you have any friends, contacts or family overseas that you could reach? All eligible US citizens can vote regardless of where they're living. Share the link https://voteabroad.org/RedditVote26: If you have any questions about voting, I'd be happy to answer them here on Reddit. You can also find out what we're doing near you at Democrats Abroad in Japan. Thanks for reading!

Wondering what's the best seafood izakaya restaurant that doesn't allow smoking is. We went into 4 - 5 tonight and all of them had people openly smoking. In the end we ate at one where the food was mediocre and the menu was quite limited. Any recommendations?

Hello, thank you for coming to my post,

I am scheduled to move to Sapporo in October to start as a Graduate student at Hokudai. I recently bought my first suit here in the US, where I am currently, and I didn't expect to enjoy that experience so much, but now I am thinking of buying a sport coat, and probably some other fashion accessories. It can be a bit expensive to buy these kinds of things, I already spent more than I would like to admit on the suit, but I think if I pay attention to stores with ongoing sales and I find a good store, then I could get some nice outfits for a good price.

My questions are, as a 6ft tall thin guy, is it possible for me to get some decent coats and pants in Sapporo for a fair price? What kind of store would have a selection of sport coats or blazers in Sapporo? It may seem like a silly question, because Sapporo is a massive city, I don't see why they wouldn't have these kinds of clothing stores, but I have never been there, so I thought it would be fair to ask. My local mall has coats on sale for about $80, but after tailoring them it would be probably $150 or more per coat. It's a bit expensive for me, so I would need to spend some time saving up or diligently planning my purchases, which I hope to do in Sapporo. If anyone has a recommendation for a store that I can visit, I would be grateful if you would share that. Also a recommendation on a local dry-cleaner would be great! I plan to live near the University. Thank you in advance.

My entire family is dragging me out to visit Sapporo just right after my o-level exams. Our trip apparently is from 21 Nov to 28 Nov, so thats probably 7 or 8 days (thats probably a lot of time to experience a lot). So I wanna hear from the locals if theres any interesting places to visit with my family that googling "top places in sapporo to visit" might not show me.

Additionally I'm also particularly interested in jdm car culture, and ive only experienced this in games. But while I'm in Sapporo I also want to try and experience a part of the car culture in person soo if theres any places to visit or things i could do, lmk

TL;DR:

I’m visiting Sapporo with my family from 21–28 November. I’m looking for lesser-known places and activities that locals recommend, I’m also really interested in jdm car culture, so I’d like recommendations for places or experiences where I can see it in person.

Hello locals!!! I am planning a trip to Japan focusing on Hokkaido this coming February 2027, and had a question about the snow festival I can’t seem to find a definite answer to on Google. While considering itineraries, I am looking at flying to Memenbetsu (MMB) to start my trip on Feb. 9 (arrive in Japan on the 8th) early, do the prison museum and ice breaker cruise, (plus dinner), then leave the next morning the 10th on the Okhotsk to Sapporo, arriving around noon. The Sapporo snow festival is listed to still be going on the 10th. Will I be able to see the festival in all its glory on the 10th afternoon and evening and the morning of the 11th? I cannot seem to find a definite answer. Internet says yes, some anecdotes say it’s torn down the night of the 10th-11th overnight. So I ask ye locals, what’s the definite answer? Any long time locals know the timing of this? Arigato in advance!!

Yahoo weather report

Rain moving onto 厚別､江別 areas.

Stay safe everyone and check if you are in the affected area.

Just had my first trip to Hokkaido. Since it was summer, I had to imagine what the place would look like and how it would function in winter. To that end, does anyone have a map they can share of the heated streets/footpaths in Sapporo? Are there any cyclists who persist in winter, perhaps with studded tyres? Also, is there any salting/gravel/clearing on the Toyohira River pathways or does that become an icy mess with thaw/re-freeze?

Planning a trip to Sapporo, going from 5-15th November. Right now looking at possibly visiting Sapporo, Otaru and Hakodate.
I love trying new tastes so any recommendations would be great! Thanks!

Hi, all!

I'm going to Hokkaido in two weeks with a friend, and I was wondering if anyone knew of any specialty stores selling used movies, posters, chirashi, etc in Sapporo.

All advice appreciated, thank you very much :^)

Hi\~

37M will be visiting Sapporo and neighboring places during said period. If you are nearby and like to explore together, do not hesitate to hit me up:)