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Sapporo Breweries is one of Japan's top four beer companies, and its popular Beer Museum attracts 1.5 million visitors each year. It is located in a Meiji-era brick factory building, and offers a 50-minute tour which explains the history of beer in Japan as well as the process of beer making, and concludes with a tasting and small gift. The tours begin every 15 minutes and are conducted in Japanese, but English audio tapes are available. Reservations are recommended during the summer and holidays. The adjacent Sapporo Beer Garden, where you can order beer that is not available anywhere else, is also very popular.

"Odori" means "large street", and this city park consists of 12 blocks of the median along the main thoroughfare separating Sapporo City into North and South. There are extensive lawns and gardens, fountains and play areas for children, and during the spring and summer, there are stalls of snacks all along the park. This is also the site of many annual festivals such as the Bon, Yosakoi Soran and Snow Festival. At the east end of the park is the TV Tower, a popular tourist destination with a panoramic view.

This tower was originally built in 1878 as a drill hall for the Sapporo Agricultural College, which later became Hokkaido University. The American-made clock was added three years later. At the time of its construction, the Clock Tower was the tallest building in Sapporo, and although it has become rather inconspicuous thanks to the modern buildings towering around it, it is still considered a symbol of the city and is often featured in postcards and brochures. It has been designated as an Important Cultural Property, and there is a small local history museum inside, which is open to the public. The red stars on the front of the building were a symbol of the Hokkaido Development Commission.

Located at the east end of Odori Park, this 142.7-meter landmark was built in 1957 as a transmitter and receiver, and now serves as a major tourist attraction. There is a tourist information center, souvenir shops, restaurants and an observation deck that gives a 360( view across Odori Park and the city of Sapporo, the Ishikari Plains and even the Sea of Japan.

Nicknamed "Akarenga Chosha (lit. red brick government building)," this Important Cultural Property was built as the headquarters of the Hokkaido government in 1888. It is built in an American neo-Baroque style, using the state capitols from Maryland and Massachusetts as models. The present structure is actually a replica, as the original was destroyed by fire. Its rooms contain the Archives for Hokkaido and are open to the public for viewing during the day. The exterior of the building is lit up at night.

A field of pampas grass, which is what "Susukino" means, is thought to have existed when the Hokkaido Development Commission designated the area as a red light district in 1871. Today it is still the entertainment district for Sapporo, and is full of bars, restaurants, clubs, karaoke and pachinko parlors, as well as adult entertainment. It is said to be the only place bustling with life in the city after 9pm.

Like many Japanese cities, Sapporo has its own style of Ramen-and it is quite famous. Ramen Yokocho (lit. ramen side street) is a little section of Susukino with about 20 ramen shops, where competition benefits the customer with quality and economy. The basic Sapporo Ramen has a miso soup base, but soy sauce- and salt-based soups are also available. Many offer specialty ramen utilizing local foods such as crab, scallop, corn and butter, and these are not available anywhere else in the country. Locals often come to Susukino to drink and socialize, then finish their evening with a bowl of ramen at Ramen Yokocho. There is also the Shin-Ramen Yokocho, also in Susukino, and Menkoi Street along Tanuki-koji.

This prestigious national university was founded in 1876 as Sappporo Agricultural College, with the help of Dr. W.S. Clark of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Today the this multi-disciplinary university has everything from Law and Letters to Medicine and Agricultural Science. There are currently over 11,000 undergraduate students and 6,700 graduate students as well as research associates and faculty. Most buildings on campus are accessible to students and staff only, but the grove of poplars planted by forest science students and known as Poplar Avenue is a popular tourist attraction.

This is the second oldest botanical garden in Japan after Koishikawa Botanical Garden of Tokyo University. It is 13.3 hectares in area and maintains over 4000 species of plants. In addition to the various native and research gardens, there is a Natural History Museum built in 1884 by the Hokkaido Development Commission, now designated an Important Cultural Property. Inside are exhibits of aboriginal (Ainu) artefacts, local archaeological and biological specimens, and even the stuffed body of Taro, one of the two surviving sled dogs from Japan's 1958 mission to Antarctica.

Also known as Poplar Promenade, the first poplars were planted in 1903 by students for research purposes. The average lifespan of the poplar is 60 to 70 years, and fearing the possibility of falling trees, the Avenue is currently closed to the public. Tourists still come to view the magnificent trees however, and to take photographs of the bust of Dr W.S. Clark at the entrance to the Avenue. A new Poplar Avenue was planted about 500 meters north of the original in 2000, in advance commemoration of the University's 125th Anniversary.

A giant indoor entertainment complex built at the site of Japan's first beer factory. A vaulted glass atrium connects the original red brick building with five "wings" of shops, restaurants, cinemas, museums, galleries, amusement centers and even a day spa and hotel. A multi-purpose stage in the atrium is used for events such as dance contests, fashion shows and cooking demonstrations. Enjoy one (or more!) of the 13 different beer on tap in the beer hall "Bier Keller Sapporo Kaitakushi," or browse the "Souvenirs and Craftworks from the North" floor for local foods and gifts.

Although the university has been accumulating a vast number of biological, geological, archaeological and historical specimens during the 120-plus years that it has been in existence, it was not until 1999 that the over 4 million items were brought together in the old Science Building as the Hokkaido University Museum. The museum is still under development-only a portion of the collections are available for viewing at the moment-but currently open to the public are three main exhibits, "The History of Hokkaido University," "Academic Thematic Exhibitions," and the "Academic Exhibition of Specimens." Of interest are the extensive earth science collection, and the "world's first man-made cancer," induced by applying tar to a rabbit's ears.