The Best of Sapporo Express
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Port
Otaru, Japan
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$234.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 6½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
From the Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill on Sapporo's outskirts, take in the beautiful view of pastureland with grazing sheep -- part of the Hokkaido Agricultural Experimental Station. Oddly, a statue of Dr William Clark stands atop the hill -- an American who taught English and Botany at Sapporo Agricultural College in the late 1800s. Clark was only briefly a faculty member, but is remembered for his parting words, "Boys, be ambitious!"
The nearby Historical Village preserves the lifestyle of 19th-century and early 20th-century Japan. Sixty structures, painstakingly reproduced from traditional models, reflect life in a typical small town, fishing village, farming village and mountain hamlet. Your tour includes folk art demonstrations and folkloric performances.
You will drive by Sapporo Odori Park as you head east-west through downtown Sapporo. This pretty park includes flowerbeds, fountains, a shallow waterplay zone for children, and various monuments and statues, including Black Slide Mantra by sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988). Odori Park hosts the Sapporo Snow Festival every February. At the eastern end of the park, the 482-foot-tall Sapporo TV Tower dominates the landscape and offers a dynamic view of the city.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Tour order may vary. The tour includes uneven paths and some venues will require you to negotiate steps. Please bring local currency for additional purchases.