13 Recommended Sapporo Tourist Spots for Family Trips Where You Can Experience Magnificent Nature

Winter in Sapporo is harsher than you might expect.
Because children have not yet fully developed the ability to regulate their body temperature, proper cold-weather protection is essential.
For that reason, dress them in layers so they can easily take clothes off and put them on.
For inner layers, choose materials with moisture-wicking and heat-retaining properties, and add a sweater or fleece on top.
For outerwear, choose a windproof and waterproof down jacket, and protect the head with earmuffs or a hat.
For the feet, thick socks and winter boots help prevent cold, and for playing in the snow, water-repellent ski wear or waterproof pants will give you peace of mind.
If you dress in layers properly, you can enjoy sightseeing in Sapporo comfortably without worrying about the cold.

If you are sightseeing in Sapporo with small children, using a rental car is recommended.
On family trips, where you tend to have a lot of luggage, getting around by car is convenient in many ways.
Since it gives you a private space inside the vehicle, you can travel without worrying about those around you even if your child cries or gets noisy.
A rental car also makes it easy to reach sightseeing spots on the outskirts of Sapporo that are harder to access by public transportation.

If you are not using a rental car, stay around Sapporo Station, which will serve as your base for getting around, and enjoy going out by subway or streetcar.
Even using only public transportation, you can access places children will enjoy, such as Odori Park, Maruyama Zoo, and Moerenuma Park, so there is no need to worry.
If you have a lot of luggage, use taxis as needed, and take advantage of stroller-friendly sightseeing spots and baggage delivery services to enjoy a comfortable trip.

When sightseeing with children who get bored in quiet environments or from sitting for long periods, it is important to include places with play and learning opportunities, as well as places where they can be active.
Sapporo has many parks rich in nature, and Odori Park and Maruyama Park in particular have vast grounds and plenty of playground equipment, making them perfect for active play.
It is also a good idea to include indoor facilities in your plan where children can play safely even on rainy or snowy days.
The Sapporo subway and streetcars are relatively uncrowded if you avoid commuting and school rush hours, and they can also be a fun way to get around for children who like vehicles.
In addition, Sapporo hosts many large seasonal events, including the Sapporo Snow Festival, and adding events that children can enjoy to your sightseeing plan will help create even more fun memories.

Shiroi Koibito is known as one of Sapporo’s signature sweets.
Shiroi Koibito Park is a sweets theme park where you can tour the production line for Shiroi Koibito and other treats, learn about the history of chocolate, and even make your own original Shiroi Koibito.
It also features Gulliver Town, Pocke, where visitors can enjoy pretend play and games, making it fun for both adults and children.

In 1950, Ueno Zoo in Tokyo held a traveling zoo event in Sapporo, and due to its popularity, Maruyama Zoo opened the following year as the first zoo in Hokkaido.
One of its main highlights is the Polar Bear House, where you can watch polar bears swimming through an underwater tunnel.
The pool is divided between polar bears and seals, and if the timing is right, you may even see a polar bear going after a seal.

Moerenuma Park is an art park created under the Circular Greenbelt Concept, a plan to surround central Sapporo with a belt of parks and green spaces.
The entire park was designed by sculptor Isamu Noguchi as a single sculptural work, showing visitors a wide range of expressions through the changing seasons.
One of the park’s symbolic structures is the Glass Pyramid.

Odori Park is located in the center of Sapporo.
Surrounded by Approx. 4,700 trees of 92 species, including lilacs and Japanese elms, it also features lawns and fountains as places to relax, and is beloved by both tourists and locals as a place of rest in the office district.
Odori Park is also known as a venue for events such as the Sapporo Lilac Festival and the YOSAKOI Soran Festival, and among them, the Sapporo Snow Festival is especially popular as a major event that attracts Approx. 2 million visitors from Japan and abroad every year.

An open-air museum adjacent to the vast and nature-rich Nopporo Forest Park.
As its name suggests, it exhibits relocated, restored, and recreated buildings from around Hokkaido that were originally built during the era of Hokkaido’s development, from the Meiji period to the early Showa period.
Within its 54.2-hectare grounds, there are four areas, urban, fishing village, farming village, and mountain village, lined with 52 buildings.
Visitors also enjoy a variety of hands-on experiences related to the buildings, including making traditional toys in the hands-on learning building, as well as experiences tied to places such as a dye shop and a newspaper company.

AOAO SAPPORO is an urban aquarium spanning the 4th to 6th floors of the multi-use complex moyuk SAPPORO in central Sapporo.
Its diverse exhibition areas across three floors display Approx. 4,000 living creatures from about 250 species.
One of the most popular attractions is the penguin exhibit, which uses the world’s first display system that can change the shape of the land area.
Take a close look at the lively northern rockhopper penguins.
The Nature Aquarium, where you can see beautiful underwater landscapes created by rich plant life and aquatic creatures, is also one of the highlights.
Not only can you observe small creatures in their natural state, but you may also sense the spirit of Zen.
Another welcome feature is the fully equipped baby room with a nursing room and kids’ space, making it easy for families with children to spend time here comfortably.

Sapporo Teine is a ski resort spread across the summit of Mt. Teine in western Sapporo.
Sapporo Teine Snow Land, located within the resort grounds, offers a wide variety of snow activities for families.
Even small children can play safely, enjoying sledding and making snow castles or snowmen.
You can also wear snowshoes, which make it easier to walk on snow, and explore the surrounding area.
It usually opens from mid-December to mid-March, but the opening and closing dates vary depending on the year’s weather and snow conditions, so please check the official website for details.

Located Approx. 20 minutes from central Sapporo by public transportation, this 531 m mountain still preserves its primeval forest and is also loved by locals as a relaxing nature spot thanks to its easy access.
The trip to the summit takes Approx. 1 to 2 hours one way, and five beginner-friendly hiking courses are available. Along the routes, you can enjoy birdsong, a variety of trees and flowers, and even encounters with small animals such as squirrels and Hokkaido foxes.

Takino Suzuran Hillside National Government Park is the only national government park in Hokkaido.
Its expansive 400-hectare grounds are divided into four zones, featuring colorful flower fields, large playground equipment, three waterfalls, and forests for walking.
In winter, it changes its name to Takino Snow World and opens for the winter season, where visitors can enjoy a variety of snow activities.

Located a little outside central Sapporo, Sapporo Satoland is a rural theme park that connects the city with agriculture.
With children’s facilities and attractions, vegetable harvesting experiences, butter-making workshops, and a farm where you can interact with horses, goats, and other animals, visitors can feel closer to the dairy farming and agriculture that support Hokkaido.
If you are sightseeing in Sapporo as a family, this is a place you will want to include in your plans.

An urban aquarium located next to the large shopping center Sunpiazza and close to both JR and subway stations.
Although compact, the facility offers plenty to see, with creatively designed exhibition spaces housing Approx. 10,000 living creatures from about 200 species.
The exhibition space spans two floors, with the first floor displaying fish that live in the seas around Hokkaido, along with tropical saltwater fish from coral reefs and crustaceans.

Nakajima Park is located in central Sapporo, yet surrounded by lush greenery.
Because you can enjoy seasonal scenery throughout the year, it is one of the popular parks in Sapporo, even among the city’s many attractions that draw large numbers of tourists.
In spring, cherry blossoms and wisteria bloom beautifully, and in summer, yellow irises come into flower. The autumn foliage is another of its charms.

In spring, fresh green pasture grass welcomes visitors, while summer brings lavender fields. In autumn, you can enjoy colorful leaves, and in winter, a pure white blanket of snow spreads out before you. It is an excellent photo spot with magnificent scenery that changes with the seasons.
The Clark Statue, modeled after Dr. William Smith Clark, known for the famous quote “Boys, be ambitious,” is also one of the popular photo spots.

A resort hotel located on the outskirts of Sapporo. Popular for its extensive family-friendly facilities such as a spa and pool, it offers open-air baths with hot springs, as well as a large public bath with seven tubs and three saunas.
In addition to an indoor pool available year-round, an outdoor pool also opens in summer.
Guest rooms come in a variety of types, including family rooms with wide beds where the whole family can sleep together and stylish designer rooms.

La'gent Stay Sapporo Odori is located a 5-minute walk from Odori Station on the subway.
The guest rooms feature simple, practical designs and come in a variety of types to suit different travel purposes.
If you are staying as a family, the family room, which can accommodate up to 5 guests, is recommended.
Facilities such as a kitchen, washing machine, and large TV help make your family stay comfortable.
It is also nice that kids’ amenities and rentals such as children’s slippers, pajamas, and step stools are available.

HOTEL MYSTAYS PREMIER Sapporo Park is located in central Sapporo.
It is also exceptionally convenient, just a 2-minute walk from Nakajima Koen Station on the Namboku Subway Line.
The hotel is equipped with natural hot springs, and its spacious rooms with refined design are perfect for relaxing after a day of travel.
In addition to free rentals of children’s items such as baby cribs and diaper pails, another appealing feature is the family-type Baby/Kids Room, which can accommodate up to 4 guests.
It is also recommended for family stays because it has an all-weather kids’ park where small children can play.