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Shopping in Sapporo: Ultimate Guide To Sapporo's Best Shops & Shopping Areas

Shopping in Sapporo: Ultimate Guide To Sapporo's Best Shops & Shopping Areas

Last updated: 16 July 2020

Are you looking for where to shop in Hokkaido? Shopping in Sapporo is perfect for you. Sapporo's shopping streets have many facilities ranging from arcades to shops and department stores, all frequented by residents and tourists.

Here you can find all sorts of gifts, beginning with pastries and a whole array of other items such as cosmetics, pharmaceutical items, electrical appliances, clothes, and household items.

Here we'll introduce all of Sapporo's main shopping areas so you can find exactly what you need!

Table of Contents
  1. Where to Shop in Sapporo: Two Main Shopping Areas
  2. 1. Shopping in Sapporo: Main Area in Front of Sapporo Station
  3. 2. Odori Area: Sapporo's Other Giant Shopping Area

Where to Shop in Sapporo: Two Main Shopping Areas

There are shopping facilities in every part of the city, but the following two areas have the most to offer:
1: In front of Sapporo Station
2: The Odori area

Let’s first look at the area in front of Sapporo Station!

1. Shopping in Sapporo: Main Area in Front of Sapporo Station

1. Shopping in Sapporo: Main Area in Front of Sapporo Station

This is adjacent to the Sapporo Metro subway and JR Sapporo Station. It is within easy walking distance of the station, making last-minute shopping just before returning by expressway bus or train to the New Chitose Airport very convenient.

Here there are a few giant commercial complexes to take note of.

Sapporo ESTA
A shopping complex housing large electrical appliance shops very popular with foreign visitors in front of Sapporo Station.

  • Sapporo ESTA
    札幌ESTA
    • Address 2 West, 5 North, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0005
    • Phone Number 011-213-2111
    • Hours: 10:00 AM ~ 9:00 PM (dining facilities: 11:00 AM ~ 10:00 PM) ※ Hours may differ for some of the stores in the building depending on the season.
      Closed: never ※ Differs according to store
      Access: 3-minute walk from JF Sapporo Station; 1-minute walk from the Toho Subway Line Sapporo Station; 3-minute walk from the Namboku Subway Line Sapporo Station

Sapporo STELLAR PLACE
It is one of the largest shopping malls in Japan. Connected to Sapporo Station, it includes apparel shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, and a cinema complex.

  • Sapporo STELLAR PLACE
    札幌 STELLAR PLACE(ステラプレイス)
    • Address 2 West, 5 North, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0005

Paseo
A shopping zone in the large underpass beneath JR Sapporo Station with many cafes and apparel shops.

  • Paseo
    パセオ
    • Address 2 West, 6 North, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0806

APIA
An underground shopping area in Sapporo Station containing many places where you can enjoy leisurely meals.

  • APIA
    アピア
    • Address 3-4 West, 5 North, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0005

Daimaru Sapporo
A department store very popular with residents. Its Kikiyokocho floor offering beauty, food, and everyday items aimed at women is very popular.

  • Daimaru Sapporo
    大丸札幌
    • Address 7-4 West, 5 North, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0005

Tokyu Department Store Sapporo
A department store very popular with local residents. Offers a wide assortment of goods for daily life and also includes Tokyu Hands.

  • Tokyu Department Store Sapporo
    東急百貨店札幌店
    • Address 2 West, 5 North, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0005
Sapporo ESTA in front of Sapporo Station. The first floor of the building is a bus center. Not only local buses, but expressway buses going to other areas in Hokkaido depart and arrive here.
Sapporo ESTA in front of Sapporo Station. The first floor of the building is a bus center. Not only local buses, but expressway buses going to other areas in Hokkaido depart and arrive here.

Closeup on Sapporo ESTA: Popular shopping center next to Sapporo Station

When you're looking where to shop in Sapporo, Sapporo ESTA is the perfect place to go when the weather isn't agreeable. There's no need for an umbrella on a rainy or snowy day because it is directly connected to Sapporo Station. It houses BicCamera, a top-class shop that offers one of the broadest selections of home electronics in Japan, the apparel shop UNIQLO, and the ramen theme park called Sapporo Ramen Republic.

Entrances are on the first and second floors, and the first and second basement floors are directly connected to the underground shopping areas and the subway station. All the levels from the second basement to the 10th floor offer a wide selection of goods, but I recommend you first visit the four following levels.

・Recommendation #1: Floors 1-4: Home electronics shop BicCamera

There is a duty-free register on the second floor visited daily by foreign tourists
There is a duty-free register on the second floor visited daily by foreign tourists

Here you will find cameras, watches, smartphones, personal computers, beauty appliances, cooking appliances, and many other types of electric devices. Many of the staff can speak foreign languages such as English and Chinese.

・Recommendation #2: 1st basement: Famous Hokkaido sweets, side dishes, box lunches, medical supplies, cosmetics

On this floor, there are corners selling famous Hokkaido confectionery and corners selling all kinds of side dishes and box lunches. There is also a drug store where you can purchase medical items and cosmetics.

・Recommendation #3: Floors 5-8: UNIQLO, fashion wear, general merchandise

Floors five through eight of Sapporo ESTA display fashions and sundries. UNIQLO occupies the greater part of the 5th floor. Many of the items displayed here are only offered in Hokkaido. Located exclusively on this floor, you can get all your clothing needs here without the need to visit other levels.

・Recommendation #4: 10th floor: Sapporo Ramen Republic

Finally, we recommend the Sapporo Ramen Republic on the 10th floor. Here there are eight shops offering a variety of Hokkaido ramen, such as miso ramen for which Sapporo is famous.

A steam locomotive monument inside the facility. This is a very popular spot among tourists for taking pictures
A steam locomotive monument inside the facility. This is a very popular spot among tourists for taking pictures

In addition to tourists, many residents also use the shopping facility, and aside from standard dishes on the menu, seasonal ramen dishes are also offered.

These shops have gained a reputation for their flavor, making them very popular. Some even have menus in foreign languages. This is the perfect place to get a bite to eat after shopping.

  • Sapporo ESTA
    札幌ESTA
    • Address 2 West, 5 North, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0005
    • Phone Number 011-213-2111
    • Hours: 10:00 AM ~ 9:00 PM (dining facilities: 11:00 AM ~ 10:00 PM) ※ Hours may differ for some of the stores in the building depending on the season.
      Closed: never ※ Differs according to store
      Access: 3-minute walk from JF Sapporo Station; 1-minute walk from the Toho Subway Line Sapporo Station; 3-minute walk from the Namboku Subway Line Sapporo Station

2. Odori Area: Sapporo's Other Giant Shopping Area

This refers to the area around Odori Station, one station on the Sapporo Metro Subway Namboku Line, and Toho Line from Sapporo Station. It has long been a center of commercial activity in Sapporo with many department stores and fashion buildings.

Odori is also a famous sightseeing spot having the Sapporo Clock Tower, Sapporo TV Tower, and Odori Park. It is also adjacent to the famous Susukino nightlife district.

Shopping spots in the Odori area

Tanukikoji Shopping Street
It is a two or three-minute walk from the Nishi 4-chome tram stop. It has been a commercial district with long-established shops since 1872. It is an area that has been appreciated by residents for many years and, in recent years, has become a popular tourist spot visited by many foreign visitors.

Marui Imai Sapporo Store
A department store facing Odori Park. Here you can find many food products only available in Hokkaido.

AURORA TOWN
Underground shopping center beneath Odori Park running from Nishi 1-chome to 3-chome.

  • AURORA TOWN
    オーロラタウン
    • Address 1-3 West, Oodoori, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0042

POLE TOWN
An underground town between Odori Station to the Nishi 4-chome tram stop and continuing on to the Metro Namboku Line Susukino Station.

  • POLE TOWN
    ポールタウン
    • Address 3 West, 4 South~3 West, 1 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0061 - 060-0064

4 Chome Plaza
Fashion building near the Nishi 4-chome tram stop and a one or two-minute walk from Odori Park.

  • 4 Chome Plaza
    4丁目プラザ
    • Address 4 West, 1 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0061

PIVOT
Next to 4 Chome Plaza, has a UNIQLO and a Tower Records music shop in it.

  • PIVOT
    ピヴォ
    • Address 4 West, 2 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0062

Sapporo PARCO
Across from 4 Chome Plaza and has many apparel and dining shops in it.

  • Sapporo PARCO
    札幌PARCO
    • Address 3-3 West, 1 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8502

Sapporo Mitsukoshi
Across from 4 Chome Plaza, it is a long-established department store. Its senior section is popular.

  • Sapporo Mitsukoshi
    札幌三越
    • Address 8-3 West, 1 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0061

Famous shopping spot in the Odori area: Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade hosts many old shops

Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade is famous among Sapporo residents for its shopping and leisure spots. In recent years a growing number of foreign tourists have been visiting it, and the number of shops having international exchanges has grown.

This long arcade stretching for about one kilometer east and west goes from 1-chome on the eastern edge to 7-chome on the western side.

Almost directly in the middle at 3-chome and 4-chome, there are the Tanukikoji tram stop of the Sapporo Streetcar Line and the entrance to the underground Pole Town. You can avoid the rain or snow if you come through Pole Town from Odori Station or Susukino Station.

Check out the video below for what else you can see in this area!

The "Hokkaido Tourist Information Center Sapporo" at the Don Quijote Tanukikoji in 4-chome provides sightseeing information for foreign visitors in English and Chinese.

There is also a foreign exchange across the way
There is also a foreign exchange across the way

There are about 200 shops between 1-chome and 7-chome of all sorts: Sapporo souvenir shops, restaurants, pharmacies, and many others. Gift shops selling Hokkaido pastries and other items are concentrated between 4-chome and 6-chome.

There are also many drug stores with about 13 located between 1-chome and 6-chome. Eating establishments are spread throughout the area between 1-chome and 7-chome: ramen shops, seafood pubs, kushiyaki [skewers of grilled food] shops, shops offering cuisine of many countries, and confectioneries.

■ Recommended gift shops between 4 and 6-chome

・Hokkaido Gifts Tanukiya
A gift shop located at Tanukikoji 4-chome. In addition to Hokkaido confections, it also offers character goods and wood carvings.

  • Hokkaido Gifts Tanukiya
    北海道みやげ たぬきや
    • Address 4 West, 2-3 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

Souvenir Shop Kobushiya
A gift shop located at Tanukikoji 4-chome. Sells famous Hokkaido sweets, ramen, seafood, sake, limited Hokkaido character goods, and other sundries.

  • Souvenir Shop Kobushiya
    おみやげの店 こぶしや
    • Address 4 West, 2-3 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

Souvenir Shop Shirakaba
A gift shop located at Tanukikoji 6-chome. It offers a wide selection of famous sweets and sundried items from Hokkaido. There is also another shop at Tanukikoji 5-chome.

  • Souvenir Shop Shirakaba
    おみやげの店しらかば
    • Address 6 West, 2-3 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

■ Recommended drug stores between 3 and 6-chome

Sapporo Drug Store
One store at Tanukikoji 4-chome, two at 5-chome, and one at 6-chome. They sell medicine, cosmetics, health food products, and various sweets. There is also a souvenir shop at 5-chome.

  • Sapporo Drug Store
    サッポロドラッグストアー
    • Address 4-6 West, 2-3 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

・Kokumin
Two stores at Tanukikoji 3-chome, one store at 5-chome. Drug stores selling medicine and cosmetics at reasonable prices.

  • Kokumin 3-Chome
    コクミン 3丁目
    • Address 3 West, 3 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
  • Kokumin 5-Chome
    コクミン 5丁目
    • Address 2 West, 5 South, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

・Matsumoto Kiyoshi
Drug store with two shops at Tanukikoji 3-chome. They sell medicine, cosmetics, health foods, and various other goods.

  • Matsumoto Kiyoshi Sapporo Tanukikoji
    マツモトキヨシ 札幌狸小路店
    • Address 3 Chome-1-5 Minami 2 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0062
  • Matsumoto Kiyoshi Sapporo Tanukikoji "Part 2"
    マツモトキヨシ 札幌狸小路Part2店
    • Address 3-13-1 Minami 3 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0063

■ 4-chome discount store MEGA Don Quijote Flagship Store

  • Don Quijote
    ドン・キホーテ狸小路店
    • Address 4-chōme-2-11 Minami 2 Jōnishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0062
  • MEGA Don Quijote Sapporo Tanukikoji Honten・North Building
    MEGAドン・キホーテ札幌狸小路本店・北館
    • Address 4 Chome-12-1 Minami 3 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0063
retirementbonus / Shutterstock.com
retirementbonus / Shutterstock.com

MEGA Don Quijote is open late into the night which makes shopping easy. It offers a wide array of household goods, cosmetics, liquors, and many other things that you can take back to your hotel. Very lively at night.

A statue of a tanuki (raccoon dog) in front of a small shrine at 5-chome
A statue of a tanuki (raccoon dog) in front of a small shrine at 5-chome

If you walk from one end to the other of this shopping area, you will see a fantastic variety of shops, so many that it is hard to decide which ones to visit; it is a beautiful space for shopping and eating.

Some of the shops in the Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade, such as gift shops and drug stores, offer duty-free prices and accept payment by credit card and electronic money. Other shops, such as ramen shops and other eateries, only accept cash payment in Japanese yen. Most shops indicate within them whether they accept digital cash or credit cards, so be sure to verify that before you shop.

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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