COCONO Susukino, a newly opened commercial complex in the heart of Sapporo, opened its doors for the first time in November 2023, with a second opening in January 2024. It offers a variety of services, from sundries and cosmetics to restaurants, cinemas, and hotels.

The core concept of the facility is to transform the city of Sapporo into a "playground" that transcends day and night. And despite Susukino's reputation as a nightlife haven, this establishment was born from the desire to cultivate a space where people can gather ‘round the clock, catering to the diverse interests of all visitors.

By Train:
・Directly connected to Susukino Station on the Subway Namboku Line Exit 5
・1-minute walk from Susukino Station on Sapporo City Tram

By Bus:
・Ride Jotetsu Bus to Susukino Station
・7/H/J Route (Rapid)
・8/J Route (Rapid)
・Minami 55 Route

Central Sapporo boasts a well-connected network of underground passageways, seamlessly linking JR Sapporo Station, Odori Station, and Susukino Station in a straight line beneath the city. COCONO Susukino sits just outside the Susukino side entrance of the Sapporo Underground Mall Pole Town, an underground shopping complex linking Odori and Susukino.

It’s a short walk from the nearest Susukino Station, Odori Station, and Sapporo Station, allowing visitors to travel underground, even in inclement weather. Odori Subway Station is also a 10-minute walk away, and JR Sapporo Station is a 25-minute walk away.

Upon entering from the Susukino Subway Station side, head immediately left, where you’ll find a staircase-shaped waiting area between B2F and B1F. This spot has actually served as a regular meeting spot for Sapporo locals heading to Susukino since before the area’s redevelopment! And with the addition of seating options, it has transformed into an even more comfortable space, perfect for meet-ups or a quick break.

Without further ado, let’s embark on our journey! We’ll begin with a tour of the stores, each offering a unique shopping experience in Hokkaido.

On B1F, you’ll find food and grocery stores, offering everything from sweets and prepared meals to fresh and smoked fish, along with alcoholic beverages.

The popular store, Hokkaido Shiki Marche COCONO Susukino, also opened recently in January 2024, where you’ll find a variety of Hokkaido souvenirs. One store worth mentioning is Nemoto Sake-ten, known for its fine selection of Japanese sake and whiskey. Their main store is located in Makomanai, Minami-ku, Sapporo, which has established a solid reputation.

The welcoming and spacious ambiance of the restaurant features a wide selection of sake and whiskey, as well as gin, craft beer, and a number of other alcoholic beverages. Amongst the sake offerings are selections such as Hokkaido sake from Kamikawa Taisetsu Brewery, Michizakura, and Yoichi Nikka Whiskey, amongst others.

The sake, in particular, is sourced directly from producers all across Japan, with some exclusive varieties only available here in Hokkaido. All products are eligible for duty-free shopping (available after February 2024).

In addition to shopping, indulging in the "kaku-uchi" experience here is a must! "Kaku-uchi" refers to a standing counter in the corner of a liquor store where visitors can sample drinks and snacks. At Nemoto Sake-ten, you can try sake, three types of whiskey, craft beer on tap, and more. You'll also find snacks made with Hokkaido ingredients like cured ham and smoked herring.

The selection of alcoholic beverages changes regularly, ensuring a fresh experience with each visit. So, no matter how many times you drop by, you're bound to enjoy something new!

From the selection of bottles arranged on the counter, customers can select three whiskies of their choice to taste and compare. Today, we decided to try three different Japanese whiskeys (15ml each): Taketsuru Pure Malt, Single Malt Yoichi, and Single Malt Kanosuke. We also ordered a bowl of smoked herring to accompany the drinks.

Let's make a toast! Comparing the drinks, we noticed that even within the same Japanese whiskey category, there are distinct flavor profiles. The smoked herring snacks perfectly complemented our drinks.

Guests are also allowed to bring any food purchased from the basement floor to enjoy with their drinks. So why not enhance the tasting experience by pairing them with your favorite snacks?

Facility Information:

Nemotosaketen

TEL: 011-215-1149
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Closed: Open daily
Multilingual options: English speaking staff may be available. (Not always available)

Floors 3F and 4F are dedicated to dining, with a variety of restaurants that offer options for lunch, dinner, and more.

On the third floor is Cocono Foodhall, newly opened in January 2024, with seven restaurants offering a range of dishes from tempura to soup curry and more. Patrons can buy a meal, and eat at any table on the floor.

On the fourth floor is Cocono Yokocho, which stands out for its late-night hours, with many shops open until midnight. With eight unique eateries, guests can enjoy both Hokkaido-produced foods, and dishes making their debut in Hokkaido for the first time.

Next we’d like to introduce Kappou Hashi, located in Cocono Yokocho on the fourth floor! The term "kappou (割烹)” stems from a Japanese cooking technique involving cutting food with a knife (割) and cooking it over a fire (烹).

Kappou Hashi offers traditional "kappou" dishes with a modern twist. Much like a pair of chopsticks (or “hashi”), their menu offers a delicate balance of fresh Hokkaido sashimi and specialty dishes, along with carefully selected Japanese wines and sake.

The sign in front of the restaurant states their concept in English.

When you open the drawer under each table, you will find three kinds of chopsticks, and chopstick rests for each. This allows diners to choose their favorite utensils to really enjoy their meal.

After choosing our chopsticks and rests, our dishes arrived. We ordered the super popular kaisen-don (rice bowl topped with seafood) and the “grilled grated yam with horsehair crab," as recommended by our waiter. Time to dig in!

The grilled yam with crab is an excellent dish that allows you to enjoy a delicious blend of rich crab flavor and the fluffy, smooth texture of the yam.

The kaisen-don is a bowl of rice topped with ten kinds of seafood, including button prawns and snow crab. We recommend eating some and then trying the rest as chazuke (rice with tea and broth). The combination of seafood and the flavorful broth makes this dish truly enjoyable.

In addition to the dishes introduced here, the restaurant offers an array of delicious dishes featuring seasonal ingredients, including steaks and hot pot. It’s definitely a place we’d like to visit again!

Facility Information:
・kappou Hashi
・TEL: 011-206-7594
・Hours: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
・Closed: Open daily
・Multilingual Options: English-speaking staff may be available. (May not always be available)

After dinner, it's time to explore everything else COCONO Susukino has to offer! From Kappou Hashi, head down the atrium toward the elevators on your left, and you'll come across a recommended entertainment spot geared toward grown-ups. To the left of the atrium is BLOW Susukino, Hokkaido's first amusement casino bar.

BLOW's concept revolves around stimulating and exhilarating everyday life. Patrons can immerse themselves in the restaurant's chic atmosphere, indulge in a drink, and play one of four games: blackjack, roulette, baccarat, or poker. (Please note, however, that unlike in a real casino, chips cannot be exchanged for cash!)

There's also a table where you can enjoy a game accompanied by a glass of Nikka no Ojisan.

Upon entering the casino, guests must pay both an admission fee and a chip fee before selecting the table they wish to play at. As this was our first casino experience, we opted to try our hand at blackjack, a game often recommended for beginners!

After hearing a brief explanation from the table dealer and ordering a drink, the game begins! At BLOW, patrons can play and drink to their heart's content as long as they have chips in hand. And since all the tables are basically shared, the one-of-a-kind encounters experienced through gameplay are sure to add to the memories of your trip.

Incidentally, the Sapporo Classic we ordered was served in an elegant, slender glass, adding to the enjoyment of both the game and the drink!

If you’re interested in exploring additional games, you have the option to move to another available table. Just ask the staff about table availability.

COCONO Susukino also offers a range of other entertainment facilities, including a game arcade with a bar counter at the end of the 3F food hall, where customers can enjoy games while indulging in food and drinks.

In addition, floors 5-7F house TOHO CINEMAS, the first cinema complex to be established in Hokkaido. These floors offer various amenities aimed at enhancing the movie-watching experience, including a premium theater with top-notch sound, visuals, and seating. There’s also a Dolby Cinema that incorporates cutting-edge image processing technology and a three-dimensional sound system.

The Drink Station allows you to refill your favorite drink at a fixed price, and is the first of its kind in Hokkaido. Visitors can enjoy a diverse selection of drinks, from cold and hot drinks to options like milk tea and cocoa, at any point before, during, or after a movie screening.

Facility Information:
・BLOW Susukino
・TEL: 011-522-7173
・Hours: 11 AM - Midnight (Last drink order: 11 PM)
・Closed: Open daily
・Multilingual options: English-speaking staff may be available. (May not always be available)

The charm of COCONO Susukino is its ability to offer all-day dining and entertainment, followed by overnight stays at the hotel. The hotel is directly accessible through a dedicated elevator located on the right side of the 1F entrance facing Route 36. This allows guests to easily retire to their rooms after a fun-filled day of excitement.

Sapporo Stream Hotel, which recently celebrated its grand opening in January 2024, is a lifestyle hotel occupying floors 7-18. There’s also a cloakroom window at the 1F reception desk where guests can retrieve their luggage.

The brand concept is centered around “deep community,” with an overarching theme of providing comprehensive information about the region and its yet-undiscovered attractions to guests and locals alike.

Upon arrival at the 7F lobby, guests are greeted by colorful panels. From right to left, these panels depict a bottle of Nikka Whiskey, the topography of Sapporo, a brown bear, a parfait, and crab claws. The bricks of the lobby walls enhance the ambiance, evoking the character and warmth synonymous with Hokkaido. Additionally, the aroma from the hops used in beer production wafts through the air, infusing the space with a delightful Susukino atmosphere.

Behind the panels lies the souvenir shop, “Kogumaya, which” offers visitors the chance to acquire works from Hokkaido artists and studios. Here, one can find a number of crafts, artwork, and other unique items that can only be purchased here.

On the store’s wall is a monitor displaying staff recommendations on Sapporo and must-visit spots, along with informational magazines. Guests can easily view this information on their phones by scanning the QR code displayed on the store tablet. There’s also a currency exchange machine next to the store where foreign currency can be exchanged.

Restaurant Bar & Grill Splish, situated next to the lobby, is an all-day dining restaurant with an outstanding view that serves as both a cafe and bar. The restaurant menu features not only dishes made with Hokkaido’s finest ingredients but also offers a taste of the region's culture and history.

They currently feature dishes known as “Tan-tetsu-ko meshi,” specialties of the Sorachi region, which include meals like Bibai Yakitori and Gatatan soup for breakfast and lunch. Please note that the lineup is subject to change, so be sure to check back periodically for updates.

In total, there are 436 guest rooms categorized into three types: Superior, Superior Plus, and Premium. The walls of the guest rooms are made of brick, just like the lobby, imparting a sense of Hokkaido's rich culture, history, and natural beauty.

All rooms are equipped with smart TVs, with some featuring high-quality speakers. You can access hotel information directly from the TV or connect your personal devices to the speakers to enjoy your own music.

The 18th floor boasts the highest rooftop in Sapporo, accessible to all guests from 5-11 PM. This rooftop offers a panoramic view of the city of Sapporo, and on clear days, you may even catch a glimpse of Mt. Teine and the ocean in the Ishikari area. So if, you’re spending a night at this hotel, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit this spectacular spot!

Another service available to all hotel guests is the Stream Hour. This service offers Tokachi wine in the 7F lobby from 3-7 PM every day, during which guests can indulge in dry rosé wine, a rarity in Japan.

Guests of the premium category get to enjoy another exclusive service: an inviting and luxurious premium lounge, located on the 18th floor, open during the day from 3-11 PM.

In addition to breakfast, light meals, and a variety of self-service drinks, there’s also a corner where guests can grind and drip their own coffee beans, sourced from Marumi Coffee Shop, a specialty coffee shop in Sapporo.

Another service available only in the Premium category is a hot bath facility equipped with a sauna, open from 5-10 AM and from 3 PM to 1 AM.

Guests can unwind either before venturing out for the day's activities in the morning, or later in the evening after a long day of excitement. No matter the time, guests can delight in the Sapporo cityscape view while relaxing in the bath.

Facility Information:
・SAPPORO STREAM HOTEL
・TEL: 011-206-1099
・Hours: Check-in: 3 PM - Midnight, Check-out: By 11 AM
・Closed: Open daily
・Multilingual Options: English-speaking staff are available.

At Cocono Terrace on the second floor, guests can indulge in two shots of Nikka no Ojisan, the symbolic drink of Susukino. We couldn't resist taking a quick shot ourselves! The terrace looks even better at night when illuminated by the neon lights.

Additionally, the outdoor digital sign displays the time of Snow Miku, the winter version of Sapporo-born virtual idol Hatsune Miku, at 8 AM, noon, 3 PM, and 7 PM daily. It's definitely worth taking a look!

Susukino is one of the most popular entertainment districts in Hokkaido, boasting a number of restaurants, clubs, and bars. So if you're eager to delve deeper into what Susukino has to offer, why not consider joining a guided tour?

From shopping and entertainment to accommodations, COCONO Susukino is a one-stop destination where you can indulge in all-day fun! Here you can immerse yourself in the excitement of Sapporo, whether as a sightseeing spot or as a convenient base for your trip.

Of the shops introduced here today, Nemoto Sake Shop provides tentative duty-free services. However, please note that the duty-free availability may vary from store to store, so we recommend checking with each one individually beforehand to confirm.

In addition to COCONO Susukino, numerous other redevelopment projects are currently underway around Sapporo Station, Odori, and Susukino. New high-rises and commercial facilities are also set to open in the future, so be sure to keep your eye on Sapporo as it continues to evolve in the coming years!

Information in article as of February 2024. Please see official websites for the latest updates and information.

English translation by: Krys Suzuki