Tanuki COMICHI is a food court that recently opened on August 30, 2022. Spanning the first and second floors of the facility, there's a total of 20 restaurant stalls and fruit and vegetable shops.

Located along the long-established Tanukikoji Shopping Street in downtown Sapporo, it's easily accessible from Sapporo Station and Susukino Station through the underground shopping arcade, making it easy to get to, whether rain or shine.

Tanukikoji Shopping Street is a popular tourist attraction, with many souvenir shops and drugstores, so we recommend stopping by Tanuki COMICHI during your next sightseeing trip!

Tanuki COMICHI is full of restaurants that are popular all over Hokkaido. There's a wide variety of eateries, ranging from sushi and soba shops to burger joints, as well as pancake shops, izakayas, and craft beer spots! Delve into the diverse food culture of Hokkaido as you walk around and sample them all.

Whether you're checking out the market or grabbing something from the food stalls, each shop guarantees to immerse you in Hokkaido's food culture, allowing you to try delicious local delicacies from all over the region, all from this single shop!

Among the many shops, it's especially popular for its seafood izakayas. Operated by the fresh fish shop from which they obtain their specially-select seafood, this izakaya prepares all kinds of delicious dishes, from steamed to grilled meals.

But with that popularity comes long lines of fans waiting for seats. So to avoid the crowds, we recommend visiting at opening time, which is 11:00 a.m. for lunch or 4:00 p.m. for dinner.

Getting there
・From Tanukikoji Station (Sapporo Streetcar): 4 min walk
・From Odori Station (Subway Namboku Line / Tozai Line / Toho Line): 6 min walk
・Susukino Station (Subway Namboku Line): 6 min walk
・From JR Sapporo Station: 17 min walk

Multilingual support
・Facility signs in Japanese and English.
・Staff supported languages vary by store.

Health & safety measures
Indoor disinfection measures taken - Sanitizer available - Ventilation measures taken - Entry declined to anyone feeling unwell

IKEUCHI GATE is a commercial facility that recently opened on October 15, 2022. It's built on the site of the former IKEUCHI GATE, a complex constructed in 1949 that was rebuilt as a new 8-story building after deteriorating from age. Located in the Odori District of Sapporo, it's a lively spot lined with shops and bustling with locals.

As of December 2022, there are eight open stores on the facility's first through fourth floors, including GAP, LACOSTE, and other fashion and outdoor stores. We highly recommend these shops for those planning to enjoy Hokkaido's outdoor activities!

At the moment, only a handful of the stores are open, but you can look forward to visiting many other new shops in the near future. Wondering what will open next is part of the excitement!

Getting there
・Odori Station (Subway Namboku Line / Tozai Line / Toho Line): 1 min. walk
・Nishi 4-chome Station (Sapporo City Tram): 3 min walk
・Susukino Station (Subway Namboku Line): 6 min walk
・JR Sapporo Station: 14 min walk

Multilingual support
・Facility signs in Japanese and English.
・Staff supported languages vary by store.

Health & safety measures
Indoor disinfection measures taken - Sanitizer available - Ventilation measures taken - Staff wear masks, gargle, wash hands regularly, and monitor body temperature - Capacity limited/increased space between seats - Entry declined to anyone feeling unwell - Guests requested to wear masks and conduct temperature checks

Hokkaido Shiki Marche is a select food shop that recently opened on November 1, 2022, right near the JR Sapporo Station ticket gate. There's a wide range of Hokkaido goods, from your standard souvenir sweets to original confectioneries, ingredients, and specialty goods from all over Hokkaido! With such an expansive lineup, you'll find the perfect souvenirs here, no matter your taste!

One brand you won't want to overlook when souvenir shopping is the store's own exclusive private brand, the DO3 TABLE series. This brand is themed on the three main "table scenes": food, alcohol, and snacks. Each product is made using a variety of foods and ingredients from Hokkaido. Indulge in the charms and culture of Hokkaido through these fabulous foods and specialties brought in from all over the region!

Once you've finished souvenir shopping, head to Sapporo Agricultural College and Takeaway Hotei, located in the same shop, to grab something for yourself!

Sapporo Agricultural College offers the famous 'Fresh-Baked Cookie Sandwich with Bean Paste Butter' (216 yen each / 1,080 yen for five pieces) and the 'Dairy Milk Soft-Serve Ice Cream,' made with milk from the cows raised right on their own farms. The Fresh-Baked Cookie Sandwich with Bean Paste Butter is a confectionery treat made by sandwiching rich buttercream (made from Hokkaido butter) and bean paste (made with Tokachi adzuki beans) between two crisp Hokkaido milk cookies, which are baked right in the store!

These are best eaten right away and require refrigeration to maintain their crispy freshness. We recommend this as a snack to take back to your hotel in Sapporo, or to enjoy on the train to your next destination.

Takeaway Hotei is a specialty take-out shop by 'Hotei', a popular Chinese restaurant and long-time favorite of the Sapporo locals. Their flagship product is Zangi (200 yen each), a voluminous meal of crisp and juicy fried chicken. While you can't buy this as a souvenir, you can certainly buy as many as you want for yourself to enjoy once you're back at your hotel!

Getting there
・JR Sapporo Station: 1 min walk
・Sapporo Station (Subway Namboku Line / Toho Line): 3 min walk

Multilingual support
・Facility signs in Japanese only.
・Some staff may speak English.

Health & safety measures
Indoor disinfection measures taken - Sanitizer available - Ventilation measures taken - Coin trays used - Staff wear masks, gargle, wash hands regularly, and monitor body temperature - Entry declined to anyone feeling unwell - Guests are asked to wear masks

HOKKAIDO BALLPARK F VILLAGE is a large recreational facility built around the baseball stadium, ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO. This spot was born from the latest technology to create a co-creative space.

It is scheduled to open in March 2023 in Kitahiroshima City, next to Sapporo City. Look forward to a new stadium, restaurants, outdoor activities, kids' playgrounds, hot springs and saunas, and accommodations such as hotels and glamping.

ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO will be Japan's first natural grass stadium with a retractable roof. With a capacity of 35,000 people, this baseball stadium will include two of the world's largest screens, measuring 16m vertically and 86m horizontally!

The stadium is surrounded by a 360-degree concourse, allowing you to walk around it. Along the concourse are various attractions, including 'Nanatsuboshi Yokocho,' which offers a variety of food shops, 'Soratoshiba by Yona Yona Ale,' which is the world's first craft beer brewing restaurant in a stadium overlooking the field, and TOWER 11, which offers restaurants, hot springs, hotels, and more!

Tower 11 is a landmark of ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, with a food hall that serves all kinds of Hokkaido dishes, as well as hot springs, saunas, hotels with panoramic in-room views of the field, a CG horse riding simulator, and an art museum.

This huge recreational facility offers more than just baseball! There's something for everyone here, and its convenient location along the JR Chitose Line (which connects Sapporo Station and New Chitose Airport) makes it an easy stop along your way to and from the airport. This new attraction will surely become a hot spot in the future!

Getting there
・From Kitahiroshima Station (JR Chitose Line): 19 min walk, or 5 min via shuttle bus.
・Getting to Kitahiroshima Station: Take JR Rapid Airport Line from Sapporo Station (17 min) or New Chitose Airport (20 min).

Multilingual support
・TBD

Health & safety measures
TBD

moyuk SAPPORO is a redeveloped building scheduled to open in Summer 2023 in central Sapporo. The building has 28 above-ground floors and two basement floors. While most of the upper floors are apartments, the floors from B2F to 7F will be a commercial facility with a number of well-known shops.

Located at the intersection of Sapporo Ekimae-dori (the road connecting Sapporo Station and the Susukino district) and Tanukikoji Shopping Street (a long-established shopping district frequented by locals and tourists alike), there is no doubt that this area will become another shopping hot-spot!

Many shops in the facility are scheduled to open for the first time in Sapporo starting in December 2022. An urban aquarium, AOAO SAPPORO, will occupy floors four through six, while B2F will house a lively food hall, set to open even at night.

The B2F food hall will directly connect to the underground shopping mall, 'Pole Town,' which runs directly underneath Sapporo Ekimae-dori. This convenient location makes it easy to get to in rainy or snowy weather, as it connects unground to Sapporo Station, Odori Station, and Susukino Station.

Getting there
・Tanukikoji Station (Sapporo Streetcar): Right in front
・Odori Station (Subway Namboku Line / Tozai Line / Toho Line): 5 min walk
・Susukino Station (Subway Namboku Line): 3 min walk
・JR Sapporo Station: 15 min walk

Multilingual support
・TBD

Health & safety measures
TBD

AOAO SAPPORO is an urban aquarium scheduled to open in Summer 2023 in moyuk SAPPORO. It will serve as a base for culture, exchange, and activities, all while educating about the environment.

The facility's name, AOAO, comes from the word 'aoao' (青々, meaning 'green') and refers to the lush, verdant green of flourishing life. 'AOAO' implies the desire to create a space in which one can feel and experience the rich workings of nature through the seas, rivers, forests, and living creatures.

The animals on display here are raised and exhibited in cooperation with Hokkaido's largest aquarium, Otaru Aquarium, which has a history of over 60 years. Look forward to further exhibition details in the near future!

Multilingual support
・TBD

Health & safety measures
TBD

Last but not least is a large complex facility scheduled to open in Fall 2023 near the Susukino Intersection, which is the gateway to Susukino, the largest downtown area in northern Japan. This new building will occupy the site of the former commercial facility, Susukino Lafila, and will consist of 18 floors above ground and two basement floors.

As of December 2022, facility specifics (including the name) have yet to be released. However, there is a supermarket on the B2F, a cosmetics and drug store on 1F, and a TOHO Cinemas movie complex from floors 5-7F.

Above that will be hotels, with various commercial facilities, including a food hall and market on B2F-B4F, and indoor and outdoor plazas on floors 2-3F, where there are plans to hold various events.

The underground area directly connects to Susukino Station on the Namboku Subway Line and to Pole Town, an underground shopping mall that connects to Odori and Sapporo Station. A waiting area for buses to Jozankei Onsen will also be built on the first floor.

This spot will offer not only a great place to meet up with friends for food and drinks in Susukino, but a place to enjoy all kinds of fun and entertainment both day and night. The opening of this new landmark facility and gateway to Susukino is certainly something to look forward to!

Multilingual support
・TBD

Health & safety measures
TBD

In 2029, the Shinkansen Line running from Tokyo is set to be extended to Sapporo. And in anticipation of this, the entire city of Sapporo seems to have evolved even more rapidly than ever in the past few years alone!

With new shops and facilities springing up one after another, and all sorts of exciting attractions appearing both inside and around Sapporo, each year brings new life to the region. So next time you head to Hokkaido, be sure to check out these new attractions, and experience all the fun that Hokkaido has to offer!

*Information in article as of December 2022. Please see official websites for the latest updates & information.

Text by: Nobuka Kawashima

English translation by: Krys Suzuki