Itinerary

1. Explore the Highlights of Sapporo

   • Meet the tour guide and start by visiting the Red Brick Building (the former Hokkaido government's office building).
   • Learn about the history of Sapporo and the frontier spirit of farmer soldiers on seeing red stars on the wall of a roof cresting. The guide will also show an old picture and the red star used as a label for Sapporo Beer.
   • Visit the Clock Tower. The guide will talk about its history. Some tourists are surprised to find this building smaller than they expected. You will get to know why.
   • Move to Odori Park, where the TV Tower stands. 
   • Head to the Nijiyo Fish Market. The guide will talk about the history and show guests many kinds of fresh seafood. Walk around the market, and you will see food models of "Kaisen Don" or rice bowls topped with sliced raw fish.
   • Continue to Tanuki Koji (Raccoon Dog shopping street). This shopping street is the oldest shopping district in Hokkaido. It accommodates 200 shops, including restaurants. 
   • See the Raccoon Shrine, and the guide will explain the origin of the place. See a Japanese kitchen knife shop, ramen noodle restaurants, an amusement arcade, a pachinko parlour and so on.
   • Proceed to the final destination of the tour and the best one- the Hokkaido Shrine. The guide will take you through the subway ride (5-minute ride), followed by an eleven-minute walk through the beautiful Maruyama Park. 
     • This is the biggest shrine in Hokkaido. The Hokkaido Shrine enshrines 3 deities for the reclamation of Hokkaido. The reclamation of Hokkaido began when the Meiji Restoration succeeded. In 1869, about 150 years ago, Emperor Meiji selected those three protecting deities and decided to enshrine them in this shrine. Many people visit the shrine to celebrate occasions.
     • During the Japanese New Year's holidays, about 800,000 people visit here. Roughly speaking, about half of Sapporo citizens visit and pray for good luck in the coming year and buy a good charm. The first visit of the year is one of the annual events in Japan. Also, when a baby is born, parents bring the baby and pray for the baby's healthy growth. Even wedding ceremonies are conducted here. Some owners of new cars pray for safe driving.
     • During cherry blossom season, the grounds (premise, precinct) of the shrine are crowded with many people. They enjoy viewing beautiful cherry blossoms blooming.
     • From June 14th to 16th, the main festival of Hokkaido Shrine is held. People wear traditional clothes and walk in procession with a portable shrine downtown. 
     • The shrine has 4 gateways. The 1st gateway is 8.7 meters high. These gateways can exorcise (oust) evils from people. So people can be purified before praying by going through the gateways.
   • Before ending the tour, you will also see the statue of Yoshitake Shima. He is called "the father of the reclamation of Hokkaido" and the commissioner of the Hokkaido Colonization Commission. This bronze statue is 4 meters high. He selected the sight of the Hokkaido Shrine. He was given the sacred mirrors of 3 deities by the Meiji Emperor and brought them to Sapporo when the Hokkaido Shrine was established. He contributed to the development of Sapporo.

   Tour ends.