Sapporo

Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido. It is one of Japan's newest and nicest cities, the city itself is not really beautiful, but is an excellent base for exploring the rest of the island. This is the place to arrange your trip end then head for places like Daisetsuzan national park, Akan or Rishirito Island.
As long as you are in Saporro you might as well enjoy yourself, and this is actually one of the specialities of the city. It has more nightlife than any other city north of Tokyo.

Sightseeing:

• Clock Tower (時計台 Tokeidai), close to Odori station. This rather diminutive building has become a symbol of Sapporo, mostly by being the oldest building still standing. It was constructed in 1878 for the Sapporo Agricultural College (now the Hokkaido University) and would not look out of place in Small town USA. 200 yen for entry, the inside is a small retrospective of its history. However, visitor beware, this is a mecca for Japanese tourists coming to Sapporo (no trip to Sapporo would be complete without a photo in front of the Tokedai), but was actually recently rated as Japan's third "most disappointing" tourist attraction!
• Ishiya Chocolate Factory a 15-20 minute subway ride away from the main park, the chocolate factory has an incredibly corny, but fun, tour building up to a view of the actual chocolate making floor, and ending with a random toy museum. Also there are two restaurants, a souvenir store, and an hourly robot show complete with annoying music. The factory is temporarily closed (Oct 2007) due to bacterial elements found in some produced wares.
• Sapporo TV Tower, the eastern end of Odori, A tourist trap carbon copy of the Eiffel Tower with an observation deck at 90m (entry ￥700).
• Sapporo Beer Museum, Run by the Sapporo Brewing Company, offers free guided tours covering the history of beer in Japan and the process of brewing. At the end of the tour you can "taste" all the different beers for a small fee (200 yen for a mid sized glass, or a sample of three for 400). Finish off the tour with more brews at the Beer Garden next door. Open 9 AM to 6:00 PM, get there on the Loop 88 Factory bus line from Odori Station.
• Pioneer Village, A large historical village on the outskirts of Sapporo, offers a snapshot of Japan in the newly-industrialized age. The front gate (an old railway station) opens up into a series of opens alleys and buildings of the style pre-20th century. Also a variety of different gardens and shrines. Don't expect costumed performers however - everything is self guided (so a Japanese host would be advisable). Just down the road there is the 100th anniversary Memorial Park (Hyakunen Kinentou), the site of a giant (and somewhat imposing) tower which can be climbed, providing a good vantage point of Sapporo (though quite some distance from the city centre) and surrounding mountains. Admission is free, but expects to compete with school groups.
• Moiwayama, or Moiwa Mountain, overlooks the city and is especially worthwhile at night to observe the city-lights. Can be reached by cable car, or with a car, the summit (and tourist centre) can be reached directly. To reach drive there by car, a small entrance fee is required, but the lookout has free entry.
• Asahiyama Koen, (admission free) beautiful flower garden and natural parklands that overlooks the city centre. Noted for being a good place for romance, and is particularly good for cherry blossoms in spring and autumn colures, and local wildlife such as squirrels and foxes (somewhat of a feral pest around Sapporo).
• Hokkaido Shrine, (admission free).
• Teineyama, or Mount Teine, a ski mountain within easy drive from most of Sapporo. This ski mountain featured in the 1972 Winter Olympics. Offers a good mix of beginner and experienced slopes (in two distinct parks; Highlands and Olympia which have recently been connected).
• Jozankei, on the southern outskirts of Sapporo (but still nominally in the city), approximately 40 - 60 mins drive. This area is famous for both its Onsen (due perhaps to proximity to Sapporo) and the very beautiful autumn colures (especially around the Houhaikyou Dam).

Things to do:
Sapporo is famous for its ski resorts. There are some ski resorts near downtown Sapporo, easily accessible by bus.

• Sapporo Snow Festival (雪祭り yuki matsuri),. Held on the first week of February, this is Sapporo's largest event. The festival is best known for the ice sculpture competition attracting artists from around the world, competing to create the largest and most elaborate artworks from ice and snow. Book accommodation early, as even a big city like Sapporo gets booked out during this major festival.

The festival is focused on Odori Koen, in the centre of Sapporo. It consists of a combination of large-scale replicas and artistic sculptures; children-aimed attractions; and a separate section for world-wide competitors (where you can see a wide range of smaller artistic sculptures). The festival should be enjoyed both in the day - but particularly at night when the sculptures (especially the larger ones) are lit up. When the weather is warmer and there's a bit of melting, the smaller sculptures are literally remade every night to ensure that they are in perfect condition the next day.