Hokkaido is Japan’s second largest island. It is a place of unspoiled wilderness, punctuated by modern towns. Because of its mountainous terrain, it was not widely settled by the Japanese until the 19th and 20th centuries. Prior to that, the native Ainu people called Hokkaido their land.

The capital city of Hokkaido is Sapporo. Like the rest of the urban areas on the island, Sapporo has newer structures, meaning that the aura of history that surrounds Japanese cities like Kyoto is mostly absent. Also missing is the crowded and chaotic feel of Japan’s southern cities.

Sapporo is probably the easiest city in Japan to get around in. The city is laid out like a page of graph paper. There are several subway lines branching out from the center, with buses covering the rest. Any reasonably intelligent traveler can get from point A to point B with a good map and few hundred yen.

Even walking in Sapporo can be pleasant. There are tree-lined boulevards and pleasant parks. Moiwa Mountain is a nearby elevated area ideal for catching a panorama of the whole city. A cable car runs up the side of the mountain. Moiwa is a great place to see the city light up after dark.

Asahiyama Park is another natural setting overlooking the city. This place is known for its flowers and for colorful spring and fall colors. You shouldn’t be surprised to see the odd wild animal either.

Sapporo beer, known throughout Asia, and even in the west, is a source of pride for the city. There is a Beer Museum in the city, which celebrates the history of Japan’s most famous brewery. There is a guided tour of the brewery as well as an overpriced, but hard to pass up, gift shop. A greater experience can be had at a nearby barbecue joint. The place is rowdy and smoky, and there is a constant audible hiss of meat cooking over flame. Unless you are a strict vegetarian, there is no better way to cap off a trip to the Sapporo Beer Museum than a few pints of beer and a slab of barbecued mutton.

Like the rest of Japan, the cheapest eats are found at ramen shops. A bowl of noodles with your choice of ingredients is filling and not very pricy. Local seafood dishes offer a more spectacular dining experience. The large crabs are a favorite of locals,

Sapporo’s northern latitude means winters are long and snowy. For a synopsis of winter activities, click here.