By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported
Want to experience Sapporo’s beautiful sights for free? From now until February 28, JTB Hokkaido is offering the “Sapporo Free Bus Half-Day Tour,” taking you to visit Hokkaido Shrine, explore the world-famous Shiroi Koibito Park, and also head to the outdoor market for some of the freshest seafood. With either a personal Chinese-speaking guide or a Chinese audio guide providing detailed commentary, the tour is completely free. Just book through the “Japan I CAN Japanese Hotel and Travel Website” to easily enjoy your trip to Sapporo.
The Sapporo Free Bus Half-Day Tour includes a stop at Shiroi Koibito Memorial Park. (Photo provided by MK Editorial Department)
The Sapporo Free Bus Half-Day Tour offers three itineraries: A, B, and C. Itineraries A and B focus on the “White Sapporo Half-Day Tour.” The tour departs from JR Sapporo Station at 9:00 AM, first stopping at Hokkaido Shrine where you can draw a Chinese fortune slip to check your luck for the new year. Next, you’ll visit the memorial park of Taiwan’s favorite dessert—Shiroi Koibito. Here, you can take photos with the giant Shiroi Koibito cookies, build a snowman in the snowy garden, or relax with cake at the café salon. Lunch is at the Central Wholesale Market’s outdoor market, where you’ll find incredibly fresh scallops, crabs, squid, and even free samples of the pricey sea urchin. The bus will head back to JR Sapporo Station around 1:15 PM.
Hokkaido’s famous “Shiroi Koibito” is so popular it even has its own memorial park. (Photo provided by MK Editorial Department)
Please note, Itinerary A only provides a Chinese audio guide, while Itinerary B includes a friendly Chinese-speaking guide. Itinerary C focuses on a night tour of Sapporo. The sightseeing bus will conveniently pick up booked guests from hotels such as the Sapporo Keio Plaza Hotel, Sapporo Granbell Hotel, Tokyo Dome Hotel Sapporo, and Sapporo Prince Hotel around 7:00 PM. The bus arrives at the Mojiko Mountain Ropeway station around 7:50 PM, where you can freely enjoy the spectacular night view of Sapporo. Those wishing to ride the ropeway must pay an additional fee. The bus is scheduled to depart around 9:00 PM, offering views of the illuminated Otaru Mountain along the way, and will arrive back at the aforementioned hotels around 10:00 PM.