1 Popular Shops Galore! The 137th National Gourmet Food Fair Gathers Japan's Best Flavors in Sapporo

Image credit: Marui Imai Sapporo Main Store

This is one of Hokkaido's largest gourmet festivals, bringing together popular and long-established shops, as well as much-talked-about new brands from all over Japan. You'll find a wide variety of exquisite dishes, from juicy local bento boxes and seafood side dishes to live cooking demonstrations and must-try sweets that draw long lines.

First-time exhibitor mindeulle's "Ttungcaron" - 454 yen each

Live-cooked Yonezawa Kohakudo "Yonezawa Beef Steak, Sukiyaki & Yakiniku Bento" - 2,997 yen

The event features sweets like candy apples, ttungcarons (chubby macarons), and French crullers making their first appearance, as well as popular favorites like takoyaki and menchi-katsu (minced meat cutlets). You'll also find juicy meat and fresh seafood bento boxes, plus local specialties and famous confections from various regions. Some shops will change between Part 1 and Part 2 of the event, making you want to visit again and again.

2 Experience Winter Fun and Bonfires in the Heart of Sapporo at "PLACE1 Vol. 2: Live Wild in an Urban Vacant Lot!"

This hands-on event takes place on the former site of the NHK Sapporo Broadcasting Station, right next to the Sapporo TV Tower. It offers a wide range of content, including a large snow slide, a free-play snow area, horse-drawn sleigh rides, sauna experiences, and live music. You can also try activities not usually available in the city, such as starting a fire in the snow, tasting delicious food cooked over a bonfire, and wood chopping.

3 Interactive Art Exhibition for Ages 0 and Up at Sapporo Art Park: "Art Forest for Ages 0+"

This popular event at Sapporo Art Park, which started as a way to create a place for parents and children to enjoy even during the snowy season, is being held for the first time in about seven years. Centered around the collection nurtured by the Art Park, the exhibition allows families to experience art without worry, with displays tailored to a child's perspective and spaces where you can lie down to view the art.

Exhibition view

There are also plenty of features to get you moving, such as an interactive space with the balance ball toy "RODY," which helps strengthen core muscles while riding and bouncing, and a special exhibit in collaboration with the TV Hokkaido program "Puupuu Pa!". Another highlight is the chance to engage with authentic artworks, including pieces from the museum's collection like those by Fernando Botero.