Sapporo's iconic summer event, the Sapporo Odori Beer Garden, is back for 2026! From July 23rd to August 18th, you can enjoy a unique selection of beers and gourmet food across six venues in Odori Park, from 5-chome to 11-chome. We visited every single venue on opening day to taste-test the best on offer. Here's our detailed guide to each venue's character, how to order, and our top recommendations.

【For a detailed overview of all 6 venues, please check out this article!】

The 5-chome venue offers a fantastic Happy Hour on weekdays until 5 PM. Four types of beer, including The Premium Malt's, are all just 600 yen.

Thanks to Happy Hour, even The Premium Malt's Master's Dream (380ml/800 yen) is a bargain at 600 yen. Perhaps because it was early on a weekday, I saw many people enjoying Happy Hour by themselves. It's a great service for when you want to grab a quick drink alone before heading out.

Instead of a snack, I opted for the Hokkaido Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream (500 yen). It's also perfect for a finishing dessert. The alcoholic (3.6% ABV) JIM BEAM Premium Hokkaido Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream (650 yen) is also a popular choice.

At the 5-chome venue, marked by its blue tents, you can order right from your seat using your mobile phone. Just enter your table number, select your drinks and food, pay with a cashless method, and a staff member will bring your order to you. If you prefer to pay with cash, you can order at the register booth.

Poured at sub-zero temperatures from a special server, the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold (435ml/800 yen) is so frosty that your hand gets numb just from holding the special aluminum tumbler. It's perfect for a hot day. While it delivered the expected crispness and coldness, the fine foam gave it a surprisingly delicate flavor.

I paired it with Fried Komaï (800 yen). Komaï, or saffron cod, is a fish from the cod family found in Hokkaido's cold waters. It has a crispy texture and a light flavor, and the pieces are cut into a nice, shareable size.

The 6-chome venue, with its ample shade and cool atmosphere, serves draft beer brewed at the Asahi Beer Hokkaido Brewery. The system here is to purchase tickets for food and drinks and then exchange them at the respective booths. You can buy tickets at the counters (manned and unmanned) or from staff members walking around the venue.

In addition to draft beers like the classic Kirin Ichiban, a key feature of the 7-chome venue is its wide selection of weekly rotating craft beers.

This time, I chose the Hitachino Nest Beer Yuzu Lager (330ml/800 yen) and the Indo no Aooni (330ml/800 yen). The Hitachino Nest Beer Yuzu Lager had a pleasant, refreshing citrus flavor, almost like a beer cocktail, while the Indo no Aooni was a full-bodied beer with a distinct bitterness.

I ordered a freshly baked Margherita pizza (2,200 yen) from the live kitchen. They also have a special lunch set available only from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM: your choice of draft beer (medium mug) + a medium Margherita pizza for just 2,200 yen. A must-try if you can visit on a weekday afternoon.

The 7-chome venue is easily recognizable by its large tent emblazoned with "Kirin Ichiban." You can use mobile ordering by scanning a QR code at your table and pay with a cashless method. You can also order from the staff members walking around the venue.

The main attraction at 8-chome is the limited-edition Sapporo Classic FRONTIER MEMORIAL (1,000 yen). It's available from July 23rd and only while supplies last. This beer was created as a joint project to celebrate the 150th anniversaries of both Sapporo Breweries and Hokkaido University in 2026. I enjoyed it while reflecting on Sapporo's history.

I paired it with the Hokkaido Fish & Chips (1,200 yen), which featured thick white fish fillets with a generous serving of tartar sauce and french fries. Other popular and familiar food items include Genghis Khan from the Sapporo Beer Garden and seafood ankake yakisoba from Otaru New Sanko.

At the surrounding tables, the Sapporo Classic 2.7L Tower Server (4,300 yen) was extremely popular. The tower is a better deal than ordering individually, and it really adds to the beer garden atmosphere. If you're with a group and plan to drink a lot of Sapporo Classic, the tower is highly recommended.

The 8-chome venue is eye-catching with its Sapporo-esque red brick and five-pointed star motifs. The system here is to purchase tickets for food and drinks and exchange them at the booths. You can buy tickets at the ticket counters, cashless vending machines, or from staff members walking around the venue.

While the World Draft Beer Tasting Set (200ml x 3 types / 1,200 yen) is popular at 10-chome, this time I headed to the "World Bottled Beer Marche." It features a collection of bottled beers from around the world, from classic brands to rare finds.

Spain's Cruzcampo (330ml/700 yen) had a crisp taste with a pleasant bitterness.

To go with my Spanish beer, I chose a Spanish snack: Grilled Chicken (1,300 yen) from the popular Kutchan restaurant "El Asador." Its perfect level of spice made me want to drink more beer.

New this year is the air-conditioned, reservation-only "Daikin Premium Lounge." It can be booked for groups of 2 to a maximum of 10 people. This seems especially useful during the hot daytime hours.

The 10-chome venue, with its international flair featuring beers from around the world and local breweries, operates on a self-service basis. You can also order from your seat via mobile, and you'll receive a notification on your phone when it's time to pick up your order at the counter.

Watching the beer being poured from the Hofbräu taps makes you feel like you're in Munich! This venue is self-service. You order beer at the beer register or through the self-order system, while food and other drinks are ordered and picked up directly from their respective booths.

The Summer Beer (500ml/1,800 yen) is a summer-exclusive brew. It was light and refreshing, a perfect taste for a beer garden.

Amidst a great selection of German foods like wurst, schnitzel, and eisbein, a French crêpe caught my eye. The Crêpe (1,300 yen) from the booth of Sapporo's famous crêpe and galette shop "JB's crêpes" features a fragrant crêpe with butter sugar, roasted almonds, and plenty of cream. It pairs surprisingly well with beer or wine.

The 11-chome venue, "Sapporo German Village," makes you feel like you've been transported to Munich, Sapporo's German sister city. Here you can taste draft beer from Hofbräu, an official brewery of Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival.

By the way, a common tip for events in Odori Park is that the 10-chome and 11-chome venues, being further from Odori subway station, tend to be less crowded. You might have an easier time finding a seat at these venues, even on weekends or weekday evenings.
(That said, both venues were quite packed on the 23rd and 24th. Just for your reference!)

The Sapporo Odori Beer Garden has finally begun. It's an extremely popular event that gets very crowded every year, so if you're going in a group of three or more, it's a good idea to book a table in advance at one of the venues that accept reservations (5, 7, 10, and 11-chome).

Also, while Sapporo is relatively cool compared to the rest of Japan, it can still get hot with strong sunlight, especially during the day. Don't forget to take precautions against the heat, such as wearing a hat, using a portable fan, and hydrating with non-alcoholic drinks beforehand.

The Sapporo Odori Beer Garden runs until Tuesday, August 18th, and each venue from 5-chome to 11-chome has its own unique charm. Be sure to visit a few times and try to conquer all the venues!