Next, we’ll head to the Sapporo Clock Tower on foot. On the way we walk along the Sosei River, an artificial river. The river was created to transport goods during the early days of Hokkaido’s development. I’ll explain the beginning of Hokkaido and Sapporo while walking.

The Clock Tower is located near the eastern end of Odori park and not far from the TV Tower. Odori Park is the third destination of the tour, so I’ll tell you later.

Known as a landmark of Sapporo, the Clock Tower is not just a historical building. Inside the clock tower is a museum that explains the history of Sapporo and Hokkaido through exhibits. I will take you on a tour of the museum.

When this building was first built, the clock was not installed. It was later installed with a clock imported from the United States. It is called the Clock Tower, but that is a nickname. Actually, it has an official name, which will be explained during the tour.

The entrance fee is 200 yen.

From Odori Park, we’ll take the subway and then a bus to the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, arriving in about 15 minutes. The lift will take us to the top of the hill, offering breathtaking panoramic views of Sapporo. In winter, international ski jump competitions are held here.

The site also includes an Olympic Museum. In this museum, you can simulate winter sports such as skiing and skating like in a game. The lift fee is 1,000 yen, or 1,300 yen if you want to include admission to the museum. If time permits, I recommend that you also enter the museum.

After visiting Mt Okura, we’ll return to Maruyama Koen Station. Nearby is a large commercial complex called Maruyama Class. There are several restaurants there. Have lunch there.

[To use our limited tour time efficiently, lunch is scheduled around 1:00 p.m., avoiding the lunchtime rush from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. However, if you prefer an earlier lunch, please let me know.]　

If you feel tired at any point during the tour, you can take a coffee break or enjoy some Hokkaido ice-cream to recharge.

The last stop of the day is Shiroi Koibito Park, a theme park operated by one of Hokkaido’s most famous confectionery makers. The park features buildings that look like European castles, exhibits related to cookies and chocolate, and a beautiful garden. These features attract many tourists to the park.

The garden is beautifully designed, offering many photo-worthy spots. “Shiroi Koibito” is the name of a cookie that is one of the most popular souvenirs in Japan. Inside the building, you can observe the production line of the cookie.　

The admission fee is 800 yen.