| Sapporo, established in 1869, is the heart of Hokkaido. It is a large, active town with an efficient, Western-style layout that is easy to negotiate, as street names start with kita (north), minami (south), higashi (east) or nishi (west). From the station, brick-paved streets lead to commercial buildings on the north side of Odori Park and shopping districts on the south. There are historical attractions from the Meiji Era, some great parks and, in February, a fabulous Snow Festival with dozens of colossal ice and snow carvings. |