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Edited by: Declan Murphy Recommended: Suggested Itineraries Favorite Hokkaido moments... Best ways to get there Hokkaido Photogallery Newsgroups: fj.rec.travel.japan, Alt-FAQ Bulletin Boards: Fun/Clubs/Nightlife Accommodation/Discounts Practise your Kanji?

Ramen Yokocho, with Rai Rai Ken 2nd from left.

With about 4000 businesses ranging from bars and restaurants to soaplands and brothels, Sapporo has one of the best nightlife districts in Japan, and due to the cold winter a substantial part of it is covered. It has the largest collection of seedy businesses north of places such as Kabuki-cho in Tokyo, but it is mostly just a place to have eat, drink and have fun - the fastest money spinners are definitely karaoke and noodles - the latter made famous by Ramen Yokocho, but available everywhere else as well.

There are many nightclubs and discos - the most famous being the decadent King Xmhu, but there are also many bars for drinking, ranging from somewhat traditional yakitori or izakaya style establishments to "gaijin" bars such as Rad Brothers, Jersey Bar, Locotonte and Salsita. There is even a gaijin bar called Gaijin Bar, though it is a bit of a dump. There are quiet jazz clubs and noisy live houses, somewhat odd places such as Voodoo Dance and 350 Bar, as well as interesting but pricey beer pubs like Mugishutei. Susukino is a fairly easy place to pick up a Japanese girlfriend or boyfriend, though the relationships are likely to be somewhat fleeting.

Susukino is quite safe and well lit. Apart from the usual range of karaoke and junk food outlets, there are many good restaurants & bars, as well as a large number of hotels (both the regular kind and the rent by the hour "love hotel" kind) as well as some budget accommodation. The Toyoko Inn is a fairly affordable business hotel located here, and for budget accommodation the backpackers hostel called Ino's Place is also convenient, though further away.

Susukino Ice Carvings:

Sapporo girls. The Susukino Ice Queens.

Susukino is one of the 3 major venues of the Sapporo Snow Festival. The sculptures in Susukino are different though in that instead of being hand sculpted from boxes of pressed snow, they are carved using chain-saws and other power tools from stacks of 130 kilogram blocks of ice in a fascinating competition between the artists, the ice, and the clock.

The ice sculpture show is held on Ekimae-dori (the main street that leads through Susukino to Sapporo Station) on the blocks between South 7 and South 4. The street is closed to vehicular traffic. Apart from the more artistic sculptures, there is also a commercial aspect with an emphasis on fun. Many of the works are sponsored, so there are for example ice sculptures that contain real seafood such as salmon, oishii kani! cuttlefish and other delights. The Baileys Ice Bar (also made of ice) is fairly popular. The businesses of Susukino are promoting the site and there are a range of events and attractions scheduled, including the Ice Queen Girls, music, food promotions and so on, but also more traditional festival events revolving around the Shinto shrine called Sapporo Betsuin (a subsidiary shrine of the Toyokawa Inari in Aichi Prefecture).

Susukino Ice Festival

Study in Sapporo - It is now possible to study Japanese in Hokkaido either during the Sapporo Summer Japanese Course or the Sapporo Winter Japanese Course, including Study Tours.
Click here for more information regarding studying Japanese in Sapporo.

Tours - The Japan Discovery Tours visit the Susukino district in Sapporo.
Click here for more information regarding when Discovery visits this destination.

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Disclaimer and Request:

Opening hours, prices, booking procedures, schedules etc are subject to changes beyond our control. This site is just a guide, and we advise that you always check and confirm in advance. Suggestions, additions and correction of errors are always welcome. Please contact us.