Snow festivals, ramen and Hokkaido gateways
Sapporo is a young, grid-planned city laid out in the late nineteenth century, and it serves as the gateway to Hokkaido's wide open landscapes. In February the Sapporo Snow Festival fills Odori Park with huge ice and snow sculptures. The city gave Japan miso ramen, and its Ramen Yokocho alley, fresh crab and grilled lamb jingisukan are reasons alone to visit. The old brewery houses a beer museum, and the ski resorts of Niseko and Furano and the port town of Otaru are within easy reach.