Local Guide
5 Recommended Activities in Sapporo

Activities in the pleasant air and the nature that fills your field of vision will energize your body and mind. Why not take a short trip from the center of Sapporo to experience Activities at the sea or in the mountains, and to interact with animals? We have carefully selected five activity spots where you can enjoy curling, clear SUP, butter making, and other unique Hokkaido activities.

A Valuable Property for Experiencing a Noteworthy Sport

Standing on the spacious curling rink, you can experience what it feels like to be an athlete!
Standing on the spacious curling rink, you can experience what it feels like to be an athlete!

Curling, a winter sport in which players compete to score points by sliding round stones on ice, has gained a lot of attention since the Japanese women's national team competed in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and words such as "Sodenai" and "Mogumogu Time" became popular. Many people may have seen it on TV and wanted to try it.
The Dogin Curling Stadium is one of the few Properties where even beginners can casually Experience curling. It is a year-round public Property with a barrier-free structure that is easy for children and the elderly to use, so people in wheelchairs can also Experience it.

You can enjoy it with nothing as long as you wear comfortable and warm clothes

100 yen per equipment rental, 1,500 yen per hour for seat use (separate fee is required for Experiences with instructors)
100 yen per equipment rental, 1,500 yen per hour for seat use (separate fee is required for Experiences with instructors)

All the necessary equipment for curling (shoes, brushes, and sliders) can be rented. The temperature in the field is cool, so visitors should come dressed in warm, comfortable clothes for the Experience. It is not always easy to move as you wish, but it is also fun. You can have a lot of fun competing for points with your family, friends, or other groups.
Experience and recreational events for tourists are also available. Please check the website for details.

Local Guide Comment
It is actually quite difficult to slide straight like an Olympic athlete, and it takes a lot of skill. Children and adults alike will find themselves getting into it.
Dobin Curling Stadium
  • Address 9, Tsukisamu Higashi 1jo, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido (next to Tsukisamu Gymnasium) MAP
  • Direction 5 min. walk from Tsukisamu Chuo Subway Sta.
  • Business hours Monday-Thursday 10:00-22:00, Friday-Saturday 10:00-23:00, Sunday 10:00-21:00
  • Closed 3rd Monday of the month (4th Monday if the Monday is a national holiday), December 29 - January 3 of the following year
  • Admission Fee 1,500 yen per curling seat per hour for adults, 750 yen per seat per hour for students (separate fee is required for Experience sessions with an instructor)
  • TEL 011-853-4572
  • Parking Free of charge

Refresh yourself by running through Hokkaido's unique nature

Relax your body and mind with horses in the great outdoors
Relax your body and mind with horses in the great outdoors

Hakkenzan rises from the center of Sapporo City on the way to Jozankei, and its foothills are dotted with wineries, orchards, and other spots that make the most of the natural surroundings. Among them is Wild Mustangs, where you can enjoy a Western-style horseback riding experience.
Every part of your time spent here will be photogenic. One of the reasons for its popularity is that you can explore among the trees, by the pond, and by the orchard while riding and admiring the beautiful scenery.

Horseback riding experience is available even in winter when there is snow on the ground.

Taste the strength of the horse as it moves through deep snow
Taste the strength of the horse as it moves through deep snow

The "sheriff" who gives lectures, the cowboy hats, and the "wild" names attached to the Experience courses all add to the western style. Those who want to enjoy a refreshing ride in nature, as well as children and fathers who yearn to be cowboys, can enjoy riding a horse as if they were in a western movie.
Horseback riding experiences are available throughout the year. Riding through the snowy landscape, jumping up and down through the snow, is a unique winter experience.

Local Guide Comment
It is hard to find a horseback riding course where beginners can Experience and enjoy such diverse scenery, including mountains, ponds, and orchards. This is a must-visit spot for anyone considering horseback riding in Hokkaido.
Wild Mustangs
  • Address 114 Tomiyama, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction Approximately 35 minutes from central Sapporo by car (approximately 1 hour in winter)
  • Admission Fee Wild ride: from 10,000 yen for about 50 minutes, from 1,000 yen for about 5 minutes
  • TEL 011-596-5040
  • Parking Free of charge

Rural theme park recommended for families

Buses with a cute SL motif make it easy to move around the spacious park.
Buses with a cute SL motif make it easy to move around the spacious park.

Sapporo Satarando (Sapporo Agricultural Experience Facility) is a theme park-like Property where you can interact with nature and animals, and enjoy a variety of experiences and playground equipment.
In a relaxing atmosphere, children can enjoy renting bicycles and playing in the Fluffy Dome. One of the most popular rides is the SL bus that circles the park. Although it does not emit steam, it looks so cute and lifelike that it is sure to make children's eyes sparkle. Of course, adults can also ride the bus.

A wide variety of Experience programs that you can enjoy no matter how many times you visit.

Handmade cooking classes are a fun way to learn about food education.
Handmade cooking classes are a fun way to learn about food education.

In recent years, more and more people have become interested in the farming experience, which is one of the features of Satorando, and the harvesting experience is attracting a lot of attention. In 2022, a kids' corner will open on the second floor of the Satelland Center, allowing children to have fun even on rainy or snowy days.
The handcrafting classes, which are generally open to elementary school students and older, offer different Experiences each season, such as butter, ice cream, sausages, and miso (bean paste). This is a good opportunity for free research and learning about food in a fun way.

Local Guide Comment
In summer, in addition to the above, there are also experiences such as park golf and feeding goats and sheep. You can spend a whole day here and not get bored, so we recommend that you go early in the day and spend some time relaxing.
Sapporo Satarando
  • Address 584-2, Okadama-cho, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction Approximately 30 min. by car from central Sapporo
  • Business hours April 29-September 30, 9:00-18:00
    October 1 - April 28, 9:00 - 17:00
  • Closed Open every day from April 29 to November 3
    Closed on Mondays from November 4 to April 28 (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)
    December 29 - January 3
  • TEL 011-787-0223
  • Parking Free of charge

Be moved by the magnificent scenery as you become one with nature

The lake below boasts outstanding transparency.
The lake below boasts outstanding transparency.

Lake Shikotsuko, located about an hour's drive from Sapporo, boasts some of the clearest water in Japan. Mountains surround the lake, providing beautiful scenery that fills the entire field of view.
In addition to admiring the scenery, visitors can enjoy activities closer to the lake, such as diving, clear kayaking, and fat biking. Ocean Days, which offers tours for each Activity, is popular for its Clear SUP Experience, which is the first of its kind in Hokkaido and allows you to become one with nature.

The atmosphere changes dramatically depending on the time of day and season

You can even see the bottom of the lake through the transparent material.
You can even see the bottom of the lake through the transparent material.

Although it varies slightly depending on the Activity, there is no need to prepare any special equipment, and you can experience it by wearing comfortable clothes in summer and warmer clothes with long sleeves and long pants in winter (please check the website for details). There is no need to worry even if you cannot swim, as there will be a thorough lecture given.
Lake Shikotsu's appearance changes greatly depending on the time of day and the season. In the daytime, you can see the bottom of the lake and underwater creatures, and enjoy the shimmering scenery.

Local Guide Comment
If you are visiting as a couple, it will be a good memory to visit at sunset, when a romantic and fantastic world unfolds. There are many hot spring resorts in the area, and there are many things to see and do.
Ocean Days
  • Address Lake Shikotsu Onsen Banzai, Chitose City, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction Approximately 70 min. from JR Sapporo Station by car
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL 080-9325-6507
  • Parking Admission charged (free in winter)

Be healed by cute animals that are very popular on SNS

Free Experience of suckling a baby goat
Free Experience of suckling a baby goat

Heidi Farm, located in Naganuma-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido, about an hour's drive from Sapporo, is a spot with a homey and relaxing atmosphere. The cute animals are very popular on SNS. Goats, sheep, horses, cows, and other animals are spending their time in the great outdoors.
The experience of feeding baby sheep and goats is so popular that there are repeat visitors, who find the sight of the animals drinking milk so deliciously "cute and soothing. Taking pictures is also a must during the Experience.

Get away from everyday life and enjoy nature to the fullest!

Make your own unique craft using sheep hair from the farm's sheep.
Make your own unique craft using sheep hair from the farm's sheep.

In addition to the suckling experience, there are many other experiences that can be enjoyed without reservations, such as milking cows and feeding animals. There is also a wool craft experience using sheep's wool from the Heidi Farm, archery, and a maze. Take a break between Experiences, or when you are tired from walking, take a ride on the "Alps-go," which circles around the ranch (for a fee) and enjoy the scenery.
For a meal, we recommend the "yokodon," a bowl of rice topped with sheep marinated in an original sauce, and the ranch's soft-serve ice cream. Gourmet foods, such as fresh caramels that make great souvenirs, are also a part of the Heidi Farm's charm.

Local Guide Comment
The animals you will encounter in this magnificent natural setting are so expressive that you will want to spend forever looking at them. Why not look for your favorite animal with a camera in hand?
Heidi Farm
  • Address 2, Higashi 9-sen Minami, Naganuma-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido MAP
  • Direction Approximately 60 min. from JR Sapporo Station by car
  • Business hours 10:00-16:00 (subject to change due to inclement weather, etc.)
  • Regular holiday Wednesdays (open if Wednesday is a national holiday)
  • Admission Fee Admission: Adults 1,000 yen, 3 years old to elementary school students 500 yen, free for children under 3 years old
  • TEL 0123-88-0011
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo *Operation will end on November 13, 2022.
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.