Hokkaido - Day 3 (Stellar Place - Sapporo Beer Museum - Nijo Market - Tanukikoji Shopping Street - Susukino Street)

We both got up around 5.30am to use the bathroom due to stomach discomfort. We managed to sleep back until 10.30am, and by then our stomachs were feeling much better. The temperature was -2℃, and it was snowing outside. We went out before noon and walked to Stellar Place, which is approximately an 8-minute walk (550m) from the New Otani Inn Sapporo. The snow was falling heavily along the way, and we had a great time making and throwing snowballs at each other.

Stellar Place is a shopping and entertainment complex situated next to Sapporo Station. Tokachi Butadon Ippin is located on the 6th floor (P8) and when we arrived, there was a long queue in front of the restaurant. We had to put our names on the waiting list and wait for our turn to be called, which took more than an hour. Butadon is a Japanese dish that consists of steaming rice topped with marinated grilled pork, often seasoned with a savory sauce. The restaurant imports high-quality pork from Obihiro daily. At Ippin, they use a white coal known as high-grade charcoal, made from ubame oak, to grill their pork. Each piece of their meat is dipped in their special sauce and carefully grilled. During the grilling process, they take the half-grilled meat and double-dip it before grilling again.

What I like about this shop is that we get to choose our rice and meat portion. Besides that, you can choose your meat cut - regular cut, small bits (for small children or those who prefer small bite sizes), large cut (for those who do not want their meat cut very much) and non-cut (for those who want to eat the meat the way it is). You can even choose your sauce - no sauce, a little sauce, or lots of sauce (for those who prefer a richer taste). If you wish to have more sauce, you can request it from the staff.

 

I ordered butadon with a small portion of rice, while my partner ordered butadon special with a large portion of meat. Both of us chose small bite sizes. The pork was tender with no strong pork flavour, and you can taste the char. It was well-marinated. Since I requested a little sauce, my rice was a little dry compared to my partner, who requested lots of sauce. There's complimentary iced water, hojicha, and pickled vegetables. Overall, I enjoy it, and the dish tastes better with more sauce.

(Total bill - ¥2,240)

View from New Otani Inn Sapporo

Street covered in snow

Walkway covered in snow

Walkway covered in snow

Managed to make a snowball

Stellar Place

Tokachi Butadon Ippin

Waiting list

Tokachi Butadon Ippin

Iced water and hojicha

Pickled vegetables

Butadon special with a large portion of meat - ¥1,320

Butadon special with a large portion of meat

Butadon with a small portion of rice - ¥920

Butadon with a small portion of rice

Address:

Tokachi Butadon Ippin (Stellar Place -Sapporo Station)

6th floor, 3 Chome Kita 5 Jonishi,

Chuo Ward, Sapporo,

Hokkaido 060-0035,

Japan

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm (last order 9.30pm)

The Chocolate & Espresso SATURDAYS stand caught my attention as I was walking around the mall after lunch. I decided to try their rich chocolate soft cream. It tasted soft and creamy, similar to McDonald's ice cream, but the cone is crispy and nice.

(Total bill - ¥480)

Chocolate & Espresso SATURDAYS stand

Rich chocolate soft cream short - ¥480

Address:

Chocolate & Espresso SATURDAYS Stand (Stellar Place -Sapporo Station)

Center B1F, 2 Chome Kita 5 Jonishi,

Chuo Ward, Sapporo,

Hokkaido 060-0005,

Japan

I couldn't decide between Sapporo Beer Museum and Shiroi Koibito Park, but we went with Sapporo Beer Museum because it was late afternoon and we might not have enough time to visit Shiroi Koibito Park. We walked to the bus stop next to Stellar Place in the midst of heavy graupel. It was our first time experiencing heavy graupel.

We followed the Google Maps directions, but it didn't show us which bus number to take. We decided to ask the bus driver for help. Although he didn't speak English, he was very friendly and tried his best to assist us. I heard him mention 2, so we walked to bus stop no. 2 and ran into a group of Malaysian Chinese who were heading there as well. It appears that you must take bus no. 188 to the Sapporo Beer Museum (¥240 per person).

The bus arrived at 3pm and went directly to the Sapporo Beer Museum. We reached there by 3.15pm. The bus only accepts cash or IC cards and no change will be provided. We were short of ¥3, and the bus driver was so kind to let us go. The Sapporo Museum is one of the oldest and most famous breweries in Japan. Admission is free. However, if you would like to sample the beer at the museum, there will be charges. The museum also offers beer tasting sessions for a fee. 

The Star Hall on the first floor sells Sapporo beer. A tasting set of three 240ml beers costs ¥1,000, while a Sapporo Classic Beer 240ml costs ¥400. They even offer Sapporo Premium Alcohol Free (non-alcoholic beer) in a 350ml can for ¥200. There was a long queue, and since my partner doesn't drink, we decided not to get any. While strolling through the Sapporo Beer Garden, it began to snow so heavily that we had to seek cover at the Ario Sapporo shopping mall, which is located next to the Sapporo Beer Museum. When the snow finally stopped, we walked to the Garden Cafe and bought a bottle of Pocari Sweat. It's a refreshing, lightly sweetened sports drink. 

 

Stellar Place

Bus no. 188 to Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

The Star Hall

Snowmen

Spotted a happy couple

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Garden Cafe: Pocari Sweat - ¥130 

Address:

Sapporo Beer Museum

9 Chome-1-1 Kita 7 Johigashi,

Higashi Ward,

Hokkaido 065-8633,

Japan

Opening hours: 11am to 6pm daily

Despite the snow, we decided to walk to Nijo Market from the Sapporo Beer Museum. It was a 30-minute walk (2.2km), and I absolutely enjoyed walking in the snow. The walkway was covered in a thick layer of snow, making it feel like a winter wonderland. Along the way, we passed by a mall named Sapporo Factory. We finally reached Nijo Market around 5.40pm, but only two stalls were open. The market closed at 5pm. There were a few restaurants nearby, but all of them served raw sushi, which neither of us eats.

Walkway covered in snow

Icicle

Street covered in snow

Street covered in snow

Sapporo Factory

Sapporo Factory

Bicycle parking covered in snow

Nijo Market

Nijo Market

Crabs

Address:

Nijo Market

1 Chome, Minami 2 Johigashi,

Chuo Ward, Sapporo

Hokkaido 060-0052,

Japan

Opening hours: 7am to 5pm

From Nijo Market, we walked to Ichiran Ramen (850m). We were so blurred that we entered through the exit instead of the entrance. Luckily there was not much of a queue that time. Ichiran Ramen is our favourite ramen, and we have tried it in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The order system remains the same, whereby you use the machine to place your order. Then, the staff will give you an order sheet to circle your preference in terms of seasoning, richness, garlic, green onion, sliced pork, spicy level, and noodle texture. As usual, we followed their recommendations except for the noodle texture, which I normally prefer soft. We had to wait around 25 minutes to get a table. Overall the soup was good, although the meat had a slightly porky taste. I still prefer the Ichiran Ramen from Tokyo. 

(Total bill - ¥2,300)

Walkway covered in snow

Tanukikoji Shopping Street

Tanukikoji Shopping Street

Susukino Street

Susukino Street

Ichiran Ramen

Our meal ticket

Restaurant ambience

Order sheet

Free flow of cold water

Unpeeled half-boiled salted egg - ¥140

Classic Tonkotsu Ramen - ¥1,080

Address:

Ichiran

Noresa 1F, 5 Chome-1-1,

Minami 3 Johigashi,

Chuo Ward, Sapporo,

Hokkaido 060-0063,

Japan

On the way back to our hotel, we stopped at Lawson and bought a cup of Hokkaido ice cream, a box of fruit (apple) and a bottle of Pocari Sweat. The Hokkaido ice cream was creamy and smooth. While walking, I noticed gravel stored in small boxes along the streets. These boxes appear to be provided by the local authorities or businesses for pedestrians to use. It's a convenient way to grab some gravel to sprinkle on slippery areas to improve traction and prevent slipping. People can take a handful of gravel from the box and spread it on the icy or snowy patches they walk on, making the walk safer during snowy days.

(Total bill - ¥832)

Sapporo Streetcar (shiden)

Gravel stored in small boxes along the streets

Hokkaido ice cream - ¥329

Pocari - ¥179 and apple - ¥324 

Address:

Lawson

2 Chome-3-1 Kita 1 Jonishi,

Chuo Ward, Sapporo,

Hokkaido 060-0001,

Japan