Attractions

Nopporo Forest Park (Noporro Shinrin Koen)

If you have an extra half-day or more, I heartily recommend this park on the outskirts for its two very worthwhile attractions. To reach the park, fastest is to take a JR train 10 minutes to Shin-Sapporo Station (¥260), and then transfer to JR bus no. 22 for a 15-minute ride to the last stop, Kaitaku-no Mura (¥200). You can also take the Tozai subway line 20 minutes to Shin-Sapporo Station, and then get on the same bus. Or, there are three JR buses a day from Sapporo Station (departing btw. 9-10am) directly to the park in 68 minutes (¥230; free with the Japan Rail Pass), but quicker is to take a local JR train to Shinrin Koen Station and then transfer to a JR bus to Kaitaku-no Mura, which cuts travel time to about 30 minutes. Before setting out, get bus and train schedules at the tourist office in Sapporo Station. All buses stop first at the Historical Museum of Hokkaido (Kinenkan Iriguchi) before stopping at the Kaitaku-no Mura. It's about a 10-minute walk between the two attractions.