Chuo (Sapporo) Travel Guide - Free

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Explore Chuo in Sapporo for Odori Park, Susukino nightlife, Nijo Market, historic landmarks, Hokkaido Shrine and views from Mount Moiwa.

A Central District with Many Faces

Chuo-ku means “central ward”, and in Sapporo it is less a single compact neighbourhood than a broad central district extending from the city’s administrative core south towards Susukino, Nakajima Park, Maruyama and the lower slopes of Mount Moiwa. Its streets reveal Sapporo’s planned geography: broad avenues, regular blocks and Odori Park forming a green east–west axis through the urban centre. The result is a district that can shift quickly from civic landmarks and department stores to shrine woodland, riverside paths and late-night entertainment streets.

From Odori to Susukino

Odori Park is Chuo’s defining public space, with the Sapporo TV Tower at its eastern end and the city centre unfolding around it. Nearby, the Sapporo Clock Tower and former Hokkaido Government Office offer reminders of the early modern settlement, while Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade and Nijo Market preserve older commercial patterns in a more contemporary setting. South of Odori, Susukino is Sapporo’s best-known evening quarter, packed with restaurants, izakaya and bars, while Nakajima Park provides a quieter landscape of water, trees and cultural buildings.

Green Edges and Local Rhythms

The western side of Chuo-ku has a different character. Maruyama Park and Hokkaido Shrine bring woodland and seasonal rituals close to the city, and the Mt Moiwa area opens wider views across Sapporo. Food is central to the district’s appeal, from seafood and produce at Nijo Market to ramen, grilled dishes, soup curry and modern dining found throughout the central streets. Visitors should treat Chuo as a collection of connected areas rather than a single sightseeing strip: distances are manageable by public transport, but the city’s snowy winters make underground passages, covered arcades and well-cleared main routes especially useful.

Explore Chuo on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Chuo, mapped for you.

Chuo essentials

Getting There

Chuo-ku is the easiest part of Sapporo to reach by the city’s subway network. Odori Station is the principal interchange for the Namboku, Tozai and Toho lines, while Susukino and Nakajima Koen stations serve the southern entertainment and park areas. Sapporo Station, just north of the central ward, connects with JR Hokkaido services and the airport train; visitors can continue by subway, tram or on foot. The Sapporo Streetcar is useful for reaching western and southern parts of Chuo-ku, including areas towards Maruyama and Mount Moiwa, though the most convenient stop depends on the final destination.

Getting Around

The central grid around Odori, Susukino and Tanukikoji is highly walkable, with underground passages linking major commercial areas and subway stations. Distances to Nakajima Park are manageable on foot, while the subway and streetcar are more practical for Maruyama, the Sapporo Art Park area and Mount Moiwa approaches. The ward is broadly flat in its eastern and central sections, but western routes become hillier towards the mountain. Snow, packed ice and narrowed pavements can make walking slower in winter, and underground routes may be easier for short central journeys than surface crossings.

Safety

Normal city precautions are appropriate in Chuo-ku: keep valuables secure in crowded underground passages, markets, shopping arcades and entertainment streets, and take care when crossing roads beside trams. Susukino is busy late into the evening, so visitors should remain aware of their surroundings and use clearly identified businesses rather than accepting unsolicited invitations. Winter requires particular care because ice can form on pavements and road crossings, while snowbanks may restrict sightlines. In parks and shrine grounds, follow marked paths and take account of limited lighting after dark.

Emergency Situations

In Japan, call 110 for police and 119 for an ambulance or fire service. State the location clearly, using a station name, major intersection, hotel or nearby landmark if language is a difficulty; staff at railway stations, hotels and public facilities may be able to assist. For urgent medical problems, ask for an ambulance rather than attempting to travel independently. Carry identification and relevant medical information, and remember that emergency responders may need to clarify whether the call concerns police, fire or medical assistance.

Do's and Don'ts

Keep voices low on trains and avoid blocking entrances, escalators or underground passageways, especially with luggage. At Nijo Market, look before photographing vendors or people and do not handle produce without permission; follow each stall’s conditions when eating on site. Remove hats and behave quietly at Hokkaido Shrine, and stay on designated paths in Maruyama Park. In Susukino, respect residents and other customers by keeping noise down when leaving venues. Japanese restaurants commonly seat guests before ordering, and tipping is not generally expected.

Local Tips

Use Odori as the main orientation point: the numbered blocks and park sections make it easier to understand the central grid. The underground network is practical in winter but can be confusing, so note the nearest street exit before descending. A walk from Odori through Tanukikoji and the market area towards Sosei River reveals a changing mix of retail, food and older commercial streets. For a quieter contrast, follow the paths through Nakajima Park or continue west to Maruyama, where the urban texture gives way to trees and shrine grounds.

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics

English	Local	Say it
Hello	こんにちは	[konnichiwa]
Goodbye	さようなら	[sayonara]
Yes	はい	[hai]
No	いいえ	[iie]
Please/You're welcome	どうぞ	[douzo]
Thank you	ありがとう	[arigatou]
Excuse me/Sorry	すみません	[sumimasen]
How are you?	お元気ですか？	[ogenki desu ka?]
Fine. And you?	元気です。あなたは？	[genki desu. anata wa?]
Do you speak English?	英語を話せますか？	[eigo o hanasemasu ka?]
I don't understand	わかりません	[wakarimasen]

Eating & Drinking

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to see the menu, please	メニューを見せてください	[menyuu o misete kudasai]
I don't eat meat	肉は食べません	[niku wa tabemasen]
Cheers!	乾杯！	[kanpai!]
I would like to pay, please	お会計をお願いします	[okaikei o onegaishimasu]

Emergencies

English	Local	Say it
Help!	助けて！	[tasukete!]
Go away!	行って！	[itte!]
Call the Police!	警察を呼んで！	[keisatsu o yonde!]
Call a doctor!	医者を呼んで！	[isha o yonde!]
I'm lost	道に迷いました	[michi ni mayoimashita]
I'm ill	具合が悪いです	[guai ga warui desu]

Shopping

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to buy...	買いたいです...	[kaitai desu...]
I'm just looking	見てるだけです	[miteru dake desu]
How much is it?	いくらですか？	[ikura desu ka?]
That's too expensive	それは高すぎます	[sore wa takasugimasu]
Can you lower the price?	値段を下げてもらえますか？	[nedan o sagete moraemasu ka?]

Time & Numbers

English	Local	Say it
What time is it?	今何時ですか？	[ima nanji desu ka?]
It's one o'clock	一時です	[ichiji desu]
Half past (10)	１０時半	[juuji han]
Morning	朝	[asa]
Afternoon	昼	[hiru]
Evening	夕方	[yuugata]
Yesterday	昨日	[kinou]
Today	今日	[kyou]
Tomorrow	明日	[ashita]
1	一	[ichi]
2	二	[ni]
3	三	[san]
4	四	[shi]
5	五	[go]
6	六	[roku]
7	七	[nana]
8	八	[hachi]
9	九	[kyuu]
10	十	[juu]

Transport & Directions

English	Local	Say it
Where's a/the...?	…はどこですか？	[...wa doko desu ka?]
What's the address?	住所は何ですか？	[juusho wa nan desu ka?]
Can you show me (on the map)?	地図で教えてもらえますか？	[chizu de oshiete moraemasu ka?]
When's the next (bus)?	次の（バス）はいつですか？	[tsugi no (basu) wa itsu desu ka?]
A ticket (to ....)	切符（…まで）	[kippu (...made)]

History of Chuo

Planned Beginnings in the Meiji Era

Sapporo’s modern development began in the late nineteenth century when the Meiji government established the Hokkaido Development Commission, or Kaitakushi, to organise settlement and administration in the region. The area now associated with central Chuo-ku was laid out on a rectilinear grid influenced by Western planning, with broad streets and public spaces designed for a growing administrative city. Odori was retained as a wide open strip dividing the northern government and civic area from the southern commercial quarter. This planned structure still shapes the visitor experience: long sightlines, numbered streets and spacious avenues contrast with the more intimate lanes around Susukino and the older shopping arcades.

Susukino and the Southern Quarter

The southern part of central Sapporo developed rapidly during the city’s early expansion. Susukino was established in the 1870s as an entertainment and service quarter, giving the area a distinct commercial identity south of Odori. At the same time, trading streets and small businesses grew around the central grid, while Tanukikoji developed into a covered shopping street from the early Meiji period. These areas connected commerce, food and nightlife in ways that survived successive rebuilding. Although the architecture has changed considerably, the contrast between the formal government district, the market streets and the entertainment quarter remains one of Chuo’s clearest historical continuities.

Shrines, Parks and the Expanding City

Not all of Chuo-ku’s history is urban. Hokkaido Shrine was founded in 1869, initially as Sapporo Shrine, and its later setting near Maruyama became an important focus for worship and seasonal visits. Maruyama Park developed around the shrine landscape and preserved a wooded western edge as Sapporo expanded. Nakajima Park likewise provided a substantial green space south of the central grid, with cultural and recreational uses emerging over time. These landscapes helped prevent the central ward from becoming entirely built up and continue to connect present-day visitors with the natural environment that has always influenced life in Hokkaido.

Centralisation and Contemporary Chuo

Sapporo’s growth after the Second World War brought denser commercial development, larger roads and the rebuilding of many central streets. The construction and expansion of underground shopping and transport links made the area more usable during severe winter weather, while Susukino became increasingly associated with restaurants, bars and evening entertainment. Sapporo introduced its current ward system in 1972, placing the central area within Chuo-ku. Since then, the district has combined civic functions, tourism, retail and nightlife with established residential quarters in places such as Nakajima and Maruyama. Redevelopment has altered the skyline, but parks, arcades, shrine grounds and the original street grid still anchor its identity.