TRAVEL TOGETHER
Make this trip work for your group
City night views and Jozankei valley fall on separate days.
- Adjust the route
- Shorten valley walks and late dinners and set the reserved return bus first.
- Check your room
- Compare the bed layout and room occupancy for your group. For friends, confirm separate beds or rooms; for couples, check the booked room category and outlook.
An editorial match to this route, not an accessibility or age-suitability certification. Existing budgets use the group size stated in the article; recalculate for your party.
THE ROUTE
Staying overnight in the city,
Only the foliage goes deep.
The first day is Odori and Mount Moiwa, and the second day is a round trip to Jozankei Gorge by reserved bus. On the last day, the plan is to connect the Ginkgo Tree at Hokkaido University and Nijo Market and then head to the airport. Since we don't move accommodations, we don't waste time on luggage and transfers even if we stay for 3 days and 2 nights.
The ginkgo trees in Hokkaido turn color later than those in Jozankei, so dates must be checked separately.
MAKE IT YOUR TRIP
Keep the moments you came for
Make time for this
Keep the city evening and Jozankei valley on separate days. Add a foliage shuttle only if it fits the booked return bus, and allow a simple dinner near the hotel afterward.
Arrange the trip around it
Reserve both Jozankei journeys first and check actual foliage conditions. For an international flight, add terminal transfer and departure procedures to the New Chitose train journey.
Planning notes reviewed on 10 September 2026. Check the dated transport and property sources below for your travel dates.
2 NIGHTS · 3 DAYS
Schedule to follow
From autumn in the city to the night view
Sapporo after dark, viewed from Mount Moiwa.
- 01Arrive at Sapporo Station around 12:30 and leave luggage at the hotel
- 0213:30 Move towards Odori · Soup curry GARAKU lunch
- 0315:00 Odori Park → Clock Tower → Walk around the former Hokkaido Government Office Building
- 04Shiden 60 minutes before sunset → Ropeway Iriguchi · Free shuttle transfer
- 05Mount Moiwa ropeway/mini cable car → summit night view
- 06Return to Susukino around 20:00 · Genghis Khan dinner at Daruma
Round trip to Jozankei Gorge in one day
The valley scenery of Jozankei. Autumn colour varies with the date of your visit.
- 01Arrive at Sapporo Station bus stop around 08:20 and confirm reservation
- 02Around 09:00 Kappa Liner → Jozankei Onsen · Approximately 60 minutes
- 0310:20 Futami Park, Futami Suspension Bridge, Valley Trail
- 0412:30 Nono Terrace · Haruranna · 11:00–15:00, Closed on Thursdays
- 05Optional: choose one additional foliage spot only if the seasonal shuttle is operating and fits the booked return bus.
- 0616:30–17:00 Return to Sapporo by reserved bus
- 07Optional · 19:30 After resting at the hotel, Ramen Shingen, late dinner — After Jozankei, eat near the hotel if another queue feels like too much.
A golden campus and a bowl of markets
The ginkgo avenue at Hokkaido University. Yellow foliage is an autumn scene.
- 0108:00 Hokkaido University Sapporo Campus · Walk along Ginkgo Tree Road
- 0210:00 Return to hotel, check out and store luggage
- 0311:00 Move to Nijo Market · Donburichaya Seafood Rice Bowl
- 0412:20 Pick up luggage from hotel → Sapporo Station
- 05For a domestic flight, plan terminal arrival around two hours early; for an international flight, allow around three hours and check the airline’s deadline. Add the station-to-terminal walk.
- 06Airport Rapid Service takes 33–43 minutes depending on the time slot. Reserved seats must be purchased in advance if required.
EAT ALONG THE ROUTE
From soup curry to the market,
Four meals that never stop moving.
Operating hours and prices are confirmed as of September 2026 and may change depending on season, ingredients, and temporary closure. Please consider the waiting time for Daruma and Shingen.
DAY 1 · Lunch
Soup curry GARAKU
- Getting there
- Approximately 3 minutes walk from Exit 36 of Odori Station
- menu
- 15 items of vegetables, chicken leg soup curry
- budget
- Approximately ¥1,500–2,500 per person
- Opening hours
- 11:30–15:30 · Around 17:00–21:00 · Closed irregularly
To reduce the waiting time for lunch on the day of arrival, it’s better to arrive after 13:30. You can choose the amount of rice and spiciness separately, so choose them together when you place your first order.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 1 · Dinner
Genghis Khan Daruma Main Store
- Getting there
- Approximately 5 minutes' walk from Susukino Station. Return to Shiden from Mount Moiwa.
- menu
- Raw lamb Genghis Khan, premium lamb meat
- budget
- Approximately ¥3,000–5,000 per person
- Opening hours
- 17:00 – Around 05:00 the next day · Open all year round
There’s no reservation required and you can stand in line, so go straight after coming down from Mount Moiwa. If the wait at the main store is long, it’s more realistic to check whether the nearby 5·5 or 7·4 stores are open.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 2 · Late evening
Ramen Shingen Minami 6jo Branch
- Getting there
- West of Susukino, approximately 3 minutes on foot from Shiden Higashi Honganji-mae
- menu
- Shinshu Kokumiso Ramen, Shio Ramen, Fried Rice
- budget
- Approximately ¥1,000–2,000 per person
- Opening hours
- 11:00 – Around 01:00 the next day · Subject to change
It's a late-opening restaurant that's great for responding when you have to wait to get back from Jozankei. During peak hours, you may have to wait for over 30 minutes, so we scheduled it after 19:30.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 3 · Early lunch
Donburichaya Nijo Market Branch
- Getting there
- Approximately 8 minutes walk from Odori Station / Inside Nijo Market
- menu
- Uni, ikura, crab, seasonal seafood rice bowl
- budget
- Approximately ¥2,000–6,000 per person
- Opening hours
- May–October 07:30–16:30 November–April 08:00–17:00
The official menu ranges from ¥3,000 to ¥5,000 for special rice bowls. If you arrive before 11 a.m. after a morning walk around campus, you can avoid waiting for lunch.
Check the latest information ↗DAY TRIP CORE
The second day
I only see the canyon.
It takes about 60 minutes from Sapporo Station to Jozankei by Kappa Liner, which requires reservations. Walk the Futami Suspension Bridge and Valley Trail first, and add just one stop during the official fall foliage shuttle operation period so you don't miss the return bus.
Jozankei fall foliage usually starts earlier than downtown. If you’re traveling in early to mid-October, give priority to Jozankei, and if you’re traveling after the end of October, increase the proportion of Hokkaido University and city parks.
NIGHT VIEW
At the end of the first day,
At the top of Mount Moiwa
If you take the free shuttle from Odori to Shiden, you’ll reach Ropeway Sanroku Station. The summit is much colder than the city center and may be closed due to strong winds, so check the sunset time and availability on that day before proceeding.
WHERE TO STAY
Premium two,
Two cost-effective hotels
Which stay suits your trip?
The most convenient place to get to the airport and Jozankei bus is JR Tower, and Sapporo Grand offers a good balance of location and classic service. Vessel Inn is more realistic for breakfast and access to Susukino, and Tokyu Stay is more realistic for room laundry and walking routes. For this itinerary, stay at the same hotel for both nights.
JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo
Directly connected to Sapporo Station, excellent access to the airport train and Jozankei bus
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥30,000–70,000+ / 1 night
- breakfast
- Choose from buffet or Japanese food · Adult approx. ¥4,000
- Dinner
- No obligation · Separate reservation for high-rise restaurant
- parking
- JR Tower parking lot · Guest approx. ¥1,650/night
- Advantages
- The bus is the most convenient for arrival/departure and the second day, and you can enjoy the view from a high-rise room and the spa all at once.
- Cons
- Highest budget and need to take subway or taxi after Susukino late-night meal
Sapporo Grand Hotel
Between Sapporo Station and Odori, directly connected to the underground pedestrian space
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥20,000–45,000+ / 1 night
- breakfast
- Buffet or Japanese style · Adult approx. ¥4,000
- Dinner
- No obligation · Separate use of in-house restaurant
- parking
- Multi-level parking lot · Approximately ¥2,500/night
- Advantages
- It’s located in the middle of the clock tower, Odori, Nijo Market and the station, so it has good balance on all three days and is easy to travel underground in case of rain.
- Cons
- Renovation status and bathroom size vary greatly depending on building wing and room class.
Vessel Inn Sapporo Nakajima Park
Approximately 1 minute walk from Nakajima Koen Station, 1 stop from Susukino
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥12,000–28,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- Seafood-focused buffet 06:00–09:30 · Approx. ¥2,500
- Dinner
- No dinner · Use of Susukino restaurant area
- parking
- Multi-level parking lot · Approximately ¥1,500/night · First-come, first-served basis
- Advantages
- It's close to Daruma and Shingen, and breakfast is highly satisfying, so it's good to focus your money on one meal.
- Cons
- Requires daily subway travel to Sapporo station and Jozankei bus platform
Tokyu Stay Sapporo Odori
Approximately 3 minutes walk from Odori Station · Right next to Tanukikoji
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥13,000–30,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- Buffet 06:30–10:00 · Adult ¥2,100
- Dinner
- No dinner · Use nearby restaurants
- parking
- Adjacent multi-story parking lot for 24 cars · ¥2,000/night · First-come, first-served
- Advantages
- There’s a washer/dryer and microwave in the room, and GARAKU, Nijo Market, and Susukino are within walking distance.
- Cons
- Low-cost rooms are not spacious and require about a 15-minute walk or subway ride to Sapporo Station.
Rate standards · Approximate range of 2 people per room per night, available as of September 2026. Rates vary greatly depending on autumn foliage weekends, room class, dining and cancellation requirements. For breakfast and parking, please check the latest prices when making a reservation.
BUDGET GUIDE
Estimated cost per person
Accommodation is per person, sharing a double room. Flights, round trip to New Chitose Airport, JR, and shopping are excluded. Local transportation includes buses to and from Jozankei, subway and Shiden, depending on foliage shuttle and package selection.
GOOD
Advantages of this schedule
- Experience the city center, night view, and canyon without changing hotels
- Four restaurants are within the actual travel route for each day
- Jozankei and city center itineraries are interchangeable if it rains
CHECK
Things to know
- Jozankei and Hokkaido peak autumn foliage peaks are not on the same date
- Advance confirmation is required for Kappa Liner seats and fall foliage shuttles.
- Starting in October, the sun sets early and the perceived temperature at the top of the mountain is low.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
Check again before departure.
JR Hokkaido · New Chitose Airport train ↗Sapporo Official Sightseeing · City Transportation ↗Jozankei Tourism Association · Autumn leaves and a walk ↗Jozankei · 2026 Autumn Leaves Shuttle ↗Nono Terrace · Haruranna Lunch Hours ↗Sapporo official tour · Mount Moiwa night view ↗Sapporo City Transportation Bureau · Subway fares and one-day passes ↗PHOTO CREDITS · Jozankei walking trail: t-konno / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hokkaido ginkgo: ノボホショコロトソ / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 · Mount Moiwa night view: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · GARAKU: Hokkaido Travel Library · Daruma: Official Site · Shingen: macaroni · Donburichaya: Official Site · Accommodation images are images provided by each hotel or accommodation introduction page.
English edition of our Korean guide. Times and prices retain the source review date; they are not live booking quotes. Check eligibility for visitor fares and plan international flights separately.