Sapporo (札幌市) is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan. Sapporo became world famous in 1972 when the Olympic Winter Games were held there. Today, the city is well known for its ramen, beer, and the annual snow festival held in February.
With about 4000 businesses ranging from bars and restaurants to soaplands and brothels, Sapporo has one of the best nightlife districts in Japan, and due to the cold winter a substantial part of it is covered. It has the largest collection of seedy businesses north of places such as Kabuki-cho in Tokyo, but it is mostly just a place to have eat, drink and have fun – the fastest money spinners are definitely karaoke and noodles – the latter made famous by Ramen Yokocho, but available everywhere else as well.
There are many nightclubs and discos – the most famous being the decadent King Xmhu, but there are also many bars for drinking, ranging from somewhat traditional yakitori or izakaya style establishments to “gaijin” bars such as Rad Brothers, Jersey Bar, Locotonte and Salsita. There is even a gaijin bar called Gaijin Bar, though it is a bit of a dump. There are quiet jazz clubs and noisy live houses, somewhat odd places such as Voodoo Dance and 350 Bar, as well as interesting but pricey beer pubs like Mugishutei. Susukino is a fairly easy place to pick up a Japanese girlfriend or boyfriend, though the relationships are likely to be somewhat fleeting.
‘SUSUKINO’ is one of famous places of nightlife.SUSUKINO is more beautiful than ROPPONNGI or KABUKICHOU, because SUSUKINO has Japanese atmosphere more than those other place.
The famous Ramen Yokocho alleyway in the Susukino nightlife area. There are about 16 shops in the street, with Rai Rai Ken the second from the left as you enter from the north side.
Susukino, the center of nightlife in Sapporo
Ramen Yokocho Alleyway
