Sapporo

Overall Score

Sapoporo – the largest city on the island of Hokkaido. Despite this, it is very young. In 1869, when Yesetako Seema, the director of Hokkaidos development, came to the place of todays Sápairo, he saw an untrammeled forest on the banks of the Tehéra River, where wild animals were abundant in the wilderness. Mineral springs were also there. The population of the surrounding countryside consisted of a small number of Ainu tribes. It is believed to be of Ainu origin, which can be translated as «s great, towering river.

p>The fourth most populous Japanese city has not been spurred on by a spur-of-the-moment plan, but by an explicit urban development plan. The areas of the old-growth forest have been set aside as a recreational area. Thanks to mineral springs and the development of winter sports, Sapporo has become known far beyond Japan. The city hosted the Winter Olympics in 1972 and the Asian Games in 1986, 1990.

Sapporo is popular with tourists as a resort and tourist destination. The citys iconic event is the Snow Festival, which dates back to 1950. It began as a childrens festival, but now attracts more than 2 million visitors and includes an exhibition of several hundred miniature ice copies of the masterpieces of world architecture. It takes place on the Boulevard de lOréal (downtown) for a week.

The tourist attractions are not limited to the Olympics and the Snow Festival. The Botanical Gardens, on the site of the old forest, has a huge collection of plants, and the University Museum and the Museum of Mysteries are on the grounds. On the Maruyama Hill, a wildlife park has opened, and a sports complex, a church and a zoo are nearby. Other remarkable scenic areas in Saporo are Nakakazima Park, with its pond, flower gardens, Japanese garden, and Maui Mountain, which offers a panorama of the city, and the site of Jezekinkai – where the Mineral Springs and the Sierraito Falls are located.

The architectural features include a 147-meter television tower with a planetarium in the lower levels and a clock tower – the only 19th-century European structure in Sapporo.

Overall Score

• Air quality: 46 US AQI Good. Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
• Tap water: Yes, safe to drink
• Religious government: Non-religious
• Population: 2,000,000 people
• Population density: euro euro not busy: 14x14m 196m per person
• GDP: $38,640 / year
• Foreigners can own real estate: Yes
• Power outlets: 115V60Hz
• Internet: 30 Mbps
• Best wireless: Soft Bank
• Pay without cash: Yes, cards OK almost everywhere
• Tipping: Overall, tipping in Japan is not customary. The Japanese culture is one that is firmly rooted in dignity, respect, and hard work. As such, good service is considered the standard and tips are viewed as unnecessary.
• Apartments: Airbnb
• Hotels: Booking.com
• More hotels: Hotels.com
• Best taxi: Line Taxi
• Best coworking space: Regus
• Online electronics shop: Amazon
• Best short-haul air carrier: All Nippon Airlines
• Best intl air carrier: Japan Airlines
• Monthly costs for expat: $1700
• Monthly costs for family: $3600
• Monthly costs for local: $1000
• Meal: $7
• Small Cola: $1.2
• Beer 1 Pint: $5.5
• Coffee: $4.5

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