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2024. One must love Sapporo. It had slightly different vibe in comparison to the bigger Japanese cities but probably best fish and seafood in whole Japan.
I extended my work trip to attent the yearly Sapporo beer festival and explore the city, including the legendary Sapporo olympics ski jumping slope. Mt. Moiwa ropeway takes you on top of the mountain which great views of the whole city and beyond. There are also very nice shrines and park nearby. Prices were generally more affordable than in bigger cities which enabled having some of the greatest culinary experiences during this trip. Remember to try sea urchin and Sapporo has in my opinion the best sushi in the world. There were numerous wagyu teppanyaki restaurants that were surprisingly affordable.
Make sure you visit the Sapporo brewery & beer museum and if the weather is nice, the Yurigahara park (including arboretum) is also worth visiting. I also tried for the first time park golf and so should you! It doesn't break the bank and was significantly more fun in comparison to mini golf. There are also several onsens around the city which are easily accessible for a nice bath. Finally, enjoy the views from JR tower observation deck!
For souvenirs I would recommend some great quality knives. Miyabun has a great 150-year old store that has everything from small kitchen knives to samurai swords. In other stores you might want to consider Kyocera ceramic ones that you can also wash in dishwasher.