Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 4.0Sapporo is the biggest city in Hokkaido and the only real urban day out from Otaru. It is about 35 minutes by train, which makes it a realistic add-on only when the ship stays for most of the day. Otaru is the better town, so choose Sapporo only if you want a city, not because you must.
Three sights sit within a short walk of each other. The Sapporo Clock Tower is the former drill hall of the agricultural college, built in October 1878, with the clock tower added in 1881; the site calls it the oldest surviving clock tower in Japan, charges adults ¥350 and is about 10 minutes from the south exit of JR Sapporo Station. The Former Hokkaido Government Office Building (the Red Brick Office), built in 1888 in American neo-baroque style, charges ¥300, opens 8:45 to 21:00 and is 8 minutes' walk from the station's Nishi-dori south exit. Odori Park is close by and costs nothing.
The catch is that you spend about 70 minutes each way on the road to see three modest sights, and you cannot see everything: the Sapporo Beer Museum, for example, is in Higashi-ku, well away from these three. You need to be back on board with margin: do not go if the ship's all-aboard is within four hours of your arrival.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Rapid Airport trains run from Otaru to Sapporo; the fastest takes about 33 to 35 minutes. Check the destination board before boarding, because not all airport trains call at Otaru.
- IC cards such as Suica cannot be used beyond Otaru, so buy a paper ticket in advance at your departure station if you are travelling further than Sapporo.
- The Clock Tower's last admission is 17:00 and it lights up after sunset until 21:30 according to its site.
- The Red Brick Office is open until 21:00 with last admission at 20:30, so it is the one to leave until last.
- On the first Monday of each month the Clock Tower stays open until 20:00.
Odori Park is close by and costs nothing.
Guided days from Otaru
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
More in Otaru
Questions people ask here
How long is the train from Otaru to Sapporo?
About 33 to 35 minutes on the Rapid Airport train. JR Hokkaido gives 33 minutes from the airport to Sapporo and 73 minutes to Otaru for the fastest trains; Otaru's tourism site says about 35 minutes from Sapporo. The fare is ¥800 according to an April 2026 guide.
Is a day trip to Sapporo worth it from Otaru cruise port?
Only on a call of eight hours or more. The round trip takes over two hours, and Otaru itself is the stronger sight. With a long call, Sapporo gives you the Clock Tower, Odori Park and the Red Brick Office within a short walk of each other.
How much does the Sapporo Clock Tower cost?
Adults pay ¥350. University students are ¥150 with ID and high school students and younger are free. It opens 8:45 to 17:10 with last admission at 17:00 and closes only from 1 to 3 January.