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The Lonely Planet guidebook says Sapporo has the biggest entertainment quarter north of Tokyo, and after exploring the city I have no doubt that it’s true. It’s an incredibly lively city, in summer at least. I asked several people whether they just stay indoors at night during Sapporo’s ferocious winters, and the responses were unanimous: no way. This photo shows Tanuki-koji, the main shopping arcade. I was surprised to find the western end is now home to many rather funky bars and restaurants.

The photo at left shows a British pub (which was closed at the time for some reason) located right above a more-Hokkaido-like potato restaurant; the one at right shows something I did not expect to find in Hokkaido, a Cuba-themed pub called Habana. This was my last night in Sapporo, and I had a great time hopping from one pub to another. In the morning, I bagged the bike and took a subway to Sapporo Station and then a train to the airport for my two-hour flight home.

Story & PhotosHokkaido_Okhotsk_Story_%26_Photos_1.htmlHokkaido_Okhotsk_Story_%26_Photos_1.htmlshapeimage_13_link_0
Nuts & BoltsHokkaido_Okhotsk_Nuts_%26_Bolts.htmlHokkaido_Okhotsk_Nuts_%26_Bolts.htmlshapeimage_14_link_0
AlternativesHokkaido_Okhotsk_Alternatives.htmlHokkaido_Okhotsk_Alternatives.htmlshapeimage_15_link_0
RouteHokkaido_Okhotsk_Route.htmlHokkaido_Okhotsk_Route.htmlshapeimage_16_link_0
HOKKAIDO OKHOTSKHokkaido_Okhotsk.htmlHokkaido_Okhotsk.htmlshapeimage_17_link_0

For suggestions on how to continue your journey, see Alternatives.