Sapporo: Snow, Ramen, and a Whole Lotta Cold (My Brain Dump)
okay, so sapporo. where do i even start? i’ve been staring at this document for like, an hour now, trying to organize my thoughts, and it’s just… not happening. it’s a city. a big one. japan’s fifth largest, apparently. 1.96-1.97 million people. that’s a lot of people to share ramen with, i guess.
first things first: it’s cold. seriously cold. i just checked and it’s -0.41°c, feels like -3.26°c. humidity’s at 88%. yeah, you’ll want a hat. and gloves. and maybe a full-body snowsuit. they’ve got these underground walkways though, which is pretty clever. someone told me that they’re essential for surviving winter. apparently, the snow festival is a thing. doubles the population. can you imagine? a city that size, suddenly twice as crowded, all for snow sculptures. i’m… intrigued, but also slightly terrified.
they’ve got this grid layout, which is apparently inspired by kyoto and heijō-kyō. it’s… organized. which is nice. a welcome change from some of the more chaotic city planning i’ve encountered. and odori park is right in the middle of it all. seems like a good place for festivals, obviously. and just generally hanging out, i suppose. they also have moerenuma park, designed by isamu noguchi. apparently, he wasn’t even from sapporo, but they named a park after him. that’s… something.
food. okay, let’s talk about food. ramen. obviously. it’s miso-based, apparently. and there’s a ramen village! a whole village dedicated to ramen. i’m not even kidding. and oysters. and crab at nijo market. i’m drooling just thinking about it. they also have soft serve ice cream. because why not? and local melons and potatoes and onions. it’s a foodie paradise, honestly. i need to go back just for the food.
apparently, sapporo used to be a sparsely inhabited plain. ainu people used to live there. then the japanese came along and built trade posts. then it became an administrative center. then it hosted the 1972 winter olympics. it’s got a pretty interesting history, actually. it overtook otaru as the economic hub. otaru is nearby, if you get bored. and there are mountains and onsen too. so, you know, options.
there’s shiroi koibito park, which is apparently a chocolate-themed wonderland. i’m not usually a huge fan of themed parks, but… chocolate? i might make an exception. and mt. moiwa ropeway for panoramic views. and hokkaido jingu shrine. and a sapporo beer museum and garden. because, you know, beer. susukino is the nightlife district. neon lights and ramen. sounds about right.
it’s supposed to have a youthful, open vibe. apparently, it blends the olympic vibes with ainu heritage. they’re praised for high education and abundant human resources. stylish cafes. neon nightlife. shopping. harmony of urban infrastructure with nature. it sounds… nice. i guess. i’m just trying to process all of this. it’s a lot. someone told me that the locals are really friendly, but i didn’t really get a chance to interact with many people. i was too busy trying to stay warm and eat ramen.
and the cost of living is supposed to be high-quality, with international hospitals and fresh food and low business costs. but it’s remote. and it’s a transit hub for mountains and onsen. so, you know, trade-offs.
okay, i think i’m done. my brain is officially fried. sapporo. snow. ramen. cold. go visit. or don’t. i don’t care. i need a nap.
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