The best way to see downtown Sapporo and the surrounding mountains from up high, Sapporo TV Tower is one of the best activities in Hokkaido and a great way to enjoy panoramic views of Sapporo.
From the snowcapped peaks in winter to the summer flowers below in Odori Park, Sapporo TV offers year round lush landscapes and is a Sapporo activity with real ‘altitude’!
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Designed by Tachū Naitō (who also designed the similar looking Tokyo Tower and Nagoya Tower), the Sapporo TV tower also has a 90 metre high observation deck, great gift shops and one of the most interesting Japanese mascots you’ll ever witness – ‘TV Daddy’.
Here is our ultimate guide to visiting the Sapporo TV Tower in Hokkaido, Japan:
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Sapporo TV Tower ticket prices 2024
As of summer 2024, Sapporo TV Tower costs 1,000 Yen for adults (around £5 or $6.30 USD) or 500 Yen for students and those with disabilities. It is free admission for children under elementary school age.
Fancy seeing Sapporo TV Tower lit up at night and an evening view of the cityscape? You can purchase a ‘day and night’ ticket where you can visit once in the day and once at night for 1,500 Yen per adult and 700 yen for students.
It is free admission for children under elementary school age.
Book your Sapporo TV Tower tickets in advance here with Klook or Viator.
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Sapporo TV Tower opening hours
Sapporo TV Tower is open daily from 9am to 10pm – last entrance is at 9:50pm. These opening hours are correct as of summer 2024.
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How to get to Sapporo TV Tower
Sapporo TV Tower is just a 1 minute walk from exit 27 at Odori Station. Take the Toho line on the Sapporo Municipal Subway.
You can also take the Tozai and Namboku lines to Odori Station but the walk to the tower is a little longer (5 minutes – also exit 27).
From Sapporo JR Station, you can take the subway to Odori Station (around 10 minutes including walking time), or Sapporo TV Tower is a 15 minute walk from Sapporo JR Station.
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Sapporo TV Tower history
One of Japan’s numerous TV and telecommunications towers with an observation deck inside, Sapporo TV Tower was designed by Tachū Naitō and opened in 1957, acting primarily as a telecommunications tower.
The iconic digital clocks on the outside of the tower were installed in the 1960s and were some of the first digital clocks in Japan.
When the tower was built, it was the tallest structure in Sapporo but has since been dwarfed by various skyscrapers and developments.
Fun fact – Sapporo TV Tower also appeared in a couple of 1990s Godzilla movies, so it really is a ‘roar-some’ thing to do in Sapporo.
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Sapporo TV Tower observation deck
Once you arrive the tower via Odori Park or the underground Aurora Town mall, head on up to the third floor to buy your Sapporo TV Tower admission tickets. To save queues, we’d recommend you buy them in advance online here >
Take the short elevator ride to the top and step out into a vintage observation deck (it is quite vintage / retro but this gives it all the more character).
Once at the top, you are free to explore the observation deck at your leisure. It doesn’t take long as it is VERY small (or ‘cute and compact’) compared to say the larger Tokyo observation decks like Shibuya Sky or Tokyo Skytree.
The Sapporo TV Tower observation deck is enclosed and fully indoors but it is totally 360 degrees so it offers postcard-perfect panoramic views of Sapporo & Hokkaido.
Within the observation deck, there is a small gift-shop selling postcards, badges, magnets etc lots of TV Daddy trinkets (which is the Sapporo TV Tower mascot). For instance, you can purchase a TV Daddy Omikuji, which is a Japanese fortune written on strips of paper.
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Sapporo TV Tower views
Given the mountainous landscape, the view from is pretty ravishing and rugged.
Where the mountains meets the city, Sapporo is definitely best viewed from up high, and at 100 Yen admission, this is so much cheaper than a Hokkaido helicopter tour.
We visited on a cold April afternoon so we could still see the snow on Sapporo’s Mashike Mountains and Hidaka mountain in the background. On a clear day, you can also see the Sea of Japan and the snowy Ishikari Heigen ski fields.
This offers a great glimpse of downtown Sapporo plus a fine vantage point over Odori Park, where many activities take place (and is a popular lunch / picnic spot for local salary men and women).
Sapporo TV Tower lights up in the evenings and you can visit until 10pm, so it is a great sunset spot or evening experience.
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Introducing the Sapporo TV Tower mascot
As you walk around, you’ll see lots of photo opportunities with the cute red mascot, which goes by various names – TV Daddy / Television Daddy / Tawakkie/ Terebi-Tōsan.
A cute Kawaii mascot version of the TV Tower, this red cartoon character pops up everywhere from selfie stations and statues to pose with through to souvenirs and gifts.
There is even a TV Daddy ‘shrine’ in the observation deck plus a TV Daddy gift shop on the ground floor.
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Other things to do at Sapporo TV Tower
Third floor gift shop
Exit through the gift-shop. As you descend from the observation deck, you’ll exit via various shops on the third floor. Here you’ll find lots of mascot souvenirs and various cute and kawaii things.
There are many ways to encourage spending money, from gachapon machines galore to Sapporo TV Tower ‘medals for memories’. There is even a photo booth where you can create pictures with the mascot in the background.
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Food & Drink – TV Basement Gourmet Food Court / Garden Grill
In the level below the TV Tower and connecting to Aurora Town Mall, you’ll find a small food-court with various Japanese restaurants including soba noodles, sushi and ramen stalls. We visited one lunch-time and it was SO BUSY with local workers.
If you fancy something a little more swish and substantial, try the Garden Sapporo Hokkaido for local dishes in a gorgeous setting on the third floor.
Other things to know
- Free wifi is available in the observation deck as well as telescopes.
- There is a very useful Sapporo tourist information center with maps and leaflets on the ground floor.
- The tower usually lights up from dusk (usually 7pm) until midnight and does special light shows for significant events like Father’s day or Japan White Day.
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Address
Sapporo TV Tower, 1 Chome Odorinishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060 – 0042, Japan
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