rhouses Anywhere close to Sapporo Station will suit you well. I usually stay in the JR East Mets hotel, which is modern and fairly cheap. The room includes free cans of GABA to help you chill and kip.
You can get to Odori Park directly from Sapporo Station using the underground shopping mall which stretches south of the station. No need to go to street level as the underground walking network runs for miles. It’s pretty incredible.
A day/afternoon trip to nearby Otaru is also worth it if you time.

      Henry oh that sounds like orchard street in singapore, the entire stretch is an underground air conditioned shopping mall alongside the metro subway. Took me two trips to discover, and far too many walks in humidity and heat.

        Henry The room includes free cans of GABA to help you chill and kip.

        To be honest, mate, Gabba’s the last thing I’d want to listen to if I’m trying for a kip.

          mono-stereo Visions of our man in Japan catastrophically clogging up the toilet system on a bullet train.

          Sewage spurting, commuters covered in shit. The train derails because the driver jumped off.

          The CEO of Hitachi forced to hang himself in an act of corporate contrition.

          Anyway, have a nice trip mate.

          Lol!

            a month later

            Henry Am I reading the T&Cs right, I just need my JAL intl ticket and my indian passport to get the JAL Explorer Pass? What exactly is the process? I don’t need to pay an additional amount for the pass?

                vinnyt77 This is almost too good to be true with the discounts lol, was reading on reddit that some have get their tickets for free even. Also, Yamato, game changer.

                Any tips on train bookings? Or should I just show up at the station and pick up? For my route, there are trains running every 30 mins from morning to evening… I’m assuming it’s pretty chill.

                Going mid-June into July… not ideal with the rain, but hopefully Hokkaido will be pleasant.

                    rhouses Trains - I’m an anxious traveller, so tend to book regardless. Loads of travellers in Japan will tell you there’s no need. If you’re travelling solo, less important. If travelling as a group, and want to sit together, more important.

                        vinnyt77 Yeah, might as well pre-book. But I don’t want to be held to a specific timing if there are trains running through the day…

                          For the Explorer pass just book though the JAL page. I didn’t need to use my passport. They just took one look at me when I checked in and probably though, yeah he’s deffo not Japanese. On you go lad. Have a nice flight.

                            Henry Thanks! And thanks for the JAL Explorer tip too!

                              Henry Ahh passport details mandatory in the check out on the JAL page…

                                  Henry For the Explorer pass just book though the JAL page. I didn’t need to use my passport. They just took one look at me when I checked in and probably though, yeah he’s deffo not Japanese.

                                  Two different cases:

                                  1. He’s British and although he might not know how to use chopsticks, he probably wears deodorant and is polite.
                                  2. This one will be shitting into his hand and flinging it out of buses.

                                    rhouses Yeah, of course you do need it! But not a problem right?

                                        Good stuff. I honestly think it’s better to book the Shinkansen in advance. The ticket offices are stretched at the best of times and now that the Japanese government have eased the rules on entry for Chinese tourists it is going to get even busier.
                                        Local trains could be packed as well but I wouldn’t worry about booking for those.

                                        rhouses are you going to spend the whole time traipsing around tiny record shops looking for rare remixes whilst drinking obscure booze in ‘listening bars’? If not, why not?

                                            Amps I thought this was a research trip on the diet of a sumo wrestler

                                              Amps gonna be quite touristy, some jazz bars at best. Not very hipster if im being honest.