Sapporo’s Nijo Market and Curb Market
Sashimi-topped rice, sushi, and crabs! Experience Hokkaido’s taste of the season in the market
Hokkaido has become another word for “delicious taste”, and Sapporo is the place where various delicious foods are gathered from all over Hokkaido. The Sapporo Central Wholesale Market, the biggest in Hokkaido, is a pillar of Sapporo’s food culture. The nearby “Sapporo Central Wholesale Market Curb Market”, where general customers may enjoy dining and shopping, is bustling with tourists and Sapporo locals coming to hunt for seafood, vegetables and fruits gathered from various parts of Hokkaido. The Nijo Market in downtown Sapporo is a famous market that was first established in the early Meiji period, and is the place to go if you are eager to experience Hokkaido’s taste of the season. Have a go at the sashimi-topped rice and sushi that make full use of the fresh seafood just arriving in the morning, or have crabs still crawling in water tanks boiled on the spot. We invite you to come and experience the unique taste of the market.
Points to fully enjoy the market
Don’t hesitate to taste the samples.
Most products at the market have samples for tasting. Stores where salmon roes and other foods are processed all have different tastes so take your time to taste the various samples before deciding which one to go. You can easily get full just by tasting samples.
Don’t hesitate to talk with the staff.
How to choose the products, delivery, ways to fully enjoy the taste…you may consult these questions casually with the staff. Products in the market will gradually become depleted after the busy hours in the morning from 8:00 to 11:00, so we suggest you wake up and set out early in the morning.
The most popular seafood souvenir is the crab, and we recommend selecting from among live crabs in water tanks.
You may pick out your choice from among live crabs crawling in water tanks and have it freshly cooked and delivered to you on a specific date. Taking a picture of yourself and the crab that you have picked out is also great fun. When selecting, try look for those that weigh heavily as this would indicate that the crabs have tightly packed meat inside.
Sapporo Central Wholesale Market Curb Market
From Hokkaido souvenirs to dining—everything in around 60 stores.
Not only sushi and sashimi-topped rice but also curry soup and Chinese noodles, popular among Sapporo locals.
You may also take a dip in the bathhouse in the Curb Market after shopping.
Get off at the Nijuyon-ken Station (around 10 minutes via Subway Tozai Line from Odori Station) and the Curb Market is a seven minute walk. Stores line up the market offering fresh fish, vegetables and fruits, meat, Hokkaido confectionary, and liquors on limited sales, and there is also a famous shop that boasts the largest sales of melons in Hokkaido. Some stores also have staff who can speak English, Chinese, and Thai, and these are popular among foreign visitors. Most fish stores come with a dining hall, so you may taste crabs and other seafood that you choose right on the spot. These twenty or so restaurants are bustling with Sapporo locals during lunch time so try avoid these hours.
After enjoy shopping and dining, you may relax in the bathhouse “Sakae-yu” inside the Curb Market that opens from 13:00.
Sapporo Central Wholesale Market Curb Market
| Address | Kita 11-jo Nishi 21-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo |
|---|---|
| Open | 6:00–17:00 (Restaurants open from 7:00) |
| Closed | No closing days |
| Access | Subway Tozai Line “Nijyuyonken (24 ken)” Station |
Nijo Market
Located in downtown Sapporo with superb access.
A market with history and you may even come across staff telling the history of Sapporo.
The area around the Nijo Market has been under the spotlight with an increasing number of unique restaurants.。
The Nijo Market is a popular destination with good access that you may drop by when sightseeing in the city. The avenue facing the Minami-nijo Street is home to shops with more than 100 years of history, and is a market with history that old customers come to visit, saying “the best food ingredients here are to be found in Nijo Market”. You may often come across customers chatting with the staff about the history of the area around the Nijo Market. Staff will not only introduce the products, but also recommend shops offering Sapporo local delicacies such as Genghis Khan mutton and curry soup.
The east side of the Sosei River where Nijo Market is located has seen unique shops popping up in recent years. After tasting the sashimi-topped rice in the Nijo Market, try while away your time by enjoying a coffee in a nearby cafe popular among Sapporo locals.
Nijo fish Market
| Address | Minami 3-jo ~ Higashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo |
|---|---|
| Open | Shops: 7:00–18:00 Restaurants: 6:00–21:00 *Shop and restaurant hours may vary |
| Closed | No closing days |
| Access | Subway Tozai Line “Bus Center mae” Station |
