Guide · independent travel
Odori is a park axis, not an all-day mall. Susukino is night. Otaru and Jozankei each take a day. Snow Festival in February needs early lodging (we do not book).
First time in Sapporo
Suica / Pasmo / Kitaca usually work; a subway day pass excludes JR. New Chitose JR rapid ~40 minutes to Sapporo. Stow bags, then pick Odori or Tanukikoji — do not bolt to Otaru.
Lock Odori–Tanuki → Maruyama–Moiwa or Beer Garden → Otaru or Jozankei. Asahiyama and Toya are long days — day four or next trip. Near on the map is not the same day Lock the axis before you add another district.
Next stop
Walk or ride one stop. A new district is another day.
Walk · 6min
Door of the one drugstore you compare (Tanukikoji Shopping Street→Tanukikoji west end)
After Tanukikoji Shopping Street, add only Tanukikoji west end (Tanukikoji Shopping Street→Tanukikoji west end, 6 min).
Walk · 6min
Side lane at Marui Imai (Tanukikoji Shopping Street→Tanukikoji east end)
Stay on the 狸小路軸 to Tanukikoji east end; if crowds spike, stop (Tanukikoji Shopping Street→Tanukikoji east end, 6 min).
Sapporo Subway · 30min
Another day · check last trains first · Tanukikoji Shopping Street→Susukino
One axis a day: if you chose the 薄野軸, delete the rebound to the 狸小路軸 (Tanukikoji Shopping Street→Susukino).