Sapporo - Japan's fifth largest city Map of the Hokkaido region Sapporo is Japan's fifth largest city. With a population of 1.85 million it is Hokkaido's political, economic, cultural and transportation center. During the Meiji period, the Japanese government, eager to fortify its northern defenses, established the Kaitakushi (Development Commission) to aid in developing the region. The result was a beautiful town with streets crossing at 90 degrees that less than 130 years later finds itself a major Japanese metropolis. Today, Sapporo is the jewel of Northern Japan with tourists particularly interested in landmark buildings from the pioneering age; the Clock Tower, the old red brick buildings as well as the charm of nature found lining the streets in the shape of famous poplar, elm and acacia trees. Combined with the region's pure air, abundant greenery and culinary treasures, Sapporo is a truly unique city.

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Otaru Ushio Matsuri - Third Wharf in Otaru Port and in the center of Otaru City, Hokkaido - July 25th (Fri)-27th (Sun), 2008 5000 people parade in Otaru and to the port accompanied by Ushio Ondo music come late July amidst scores of stalls and various other events held around town. A fireworks display from 8pm with 3,000 fireworks will be held on the final day of the 3-day festival. Weather permitting, the fireworks can be seen from Mount Tengu. http://otaru.ushiomatsuri.net/ (Japanese version only)

Sapporo City Jazz 2008 - Odori Park / Nakajima Park / Sapporo Geijutsu no Mori etc, Sapporo City, Hokkaido - July 19th (Sat)-August 10th (Sun), 2008 "Sapporo City Jazz" is a large music event, which was inaugurated in July 2007. Odori Park, Nakajima Park, Sapporo Geijutsu no Mori plus streets connecting those parks are designated as the concert venue precinct, Jazz music sound resonates around the entire city of Sapporo during these three weeks. Visitors can enjoy various styles of jazz from Park Jazz Live, in which many amateur musicians partake, to the North Jam Session, which attracts jazz musicians of highest caliber from across the globe. http://www.sapporocityjazz.com/

Steam Locomotive Hakodate-Onuma Service - From Hakodate Station to Mori Station on the JR Hakodate Line, Hokkaido - August 9th (Sat)-17th (Sun) / Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays from July 19th (Sat) to August 3rd (Sun), 2008 SL (steam locomotive) Hakodate-Onuma runs through the beautiful area of Donan linking Hakodate and Mori Stations, taking about 80 minutes to complete the trip. Besides the scenery, passengers can enjoy "stamp rally" (commemoration stamp collecting), they can enter Tanka (Japanese poems limited to thirty-one syllables) contests and can even rent and wear a conductor's uniform from long ago. Themed panels with an "exotic" atmosphere and romantic mood based on images from the end of Japan's samurai period are displayed as are images of the flowers of Hokkaido. http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/

Pacific Music Festival - Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara / Sapporo Geijutsu no Mori Art Hall Arena / Tokeidai Hall and other venues in Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya - July 5th (Sat)-31st (Thurs), 2008 Pacific Music Festival is an international educational music festival aiming to promote and foster younger musicians from around the world. The festival started in 1990 after a proposal for such by the almost legendary Leonard Bernstein; a true musical genius of the 20th century. Many events are held in Sapporo each summer but besides Hokkaido, concerts can also now be found as far away as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya during the period of the festival. http://www.pmf.or.jp/index_en.html

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