Akarenga Terrace is a five-story commercial center in central Sapporo which is filled mainly with restaurants and cafes, but also has some shops and other services. The main architectural feature of Akarenga Terrace is its large central atrium which acts as a traditional nakaniwa or courtyard garden, giving the building’s interior a bright and airy appearance.
An entrance to Akarenga Terrace
Akarenga Terrace is named after the nearby Former Hokkaido Government Office
Looking down on the central courtyard from the 2nd floor
The 1st Floor
Terrace dining in the 1st floor courtyard
Most of Akarenga Terrace’s shopping facilities are on the 1st floor. On this floor you can find stationery, outdoor clothing and equipment, basic groceries, and interior goods. Here are the highlights.
Inside Montbell on the 1st floor
Montbell is an outdoor equipment store specializing in clothes and gear suitable for camping, hiking, mountain climbing and other outdoor activities. This store has two sections: on the 1st floor and in the B1 basement level.
Futura on the 1st floor
Futura is a store selling stationery, and a mix of household and interior goods.
JP Lawson convenience store on the 1st floor
The JP Lawson convenience store is a joint venture between Japan Post and the Lawson convenience store chain. Like most Japanese convenience stores, this branch sells a variety of everyday groceries, bento lunch boxes, rice balls, and other snacks and drinks. However, it also sells a lot of postage materials and stationery. In addition there is a JP Bank ATM in this convenience store which accepts most international bank cards and has English language guidance.
The JP Bank ATM
In addition to these stores there are restaurants and cafes on this floor, which include a French restaurant, a café selling Taiwanese tapioca bubble tea, and a seafood bistro.
P’tit Sale on the 1st floor features a French style charcuterie board with Hokkaido raised meats
The 2nd Floor
A view of the Atrium from the 2nd floor
On the 2nd floor you will mostly find restaurants but there is also a cooking studio.
ABC Cooking Studio
ABC Cooking studio offers hands-on lessons in cooking, cake baking, and bread-making in a friendly environment. Trial lessons are available but must be booked in advance. Most lessons are given in Japanese but lessons are sometimes offered in English, Chinese or Korean.
Tsuruga Buffet Dining on the 2nd floor
Tsuruga is a family-friendly buffet restaurant offering a mix of Japanese and Western dishes which includes, rice, noodles, fresh vegetables, and pizza.
Brooklyn Parlor
Brooklyn Parlor is an American style diner/bar which has a rich menu featuring tapas, artisanal burgers, Brooklyn Beer, fish and chips, and beef steak. This eatery also has a large library of art books which patrons are free to browse and often hosts live music performances.
PariRu Cafe
PariRu is a simple café stand on the 2nd floor terrace which offers tasty sandwiches and luxurious fruit-filled parfaits.
The 3rd Floor
A walkway between restaurants on the 3rd floor
If you couldn’t find anything you liked to eat on the lower levels you are sure to find something on the 3rd floor which is entirely occupied by restaurants. Here you can find Chinese food, yakiniku style char-grilled beef barbecue, Italian pasta and pizza, sushi, beef tongue, noodles, and traditional Japanese cuisine served in a private dining room.
Hikari soba noodle restaurant
Hikari offers a huge range of soba (buckwheat) noodle dishes with different toppings featuring the freshest Hokkaido vegetables and seafood. Enjoy your noodles with your choice of soft drinks, shochu, sake, beer or wine from the drinks menu.
The 4th Floor
The 4th floor has just one restaurant and also a bridal store which offers a range of wedding-related services.
Bridal House Bibi
Bridal House Bibi offers a range of services for couples planning their weddings which includes both Western and Japanese style clothes for the ceremony, makeup and hairstyling for the bride, and event production.
The entrance to Restaurant Minami
Restaurant Minami is a fine dining restaurant offering the very best French cuisine in a refined setting. With a spacious dining room overlooking the Akarenga building this is an excellent location for a romantic meal or other special occasion.
The 5th Floor
The 5th floor is mostly occupied by offices, but there is also an observation gallery which offers an excellent view over the 19th century Akarenga building.
Enjoying the view from the gallery
The Akarenga building viewed from the gallery
The Basement
Akarenga Terrace also has a B1 basement level which is connected directly to the underground walkway that leads to Sapporo Station. On the B1 level there is a café specializing in healthy vegetable dishes, as well as pancakes, and other desserts. Montbell also has a section of its store in the B1 level as well as on the 1st floor.
Mitsui Sumitomo Bank has a branch in Akarenga Terrace that occupies part of floors B1 – 4.
A street view of Akarenga Terrace
Location
Akarenga Terrace is a 6-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station and 4 minutes from Sapporo Subway Station. At the B1 basement level Akarenga Terrace is connected to the underground walkway that leads directly to both stations. It is located directly opposite the Former Hokkaido Government Office (also called “Akarenga”) and it is also convenient for the Botanical Garden of Hokkaido University.
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.
