Sapporo Streetcar (Sapporo Shiden) for Susukino, Nakajima Park, & Mount Moiwa Ropeway

Sapporo Streetcar is a tram network in Sapporo that runs in a loop in the city’s central Chuo ward. This streetcar network is operated by Sapporo Transportation Service Promotion Corporation. Sapporo City Transportation Bureau owns the tram infrastructure and vehicles and operates the city’s subway system. There are several streetcar stops where you can transfer to the subway.

The Sapporo Streetcar network is 8.9kms long and it would take around 55 minutes to complete the loop on a single tram ride. The trams run from early morning until late evening, with services roughly every 8-9 minutes during the daytime. First and last departures vary by stop and direction, and some services finish at Chuo-Toshokan-Mae rather than completing the circuit, so check the destination display. Although the streetcar network is relatively limited in the area it covers, riding one of the trams is a pleasant way to explore central Sapporo, and there are several locations of interest on its route.

Key Destinations

There are 24 stops on the Sapporo Streetcar network. Trams on the outer loop of the network run in a clockwise direction and trams on the inner loop run in a counterclockwise direction. The stops below are listed in a clockwise direction.

Nishi-Yon-Chome – Tanuki Koji – Susukino – Shiseikan-Shogakko-Mae – Higashi-Honganji-Mae – Yamahana-Ku-Jo – Nakajima-Koen-Dōri – Gyokei-Dori – Seishugakuen-Mae – Yamahana-Juku-Jo – Konan-Shogakko-Mae – Higashi-Tonden-Dori – Ishiyama-Dori – Chuo-Toshokan-Mae – Densha-Jigyosho-Mae – Ropeway-Iriguchi – Nishisen-Juroku-Jo – Nishisen-Juyo-Jo – Nishisen-Juichi-Jo – Nishisen-Ku-Jo Asahiyama-Koen-Dori – Nishisen-Roku-Jo – Nishi-Jugo-Chome – Chuo-Kuyakusho-Mae – Nishi-Hatchome

The key destinations on this circuit are given below with approximate journey times from Nishi-Yon-Chome Station. The examples use the outer, clockwise loop through Seishugakuen-Mae Station, and the inner, counterclockwise loop for Densha-Jigyosho-Mae and the remaining stops. Allow extra time for waiting, walking and traffic delays.

Nishi-Yon-Chome Station

This station serves the Odori shopping district and is convenient for the Marui Imai, and Parco department stores, Daimaru Fujii Central stationery store, and the Maruzen & Junkudo bookstore. This station is also close to Odori Park, which is one of the locations for the Sapporo Snow Festival each February when it is filled with giant snow statues. Other events held in the park include a Lilac Festival in May and beer gardens during the summer. Sapporo TV Tower is located inside the park and has charming views over the area from its observation deck. The tower is an 8 minute walk from Nishi-Yon-Chome Station.

This stop is convenient for Odori Station on the Namboku, Tozai, and Toho subway lines.

Tanuki Koji Station

This station gives direct access to the Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade. This shopping street extends for about 900 meters across seven blocks and is over 150 years old. The covered sections provide shelter while you shop. Inside are a great range of clothing stores, restaurants, pharmacies, traditional sweet shops, Japanese tea shops, and other specialist souvenir stores.

Susukino Station

Susukino is Sapporo’s entertainment and nightlife district and is packed with restaurants, bars, and dance clubs. During the Sapporo Snow Festival this area is decorated with delicate ice sculptures. Two popular locations near this station are Ganso Ramen Yokocho and Shin Ramen Yokocho: two alleyways which are full of ramen noodle shops. Here you can try many different flavors of Sapporo’s specialty miso ramen noodles. Ganso Ramen Yokocho (“original ramen alley”) is located 2 minutes to the south of Susukino Station and Shin Ramen Yokocho (“new ramen alley”) is located 1 minute to the east.

This stop is convenient for Susukino Station on the Namboku Subway Line and Hosui-Susukino Station on the Toho Subway Line.

Yamahana-Ku-Jo Station

This stop is convenient for Nakajima-Koen Station on the Namboku Subway Line.

Nakajima-Koen-Dori Station

This station is convenient for Nakajima Park. This is a large park which contains spacious lawns, a pond, streams, and around 5,000 trees. There are several facilities inside the park which are a short walk from this station. The Hoheikan is a famous 19th century wooden guesthouse open as a museum and is about a 5 minute walk from the station. Also nearby are Sapporo Astronomical Observatory, Sapporo Concert Hall, a puppet theater for children, and a traditional Japanese stroll garden.

Gyokei-Dori Station

This station is convenient for the southern entrance of Nakajima Park. Exit here for Sapporo Gokoku Jinja, a pleasant shrine inside the park, which was founded in 1879 and is popular for cherry blossom viewing spot in the spring.

Seishugakuen-Mae Station

This stop is convenient for Horohira-Bashi Station on the Namboku Subway Line.

Densha-Jigyosho-Mae Station

This stop serves Sapporo’s streetcar depot, Densha-Jigyosho, where trams are stored and maintained. Public visits are suspended during construction scheduled to continue through 2028. Our article Free Tours of Sapporo’s Tram Depot describes visits before the construction closure.

Ropeway Iriguchi Station

Exit here for Mount Moiwa, which is one of Sapporo’s most popular sightseeing attractions. The free shuttle to Moiwa Sanroku Station on the Mount Moiwa Ropeway leaves from a bus stop about a minute’s walk from Ropeway Iriguchi tram stop. Buses run every 15 minutes during operating hours, starting at 17:17 on weekdays and at 10:17 on weekends and public holidays, or 10:47 on winter weekends and holidays. The bus ride takes about 2 minutes. Outside shuttle hours, the ropeway base is an uphill walk of about 10 minutes from the shuttle boarding point. From Moiwa Sanroku Station you can take the ropeway, and then a cable car, to reach the observation deck on the mountain’s summit. From the top of Mount Moiwa you can enjoy a fabulous view over the city which is particularly impressive at night.

Nishisen-Juichi-Jo Station

This stop is an 8 minute walk from the main store of Chocolatier Masále where you can buy the very best handmade luxury chocolates.

Nishi-Jugo-Chome Station

This stop is a 2 minute walk from Space 1-15, an apartment building that has been converted into an unusual department store. Inside the building are more than 20 small shops, workshops, and eateries. Many open in the afternoon between Thursday and Sunday, but opening days and hours vary by shop, so check the individual business before visiting. To enter the building, you buzz the intercom button for the shop that you wish to visit first and they will let you in.

This stop is also a 9 minute walk from Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art which exhibits a range of modern and contemporary art works by artists from Hokkaido and overseas. This includes early 20th century works by Jules Pascin and other artists of the School of Paris, a glasswork collection with Art Nouveau items and contemporary works, and 19th century ukiyo-e prints. Also nearby is the Migishi Kotaro Museum which displays the works of local artist Migishi Kotaro (1903 – 1934) who painted in a modern Western style.

This stop is convenient for Nishi-Juhatchome Station on the Tozai Subway Line.

Chuo-Kuyakusho-Mae Station

This stop is a 5 minute walk from Sapporo Shiryokan. This building was built in 1926 and was formerly Sapporo’s Court of Appeals. It is now open as a free museum, art gallery and event space.

This stop is also a 2 minute walk from Beer Cellar Sapporo, a craft beer taproom and bottle shop that specializes in new and innovative brews. The store carries around 200 varieties of beer and has around 10 beers on tap. Beer Cellar Sapporo opens from 15:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 12:00 to 21:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.

This stop is convenient for Nishi-Juitchome Station in the Tozai Subway Line.

Fares & IC Cards

A single ride on the streetcar costs a flat fare of 230 yen for adults and 120 yen for children of elementary school age. Up to four preschool children can travel free with each accompanying adult or elementary school child on the same journey. An unaccompanied preschool child, or an additional preschool child beyond that allowance, pays the child fare. Babies under 1 year old can travel for free.

If you plan to use the streetcar several times in one day, you should buy a One-Day Streetcar Pass. This pass entitles you to unlimited rides on the streetcar network for one day, not a rolling 24-hour period. The One-Day Streetcar Pass costs 570 yen for adults and 290 yen for children. It does not cover the subway or buses.

A separate mobile-only 24-Hour Streetcar Pass costs 840 yen for adults and 420 yen for children. Its 24-hour validity starts when activated, includes hours when trams are not running, and must not have expired when you get off.

The Dosanko Pass is a one-day streetcar pass for Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and December 29 through January 3. It costs 460 yen and covers one adult and up to two children. It does not cover the subway or buses.

Paper One-Day Streetcar Passes are sold at the Odori commuter-pass counter. Dosanko Passes can be bought on board trams and at the station offices at Odori, Susukino, Nakajima-Koen, Horohira-Bashi, Nishi-Juhatchome, Nishi-Juitchome and Hosui-Susukino. Mobile versions of both passes are available through Jorudan’s Norikae Annai app and the Gurutto Hokkaido website.

Prepaid IC cards can also be used on the streetcar network. The SAPICA card is the local IC card that can be used on the streetcar, subway, and participating bus services in the Sapporo area, including some routes outside the city. SAPICA can also be used to buy goods from shops and vending machines in Sapporo that display the SAPICA logo. This card can be bought from subway ticket machines or bus terminal ticket offices. However, it cannot be bought on board streetcars or buses. SAPICA cannot be used on JR trains or throughout Japan’s nationwide IC-card network, but there are other regional IC cards that can be used in Sapporo and throughout the country. The following IC cards can all be used on Sapporo’s streetcar, subway, and participating local bus services: Kitaca, Suica, PASMO, manaca, TOICA, PiTaPa, ICOCA, Hayakaken, nimoca and SUGOCA.

Compatible contactless credit, debit and prepaid cards, or phones, can also be used on the streetcar. On Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and December 29 through January 3, one adult’s fares are capped at 460 yen for the day when paid with the same card or device. A physical card and a phone count separately, even when linked to the same account. This cap does not include accompanying children in the way the Dosanko Pass does, and bank-card payments do not qualify for the subway transfer discount.

How to Use the Streetcar in Sapporo

Trams are boarded from the rear door and exited from the front. When you are ready to get off, push the stop button to request a stop. Because the Sapporo Streetcar has a flat fare system, there is no need to buy a ticket before boarding. As you exit the tram you can pay with cash, an IC card or a compatible contactless bank card, or show a pass.

If you pay with cash, you put the exact fare into the fare box which is located beside the driver. If you don’t have the exact fare, you can use a change machine beside the fare box.

If you use a transport IC card, tap it on the card reader beside the driver only when getting off, not when boarding. When paying with a contactless bank card or phone, tap the dedicated payment terminal beside the driver as you get off. Tell the driver before tapping if paying for a child, several people or a discounted fare. If you use a paper pass or an active mobile ticket, show it to the driver.

Streetcar Parties

Private streetcar hire and reservations are suspended because of a driver shortage. For enquiries, call 011-551-3944 in Japanese, or check the dedicated Japanese language webpage for any announcement about resuming the service.

Useful Links

A downloadable route map for the Sapporo Streetcar is available from the Sapporo City Transportation Bureau webpage.

More detailed information on the SAPICA IC card is available from the official English language SAPICA website.

To plan your journeys on the Sapporo Streetcar, use the English language timetable and route search Japan Transit Planner. Hyperdia no longer provides departure timetables and should not be used to check current tram times or fares.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 30-Aug-2026.