Downtown Sapporo offers a number of department stores featuring retail outlets from such famous names as Coach, Gucci and Bvlgari, as well as shopping malls popular among the youth set. With underground shopping malls, you can shop to your heart's delight in comfort and convenience without worrying about the winter weather above. Although major department stores and underground shopping malls are concentrated mainly in the areas around Odori and Sapporo Station, shopping, restaurants and movies can be also be enjoyed under one roof at Sapporo Factory, located just east of the downtown area.

Major department stores and shopping malls in the Odori area:
Mitsukoshi, Marui Imai, Aurora Town, and more.

Major department stores and shopping malls in the area surrounding Sapporo Station:
Daimaru, Stellar Place, Apia, and more.

For electronic items, the area surrounding Sapporo Station is the place to go. Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera, Best Denki and other large electronic goods retailers are all located in one convenient area and offer a dizzying assortment of items. Make sure to take home some electronic appliances made in Japan!

Surrounded by the sea, seafood is a must-have in Hokkaido. In addition to some of the freshest seafood you will ever try, many processed items are also highly recommended. Smoked or dried salmon, cod, scallops and other fish and shellfish, as well as kelp and pickles using Hokkaido seafood are ideal as souvenirs.

As Japan's largest producer of sugar, azuki sweet beans and wheat, as well as being a major dairy farming region, Hokkaido produces a variety of mouth watering confectioneries and sweets - many of which tourists buy as souvenirs. Popular confectioneries from all over Hokkaido are available in souvenir shops and department stores.

Visiting Japan offers a great opportunity for buying Japanese traditional handicrafts and kimonos. Although you can buy them in the kimono and Japanese-style accessory sections of department stores, have a look in some of the many specialty stores in the Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade and other places throughout the city.