Nijo Market: Sapporo’s Seafood Paradise (2025 Insider Guide)​

Discover this famous fish market in Sapporo, Nijo Market, with a long history of more than 150 years, and savor the authentic Japanese food flavor. Check practical tips for 2025 and start your exploration of delicious Hokkaido food from the Nijo Market!

Lots of trattorias stand inside the market, of which Noren Yokocho (Noren Alley) is a popular area. One of the best things to do in Sapporo is to explore it and to immerse yourself in a wide range of cuisine like a local. The market is not only preferred by natives in Sapporo as a kitchen, but also popular with tourists from abroad. This article will help you get a deeper understanding of the market, tips on the journey, and more trip highlights.

Table of Contents

  • Nijo Market Facts

  • Why Visit Nijo Market?

  • History of Nijo Market

  • Must-Try Foods at Nijo Market (Local-Approved)

  • Travel Tips for Nijo Market

  • Nearby Attractions

  • FAQs about Sapporo Nijo Market

Nijo Market Facts

  • Japanese name: 二条市場

  • Address: 1-chome to 2-chome, Minami 3 Johigashi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido

  • Opening hours:
    Shops: 7:00 am-6:00 pm all year (varying by individual stores)
    Restaurants: 6:00 am- 9:00 pm (varying by individual stores)

  • Closed: No closing days (varying by different individual stores)

  • Entrance ticket: Free

  • Best time to visit: Early morning of a day

Why Visit Nijo Market?

  • Apart from being a favorite of the citizens in Sapporo, visitors can also enjoy delicious street food like a local when they visit Hokkaido.

  • Located in the heart of Sapporo, it makes the market easily reachable, where visitors can have breakfast, then start the Sapporo city tour.

  • The market provides a wide range of street food, processed seafood products, fruits, and vegetables.

  • This Sapporo seafood market is also the home to various restaurants, where tourists can taste diverse kinds of seafood, which appeals to different tastes.

History of Nijo Market

The Nijo Market, also known as the public kitchen of Sapporo, is a public fish market located in central Sapporo, where citizens and visitors prefer to hunt for fresh seafood products. Its roots need to be traced back to over 100 years ago, the early times of the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Fishermen were originally fishing and selling seafood in Ishikari Bay with workers who were in charge of unloading. Later, fishermen began to sell their fish by the Soseigawa Canal, where there were just 13 shops. That place was renowned as the Fish Town, which lay west of the Soseigawa Canal; it was extended to the east side over time.

The Nijo Fish Market in early times was destroyed by a fire in 1902. But it was gradually redeveloped at the former location. When it came to the Showa period, after the end of World War 2, dry stores and some vendors mainly selling ready meals gradually appeared on the street, and this Nijo Market was gradually recognized as the Central Market.

The current building was completed in 1993, and the main restaurant area was built in 2007. In addition to aquatic products, processed seafood and vegetables can be found here. A variety of bars, greengrocers, and restaurants were built up over time.

Must-Try Foods at Nijo Market (Local-Approved)

The well-known Nijo Market is situated in central Sapporo, which is easy to get to. Diverse colorful stores are lined along the arcades, selling crab, sea urchin, shellfish, and other marine products, which are guaranteed fresh. Some restaurants are also laid out here, with various regional specialties. And most of the shops close by 5:00 pm.

King Crab Legs & Snow Crab Miso Soup

The crab meat is the typical Hokkaido seafood, and snow crab miso soup belongs to one of the most delicious dishes you can’t miss when dining in the Sapporo Fish Market. Situated steps away from Nijo Fish market, Kanikuidokoro Kanikosen is a crab restaurant, which is renowned for its fresh crab dishes at a reasonable price. Crabs here are sourced from one of the top crab ports in Japan, Nemuro.

One of its highlights belongs to Kani-don, which is composed of steamed crab meat, salmon roe, and sea urchin, separately taking half of the bowl. Paired with a bowl of miso soup, it can be very enjoyable. Except for a wide range of crabs, the restaurant also offers other dishes like tempura, sashimi, live scallops, and fresh uni. It is open from 8:00 am, where you can start your trip with a seafood breakfast.

Donburi Bowls: Uni, Ikura, & Kaisendon

The Donburi Bowls can be a specialty in Japan, and DONBURI CHAYA is a restaurant, specifically selling seafood rice bowls, which is known as the kitchen of Sapporo. Here you can enjoy fresh ingredients and reasonable prices at the same time. More than 50 types of seafood rice bowls can be your alternatives, of which the most popular one belongs to the Specialty Donburi, with 10 kinds of toppings, including uni, ikura, and kaisendon, which can fully make your taste buds happy.

Sweet Treats: Melon Pan & Hokkaido Dairy Soft Serve

After having seafood, do not forget to savor the iconic melon in the Sapporo Fish Market! Tasting can be the most enjoyable thing to do on a market day. A number of vendors are selling fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apples, grapes, melons, etc. Besides, Hokkaido dairy products are popular as well. They are not only refreshing and suitable for sending as souvenirs.

Travel Tips for Nijo Market

1. Best Time to Visit

  • Nijo Market opening hours: 7:00 am-6:00 pm all year round (depending on individual stores).

It is recommended to go to the market in the morning to avoid crowds.

2. Location & Transportation

  • Nijo Market address: 1-chome to 2-chome, Minami 3 Johigashi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido

  • By Car: Approximately 30 minutes from the Sasson Expressway, Sapporo Kita IC

  • By Bus: Approximately 5 minutes walking from the Bus Center-mae Station on the Subway Tozai Line

  • On foot: Approximately 7 minutes from Odori Subway Station

3. Cash Only in Some Stores

Parts of stores accept cash only. If consuming with cards at some stores, you need to pay the commission. Therefore, it is advised to prepare yourself with cash in advance if you plan to have meals or buy souvenirs here.

Nearby Attractions

Sapporo TV Tower

The Sapporo TV Tower, built in 1957, is a famous landmark of Sapporo among both locals and tourists, which has witnessed the development of Sapporo. The TV tower has a height of 147.2 m (483 ft). From this observatory, visitors can appreciate the wonderful landscape of Sapporo and Odori Park.

Sapporo Clock Tower

A 10-minute walk from the Sapporo Station sits the Sapporo Clock Tower, which is also regarded as the symbol of Sapporo. It was originally built as a drill hall of the Sapporo Agricultural College in 1878. Later, the clock was installed in 1881.

As the oldest clock tower in Japan, this Tower serves as a museum nowadays, on the first floor of which it displays some cultural assets, telling the history of the building and Sapporo to visitors. The second floor is a ceremony hall, which is used as the exhibition room in daytime, and serves as a rental hall at night for concerts, lectures, or wedding ceremonies.

It is recommended to pay a visit at 12 o’clock, because the tower rings its first bell. The clock still keeps running now, and the chimes can be heard every hour.

Odori Park

The Odori Park is on many visitors’ lists of attractions. Although called the park, it actually is a street. It lies in the center of Sapporo City, surrounded by about 4,700 trees, with lawns, fountains, and diverse kinds of plants, for relaxing.

Not only are locals and visitors loved, but it is also known as the venue for festival events, like the Sapporo Lilac Festival, YOSAKOI Soran Festival, and the Autumn Festival. The Sapporo Snow Festival is annually held here as well, in which ice sculptures and performances attract about 2 million people every year from Japan and abroad to enjoy.

FAQs about Sapporo Nijo Market

1. Is Nijo Market expensive?

The price of the Nijo Market is in the mid-range, which is cheaper compared with Tokyo. Marine products are a little expensive.

2. Does Nijo Market close on weekends?

The Sapporo seafood market is open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on all days of the week. But it depends on different stores. Some businesses have their own opening and closing days.

3. Can I take food to go?

Yes. Dine-in and pack-up services are available in restaurants.

4. Is Nijo Market worth visiting in winter?

Yes. There are fewer crowds in winter, when you can enjoy some winter-only delicacies.

5. Can I buy souvenirs at Nijo Market?

Of course. Many Hokkaido souvenirs are available here, including seaweed, Shiroi Koibito, pure jelly of Hori, baked scallops, etc., which are popular with tourists. Some of them can be tax-deductible in some stores.

6. Is Nijo Market the same as Sapporo Central Wholesale Market?

No. As a food hub in Sapporo, Sapporo Central Wholesale Market is also worth visiting, with about 60 stores. Various kinds of crabs and local delicacies, fresh fruits, and vegetables from the north are available, and some auctions are hosted here.

Explore Nijo Market with Hi Five Trip

Plan your Hokkaido journey to explore more seafood and other Japanese specialties now! Here are some of our top-recommended Japan tours to Hokkaido:

Feel free to contact us to customize a Hokkaido tour package, based on your needs and schedule, so that it can maximize your trip and experience more highlights of Japan.

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