If the Twin Cities are water, Sapporo is lead.

The bustlin' city of Sapporo, the fourth largest city in Japan by population, is the capital of Hokkaido prefecture. Like 2 million people live in this 432.87 sq mi area. For comparison, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Twin Cities metro area is 6,364.12 total sq mi (16X the area) with only 1.5X the population (around 3 million). Sapporo is dense. If the Twin Cities are water, Sapporo is lead. Seriously, that's a legit density comparison. I felt like Han Solo being freed from his Carbonite prison upon my return to Yakumo. Please be in awe of my nerdy scientific and science fiction references.

But anyway, Sapporo:

It's bright. There is so much to see! The above photos were taken in the Susukino nightlife district. Next, there were a ton of game centers in Susukuno, and the following photo is of my husband in the Namco Arcade on the 9th floor of JR Tower.

To summarize the rest of the trip, Pachinko parlors are smoky dens of mischief, the shopping center under the JR Sapporo Station is an aMAZEing place, and cool stuff happens everywhere, like the costume contest we stumbled upon in Odori Park. I got a ton of Nintendo Street Pass Tags.

We will be visiting again in February for the Sapporo Snow Festival (hotel already booked!). Then, I hope to visit the Botanical Gardens, Tanuku Koji Shopping Arcade, eat miso ramen (it originated in Sapporo!), and visit a brewery!