The city of Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido, and the fifth largest city by population in Japan. It may be a little hard to differentiate it from other metropolitan Japanese cities—it has all the modern glitz and glamour that Tokyo offers, but then again, it has so much more. A gateway to the rest of Hokkaido, Sapporo presents just a fraction of what the island has to offer. With a range of exciting festivals and activities throughout the year, from flower viewing parties, beer gardens to snow sculpture festivals, Sapporo reflects the spirit of the changing seasons, coming alive with a character of its own.