Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido which has over 1.7 million population. (Clickable map of Japan) Sapporo attracts many travelers through the year. Sapporo Snow Festival is held in February and is well-known internationally. Also, in summer when other parts of Japan are hot and humid, it's cooler and more comfortable in Sapporo. Another good part of visiting Sapporo is its food. Take Tohoku Shinkansen to Hachinohe station. Take the JR Express train to Hakodate station. Then, transfer to the JR Express train to Sapporo. The trip takes about 10 hours.