Marking the start and end of Sapporo's short summer.

Sapporo Odori Beer Garden

Odori Park is, of course, the well-known symbol of Sapporo. This green belt, splitting the city north and south, runs roughly 1.5km from Odori Nishi 1-chome to Odori Nishi 12-chome. Filled with colorful flower beds and beautiful lawns, and home to countless events, it's beloved by residents and tourists alike.

At the Nishi 5-chome venue, the good seats in the shade fill up while the sun is still high. Staff in refreshing blue uniforms move briskly, carrying beer out to the tables. Major beer companies each run their own booth, taking charge of a single block of the park. Beyond beer, each company offers its own distinctive lineup of other drinks and creative food menus. At the Nishi 11-chome venue's "World Beer" section, you can enjoy beers from Germany and other countries around the world.

By the time you reach Nishi 9-chome, a play area with a stream dappled in sunlight and a large slide comes into view. While the tipsy adults look on, children play without a care. As the sun tilts lower, the breeze suddenly turns cool. And yet, the energy of the celebration only grows. "Let's fully savor this short summer." Different homes, different lives, yet all gathered under the shared space of the park, sharing a beer together. Somewhere in that, without anyone quite realizing it, there seemed to be a quiet sense of connection everyone was enjoying together.