Lost in Susukino: My First Night in Sapporo’s Wild Side

A glimpse of Susukino’s famous neon lights at night. (Nope, you’re not in Times Square – this is Sapporo!)

First Impressions of the Neon Jungle

Stepping out of the subway into Susukino, I felt like I’d entered a neon jungle. Towering signs for beer, karaoke, and ahem more adult pursuits glowed from every corner. Susukino is the entertainment district of Sapporo – often mentioned alongside Tokyo’s Kabukicho as one of Japan’s top nightlife hubs

. The area is packed with over 3,000 bars, restaurants, clubs, and well, “establishments” of all kinds

. On a Friday night, it seemed like all of them were open and buzzing until dawn. As an innocent first-timer, I was equal parts dazzled and hilariously overwhelmed by the sheer sensory overload.

I wandered past bustling izakayas and a legendary ramen alley, the aroma of miso broth mixing oddly with the perfume of nearby hostess clubs. A friendly tout on the corner tried luring me into a “massage” place – cue my awkward sprint away, channeling Olympic speed-walking skills. It was impossible not to grin at the absurdity and energy.

As the night wore on, I remembered my friend’s cheeky advice: “If you ever feel lonely, just look for an escort in Sapporo.” So, I did some research. I discovered that there were a lot of listings for Japanese escorts on the site, and my vocabulary expanded. “Outcall” apparently means having an escort come to your home.

(To be honest, at first I thought outcall was a new type of phone answering service… damn it!). Who would have thought a wild night out could be so educational? True to my typical self, I ended up using this newfound knowledge to joke with my karaoke host, saying, “Incall and outcall sound like Pokemon names, don’t they?” She laughed so hard she nearly dropped my drink.