Sapporo has several excellent tourist information facilities, all staffed by English-speakers. A useful first stop is the International Information Corner (daily 9am-5pm; closed 2nd & 4th Wed Jan, March-June & Oct-Dec, Dec 29-Jan 3; tel 011/213 5062), inside the Lilac Paseo arcade, on the western side of Sapporo Station, where you can pick up an English pamphlet and map of the city, and information on accommodation (but not bookings). More leaflets, along with camping, skiing and youth hostel guidebooks in English, are available at the Sapporo International Communications Plaza "i" (daily 9am-5.30pm; closed Dec 29-Jan 3; tel 011/211-3678), on the first floor of the MN Building, opposite the city's famous clock tower. There's also a good jobs and events noticeboard here, plus a lounge on the third floor where you can read English newspapers and magazines, and may meet Japanese people eager to practise their English.

The free monthly English newsletter What's on in Sapporo? , published by the Sapporo International Women's Association, gives listings of the city's entertainment and events and is available from all tourist offices, as is the free bilingual magazine Xene ( www.xene.net ), which is also worth a browse, especially for nightlife .