This cramped, daggy airport is my new favourite

The airport

Sapporo New Chitose, Japan

Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport has delicious eating options.Credit: iStock

The flight

NH74 to Tokyo, economy class

The arrival

New Chitose is about a one-hour drive from Sapporo city or a 30-minute train trip, though many Australian travellers arrive direct from ski resorts such as Niseko and Rusutsu via private bus transfers.

The look

Don’t let the name fool you: the domestic terminal at New Chitose is relatively old these days, having been built in 1988. There is an international terminal, too, which is linked by a long multistorey corridor; both hubs are frequently very busy, as Sapporo is one of the few major cities in Japan where travel to Tokyo makes more sense by air than by rail.

Check-in

I’m flying ANA and there is a very long queue to check in. However, there’s good news, as I spot a separate check-in point for those with international connections (I’m continuing to Sydney) and there’s no one waiting there.

Security

Again, there are long queues, and this time no magical shortcut. It takes 15 minutes to get through to the airside departure area.

Food and drink

OK: this is it. This is the reason Sapporo New Chitose is my new favourite airport in the world. It’s cramped, it’s daggy, there’s no butterfly garden a la Singapore Changi, but just look at these dining options. Let’s start at ramen alley, where there are 10 of Sapporo’s finest ramen stores. Then you have restaurants selling Hokkaido’s famed soup curry, plus there are sushi joints, places doing rice bowls with various toppings, Hokkaido-style pasta joints, steak restaurants, gyoza places, sashimi specialists and more. It’s a crime that you can only fit in one meal. I opt for an intense prawn ramen from iconic Sapporo shop Ebisoba Ichigen and it’s everything I dreamed of.

Retail therapy

If you’re unfamiliar with the greatness of Hokkaido chocolate, do yourself a favour. Sapporo airport features a huge Royce chocolate store, a local brand whose “nama” or fresh chocolate, some flavoured with cognac or champagne, is stupendously delicious. There’s also a store selling Hokkaido dairy, which is far tastier than it has any right to be.

Passing time

Ideally, you would walk around and build up enough appetite for another meal. Failing that, you could log onto the free Wi-Fi, grab souvenirs from one of the myriad shops, visit the business centre, or hang out at the open-air observation deck.

The verdict

I’m calling it: best dining of any airport I’ve ever been to. I would hang out at New Chitose just to eat, given so many of Sapporo’s most famous restaurants are collected in one place. This isn’t a flashy, modern airport, and it doesn’t have many exciting facilities, but I love New Chitose with all of my stomach and heart.

Our rating out of five

★★★★½

The writer travelled as a guest of Club Med Kiroro Grand.