Susukino is known as the entertainment district of Sapporo and has been since its founding with the creation of Sapporo. Originally considered the red-light district of Sapporo, over time the Susukino area has morphed into a general entertainment center. Every day locals and visitors from abroad head to Susukino for its night life. Bars, clubs, arcades and great food are available on every street corner. With its iconic Nikka Whisky sign dominating the night view, Susukino is a must-visit for those wanting to experience the nightlife of Sapporo year round. It is not an exaggeration to say that Japanese people even from outside of Hokkaido are familiar with Susukino. Located in a straight line south from Sapporo station, it is easily accessible by subway and tram, and the walk isn’t a long one either. Roughly 1.5 kms from Sapporo Station, the entire distance can be walked under cover from the snow or rain via the Sapporo eki-mae underground walkway, which starts at Sappor Station, passes through Odori Station, and ends at Susukino Station. Along the way there are myriad shops, restaurants, and even art installations, so it is worth a visit on your way to Susukino even in good weather! With its ease of access and exciting night scene, Susukino remains popular among Hokkaido natives and visitors alike.
What most visitors don’t know, however, is that Susukino does not just have a modern drinking scene, but also a long history of geisha and traditional dance that rivals Kyoto. At the peak of Susukino’s popularity, there were over 300 geisha working in Susukino that traveled to the various restaurants in the area to entertain customers.
Geisha are one of the symbols of Japan, but they are also mysterious and not well-understood by many foreigners. The culture of geisha began in the 1700’s, where originally men were geisha, also known as taikomochi (literally “drum-carrier). The roles these men performed then have not changed much in the following centuries- they were hired to have conversations with guests, tell stories and jokes, and do tea ceremony. Some of them were confidants of lords in matters related to war. In the following decades, however, these men were soon outnumbered by women as women took the title of geisha and began to perform similar jobs. Today there are still taikomochi, but their numbers are less than a dozen.
In the first form of the female geisha, they were originally assistants to oiran– high ranking and noble courtesans who were skilled in traditional Japanese arts. The geisha of this period would dance and play shamisen to support the oiran, and over time grew their own customer base as an affordable alternative to the oiran that employed them. Eventually they outnumbered the oiran in terms of numbers and popularity, and the geisha became the main entertainers in their place.
Geisha are, at their core, entertainers. They learn a myriad of Japanese arts- dancing, singing, instruments, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and others. One of their most important skills is knowing how to be excellent conversationalists and being good at omotenashi– the concept of hospitality and courtesy for your guests. They converse with their guests and drink with them, and they are expected to know history as well as contemporary news. Although with their introduction to western pop culture the image of geisha was confused with that of sex workers, this is not what geisha are- geisha are high-end hosts and entertainers. They are cool, sophisticated, and engaging, and they are still highly regarded as keepers of Japanese arts and style.
Over time and as Japan has modernized, women who have become geisha have decreased from their peak number, which was before the Meiji Period. Most of the contemporary geisha still work and live in Kyoto, and now just one company employing a dozen geisha still exists in Susukino. This is a trend that is seen all over Japan- from geisha to traditional arts and dances, tea ceremony or Japanese instruments, the number of young people who learn and continue these cultural practices has declined. In response to this decline and to protect the precious arts of their district, the Susukino Tourism Association has focused on promoting the geisha and the Traditional Lion Dance Association of Susukino.
When lion dances are mentioned, most people tend to think of China and the many-legged flamboyant parades that happen there. They are not too far off- the lion dance, or shishimai as it is called in Japan, come to Japan from China, although originally it is probably a tradition from India (there are no native lions to China, but there are some in India!)
The lion is regarded as an animal that can drive away bad spirits and evil, and bring good luck in its place. Lion dances are performed at both temples and shrines in Japan. Each region of Japan has a different style. The head and bodies can have different styles, and the dances are different as well. In some places, the shishimai isn’t even a lion- it can be a deer, a boar, and some other four-legged animal. No matter the animal, being bit on the head by a performer shishimai is said to bring good luck throughout the year! The dances are typically performed at special events, like New Year or a shrine festival.
I was lucky enough to join performances from both the Susukino geisha and the Traditional Lion Dance Association in Susukino as part of the promotion from the Susukino Tourism Association! Partnering with local restaurants that have tatami rooms or large enough private rooms that can be used as a performance space, it was a luxurious experience that I want to share with all visitors to Sapporo.
At Otaru Bettei in Susukino I had my first experience with a lion dance performed by the Susukino Kyounokai. I didn’t really have any image of what the lion dance was except what I have seen in movies, so I was really looking forward to it. Otaru Bettei was bright and cheerful, and their traditional Japanese décor was classy and homey at the same time. The food at Otaru Bettei was also excellent, and while we were relaxing the show began. There were two performers this time- the dancer and the musician, who also explained what the dancer was doing. I was surprised at how cute the dance was- they performed one about the lion eating their favorite food, which I was delighted to learn is mikan oranges! As the performers explained to me- since a lion is really just a big cat, the lion wants to play with their food before they eat it, like a house cat playing with their toys. This involved the performer dancing around the mikan, picking it up with their big mask, putting it down and inspecting it, and finally eating it with a loud chomp! The snap of the lion’s moving jaw was a big noise in the small space, and accompanied by the music it was thrilling.
I had the chance to view the lion dance again at Special Club. The mood here was pretty different- Special Club is more like a club (as in its name), with many private rooms along some maze-like hallways. We used one of the larger spaces to enjoy appetizers and drinks, and were able to mingle and chat while we waited for the performances to begin. Before the dances started, the performers came to join us and talk with us about their activities and the history of their group. Learning about the lion dance and the custom itself was interesting, and being able to speak with the performers while enjoying appetizers and drinks at Special Club was a great way to spend my night in Susukino. They even let us have a close look at the lion’s head and costumer. The costume itself was fascinating- the mane of the lion is made from horse hair, and the head is made of solid wood and so heavy! The gold leaf on the lion’s head is so striking, and the way the mouth opens and closes with a big snap is impressive. Despite being made of such heavy wood, the mouth moves smoothly. There are bells sewn into the costume itself so that it rings with every step, and of course all of this is made by hand. It was a rare opportunity to hear about the effort going into making the costume itself and the history of the dance itself, and getting to eat incredible food in a private room while doing so made it all the better! The lion dance association’s performance was a treat, and I got the bite on the head from the shishimai that I was hoping for! I think families (especially with kids!) will love the lively dancing while enjoying such great food. There is enough room for everyone to move around and get a good view of the dance performance.
To view the Susukino geisha’s performance I moved to another venue. I was lucky to visit a few of the restaurants where it is possible for the geisha to perform. First among these places was Sugi no Me- one of Susukino’s oldest restaurants, with some of the best kaiseki I have had in Hokkaido. They opened in the early 1900’s, and they are famous for their fresh Hokkaido ingredients and their originally made sake. They really lived up to their reputation with top-notch service and a warm greeting and farewell from the owner herself.
Next up was Ohsuke Bettei- I loved their atmosphere and they are famous for their eel, which they have shipped live to Sapporo for freshness. Their restaurant was charming, with a traditional frog sculpture in the lobby that I fell in love with and kept taking pictures of. Their restaurant has an incredible large tatami room, and getting to have it to ourselves was a luxurious experience. Their food was so good I didn’t want to eat it all so I could keep enjoying it. I am not even a fan of eel, but was amazed by how good everything was. And of course, we got to enjoy it all with cold beers and locally produced sake!
Last was Hokkai Shabu Shabu, located across the street from the new Susukino Cocono and with a great selection of delicious foods. They are more modern, and our seats had large windows overlooking the Susukino intersection. We arrived before sunset, and as we enjoyed the night we got to watch as Susukino grew busier and brighter as the lights started to come on. They boast of the quality of their lamb, and their claims are well founded- everything was tender and incredible. Their concept is “Hokkaido soul food,” and they really lived up to it. A change of pace from the kaiseki courses of Suginome and Ohsuke Bettei, Hokkai Shabu Shabu is a great choice for people who want to experience Hokkaido’s foods without eating a lot of seafood.
All of these locations serve course meals, and the nights we attended the performances we started with eating and enjoying the incredible food with our local guide in the private rooms that had been reserved for us. Our local guide was a Hokkaido native and very experienced with guiding visitors to Japan. Visiting with someone who knows the history of Susukino and Sapporo, plus who can give us recommended ways to eat our delicious courses or what sake or wine pairings go with each definitely elevated the experience. Plus, it was just fun- we all had a great time talking and learning, even before the performances. We were deep into our meal and good conversation when the geisha and her support shamisen player arrived.
First, the shamisen player entered the room and introduced herself and the geisha who would be performing for us that night in Susukino. An equally important part of the geisha’s performance, the shamisen player would introduce the songs, dances, and games, plus play and sing along as the geisha danced. I thought she was really kind, and so talented as well! Although the “star” was the geisha, getting to speak to the shamisen player and see her perform up close was special as well.
After introductions the geisha herself enters, and depending on how far the guests are in their meal, she might sit to talk with them and pour the guests drinks. The Susukino geisha takes turns attending different events, so all of them have the same opportunity for new experiences and learning. On the nights we went we were lucky enough to meet three different women who had become geisha. One of them was quite young, and had only been practicing as a geisha for a few years- speaking with her and then another woman who had been doing this job for decades was so interesting! Their styles were different, and getting to watch them both at work was fascinating. Having the opportunity to speak with them and ask the questions we had about their work was special, and they were kind enough to answer even our silly questions- why they wore the kimonos they did, how they styled their hair and makeup, and what brought them to this career as well. Geisha are supposed to remain mysterious, so we avoided asking too many personal questions about their lives. They are acting as the perfect host- they want to hear about you more than they want to speak about themselves!
After the opportunities to speak together, the shamisen player set up and she and the geisha did their performance. Accompanied by the music, the geisha did a traditional dance with a folding fan. Watching them dance in their long kimonos and their graceful movements was inspiring, and being able to see it outside of the movies or video and so close up was amazing! I had not really realized how long their kimonos were, and even walking, much less dancing in them seemed very difficult.
After the dance, the geisha showed us how to use their folding fans. They were much stiffer than I had expected, and hard to open. I was impressed that even something that looks as simple as opening a fan required so much force, and that the geisha were able to open it while still looking so graceful. I, sadly, did not master this skill over the course of the dinners I enjoyed with the Susukino geisha. Although I was able to make it come half-way open after trying a few times, I never managed to get it to full open in one flick, nor with the impressive snap that it makes when the geisha themselves do it!
One of the highlights of the night was playing a game with our attending geisha! The geisha have a variety of games that they will do with guests, as, like I mentioned- they are entertainers, and here to make sure their guests enjoy their night! The game we played was konpira fune fune. It was deceptively simple, and didn’t require the guests to know any Japnaese (perfect for foreign visitors!) As the shamisen player strums, the geisha sits opposite of the customer and they take turns tapping or picking up a small wooden box. If you just touch the box, you do so with an open hand- like “paper” from rock-scissors-paper. You can either touch the box, or pick it up in rhythm to the music. If you pick it up, the person opposite of you must put their hand where the box was with a closed fist- like “rock” from rock-scissors-paper. The point of the game is to trick the person sitting across from you into missing tapping the box- you can pick it up or feint doing so in time with the music, which starts to increase in speed as the song continues on. I was not very skilled at it, but one of my friends who joined me was! She and the geisha got going very fast as the music continued, and we were all laughing and impressed by the end of their matches. She even managed to win once!
After the performances and games, we returned to chatting with the geisha and her shamisen player until we finished our dinner and our time was up at the restaurant. I have heard stories that geisha are strong drinkers, and can drink more than almost all of their customers- I didn’t have a chance to witness this myself, but I would not be surprised if it was true. They are the perfect hosts! They let us take pictures together as well when we asked. They are so beautiful and poised, and next time I absolutely want to wear a kimono myself when having dinner at an occasion where they will be performing. Before parting, the geisha also gave us their name cards in the form of stickers printed on washi paper. Everyone’s was different, and they make new ones depending on the time of the year. It just has “Sapporo” and their name- usually a stage name, and just a first name.
Saying goodbye at the end of the night to these incredibly skilled performers was bittersweet. Both the geisha and the lion dancers had given us an unforgettable and unique experience, and getting to experience such a night in Susukino with such amazing food is something I look on fondly and am looking forward to sharing with other visitors to Hokkaido. Although Hokkaido is regarded as newer and less traditionally cultural than the rest of Japan or someplace like Kyoto, being able to experience and have dinner with geisha so close to home was unforgettable. The experience felt genuine and more intimate, and getting to pair that with incredible Hokkaido cuisine propelled this into a treasured memory and experience. I am also so happy I got my shishimai bite as well, and that I had the chance to get up-close-and-personal with the lion dancers. I am looking forward to my next chance to see them all again!
