InterContinental Sapporo in Sapporo, Hokkaido, celebrates its first anniversary on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The hotel opened in October 2025, and to mark the milestone it is holding a month of anniversary events from Thursday, October 1 through Saturday, October 31 under the theme "ONE YEAR. MANY MEMORIES."
The lineup includes an anniversary campaign on the hotel's official Instagram, three special collaborations at the hotel's restaurants and bars that present Hokkaido food and drink in new ways, and a limited-time photo spot in the 9th-floor lobby.
Instagram Anniversary Campaign
Starting October 1 (Thursday), the hotel's official Instagram account is running a giveaway called "ONE YEAR. MANY MEMORIES. Anniversary Lucky Draw." Winners receive stay vouchers for InterContinental hotels across Japan.
To enter, follow the official Instagram account, like the anniversary campaign post, and submit the entry form.
Campaign period: October 1 (Thursday) to October 31 (Saturday), 2026, until 11:59 PM
How to enter: Follow the official Instagram account, like the campaign post, and enter through the campaign entry form
Winners announced: Scheduled for mid-November
Details on the prizes, entry conditions, and notes are posted on the official Instagram account.
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intercontinental_sapporo/
Three Special Collaborations in October
In October, the hotel's restaurants and bars host three one-night collaborations with guests from outside the hotel: a sushi chef, a flair bartender, and a sommelier.
October 10: Sushi Shota × SAWAKA
On Saturday, October 10, SAWAKA, the hotel's contemporary kappo restaurant, hosts a one-night-only collaboration dinner with Sushi Shota.
Shota Oda, owner of Sapporo's Sushi Shota, joins Celso Amano, head chef of contemporary kappo at SAWAKA, for a two-chef evening. Oda has refined the techniques of Edomae sushi, while Amano works with Hokkaido ingredients in the style of SAWAKA. Together they prepare a special course created just for this night.
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Venue: SAWAKA
Seatings: First seating 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM / Second seating 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM (12 guests per seating; both seatings were fully booked at the time of the announcement, and a waitlist is open)
Price: ¥38,000 per person (tax and service charge included)
Details: https://sapporo.intercontinental.com/offer/sawaka-shushi-shota
Reservations: https://www.tablecheck.com/shops/interconti-sapporo-sawaka/reserve
About Shota Oda: Born in Hokkaido, Oda worked at Ginza Kyubey, Sushi Kanesaka, and Ginza Iwa in Tokyo, then spent five years as the owner of Ginza's Sushi Tokami. He also brings a global perspective, having been involved in opening restaurants overseas. In 2022, he opened his own restaurant, Sushi Shota, in his home region of Hokkaido.
October 24: Guest Bartender Night at Norva
On Saturday, October 24, the lounge and bar Norva welcomes guest bartender ABI (Yu Abiko) for a special anniversary night. It is the fifth guest bartender event at the hotel since it opened.
ABI is head bartender at Newjack, a well-known bar in Yokohama, and a flair bartender recognized in Japan and abroad. Guests can watch flair performances with bottles and shakers flying through the air while enjoying her cocktails, which have won praise at competitions around the world.
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Venue: Lounge & bar Norva
Hours: 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM (last order 10:30 PM)
Menu: Four cocktails by ABI
Price: ¥2,500 per drink
Details: https://sapporo.intercontinental.com/offer/norva-abi-guest-bartender/
About ABI: After discovering flair bartending, ABI began her career as a bartender. She has twice been named Japan's women's flair bartending champion, with five wins and three runner-up finishes in domestic competitions. Since joining Newjack, she has won Best Cocktail awards at flair bartending competitions in Singapore and Greece and finished as runner-up at the 2025 YOKOHAMA International Cocktail Competition. She has worked guest shifts in dozens of countries as well as at bars and luxury hotels across Japan, and became head bartender at Newjack in 2024.
October 31: Yoichi LOOP × SAWAKA
The final event of the anniversary month takes place on Saturday, October 31, when SAWAKA hosts a special collaboration with Yoichi LOOP.
The dinner is built around the wine theme of the InterContinental brand, "Rain and Cool Climate." A cool climate is essential to Hokkaido's food and wine culture, and rain is a blessing shared by the world's great wine regions. With Yoichi LOOP's 倉富 宗 as guest sommelier, the evening pairs SAWAKA's dishes with wines from Champagne and other rain-nurtured wine regions around the world, before arriving at Yoichi, Hokkaido, as the final stop of the journey.
Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
Time: Doors open 6:00 PM / Starts 6:30 PM
Venue: SAWAKA
Price: ¥42,000 per person (special course menu and wine pairing, tax and service charge included)
Details: https://sapporo.intercontinental.com/offer/sawaka-yoichi-loop-collaboration-dinner
Reservations: https://www.tablecheck.com/shops/interconti-sapporo-sawaka/reserve
Limited-Time Anniversary Photo Spot
Throughout the anniversary month of October, a photo spot is planned for the 9th-floor lobby. It features floral decorations that blend into the hotel's interior and a "1st Anniversary" sign, giving guests who visit the hotel to stay or dine a place to take a commemorative photo.
The installation period and decorations may change.
