How to Get to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO: Transportation Guide
Even if you want to go to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, you may feel anxious not knowing whether you should head there from Sapporo Station, whether you can go directly from New Chitose Airport, or how to get there from Kitahiroshima Station. Especially for first-time visitors to Hokkaido, it's important to understand in advance the differences between trains, buses, and taxis, and which transportation method to choose.
This article organizes and introduces the main transportation methods from Sapporo Station, New Chitose Airport, and Kitahiroshima Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO. We also summarize nearby spots that are easy to visit before and after watching games, how to use shuttle buses, and tips for avoiding crowds on the way back. If you want to understand the flow of transportation and make it easier to plan your schedule for the day, please use this as a reference.
Table of Contents
1. What is ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO?
2. Transportation | From Sapporo Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
2-1. Train
2-2. Shuttle Bus
2-3. Taxi
3. Transportation | From New Chitose Airport to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
3-1. Train
3-2. Shuttle Bus
3-3. Taxi
4. Transportation | From Kitahiroshima Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
4-1. Bus
4-2. Walking
5. Tourist Spots Around ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
5-1. Mitsui Outlet Park Kitahiroshima
5-2. Hokuren Kururu no Mori
5-3. Former Shimamatsu Ekitei-sho
5-4. Sapporo Hachimangu Shrine
6. Frequently Asked Questions About Transportation to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
6-1. Do shuttle buses require reservations? Can you board on the same day?
6-2. What are the tips for avoiding crowds on the way back?
Summary
1. What is ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO?
ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO is a baseball stadium that opened in March 2023 in F Village, Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido, and serves as the home stadium for the professional baseball team Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
The notable feature of ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO is that it's Japan's first retractable roof natural grass ballpark. It's the second retractable roof stadium in NPB history since Fukuoka Dome which opened in 1993, and it's the first in Japan to have natural grass while being indoors.
The south side of ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO features a full glass wall that maximizes sunlight intake, creating an environment conducive to natural grass growth.
Inside the stadium, there's Asia's first hotel with a view of the field, the world's first hot spring & sauna inside a ballpark, and a rooftop bar overlooking the field. All of these are unique experiences that can only be enjoyed at ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO.
The spectator seats extend from the sunken field to the 4th floor above ground, allowing for an immersive viewing experience from any seat. Particularly, the outfield wall is a glass wall with a maximum height of 70m, allowing baseball viewing in an open and spacious setting.
2. Transportation | From Sapporo Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
Sapporo Station is the representative station of Sapporo City, the central city of Hokkaido. Multiple lines including JR and subway connect here. There are several ways to get from Sapporo Station to Es Con Field HOKKAIDO.
2-1. Train
The nearest station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO is Kitahiroshima Station.
From Sapporo Station to Kitahiroshima Station, there's a direct JR route without transfers. The travel time is approximately 16-23 minutes, and the one-way fare is 580 yen. After arriving at Kitahiroshima Station, you can take a shuttle bus from the west exit or walk to Es Con Field HOKKAIDO.
2-2. Shuttle Bus
There is no direct shuttle bus from Sapporo Station, so you need to go via Shin-Sapporo Station. First, take JR from Sapporo Station to Shin-Sapporo Station, then transfer to the shuttle bus. The shuttle bus boarding area is located at the dedicated platform in Shin-Sapporo Station Transportation Plaza.
From Shin-Sapporo Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, the shuttle bus takes about 25 minutes. The fare is 600 yen one-way for adults (junior high school students and above) and 300 yen for children (elementary school students and below). Payment methods differ between game days and non-game days. On game days, payment is made in advance using VISA Touch, boarding tickets, or transportation IC cards. On non-game days, cash is also accepted.
Operating hours are from 2 hours and 30 minutes before game start until 30 minutes after game start on game days, departing when full. Also, departures from F Village run from after game end until 3 hours after game end, departing when full. On non-game days, operating hours differ: departures from Shin-Sapporo Station are from 8:45 to 18:10, and from F Village are from 9:45 to 19:00.
2-3. Taxi
When traveling by taxi from Sapporo to Kitahiroshima, as of February 2026, the estimated fare is 8,030 yen and travel time is about 55 minutes. Fares vary depending on road conditions and time of day, so please use this as a reference. This is a convenient transportation option when you have a lot of luggage or want to reduce transfers.
Please note that late-night surcharges apply if departure time is between 22:00 and 5:00 the next day.
3. Transportation | From New Chitose Airport to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
New Chitose Airport is an important hub used by many people from domestic and international destinations as Hokkaido's main airport. It's widely utilized as a base for tourism and business due to its good access to central Sapporo City.
There are several access methods from New Chitose Airport to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, the new home stadium of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
3-1. Train
When traveling by train from New Chitose Airport to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, using the JR Chitose Line is common. Using the Rapid Airport from New Chitose Airport Station, you can reach Kitahiroshima Station in about 21 minutes. When using local trains, the travel time is about 27 minutes.
From Kitahiroshima Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, there are options like walking, shuttle bus, and taxi.
On night game days, temporary trains operate to match return times. In addition to the regular Rapid Airport, the Special Rapid Airport with fewer stops also makes temporary stops at Kitahiroshima Station for Sapporo-bound trains only (2 trains), making it convenient.
3-2. Shuttle Bus
Direct shuttle buses also operate from New Chitose Airport to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO. They depart from bus stops ⑦ and ㉓ inside the airport, with a travel time of about 55 minutes.
Compared to train travel, this eliminates the hassle of transfers, making it especially recommended for those with lots of luggage or traveling with small children. However, there are limits to the number of operating buses and passenger capacity. Please note that you may have to wait to board or may not be able to board at all.
The fare is 1,000 yen one-way for adults (junior high school students and above) and 500 yen for children (elementary school students and below). Payment methods include VISA Touch, boarding tickets, transportation IC cards, and cash. SAPICA issued by Sapporo General Information Center Co., Ltd. cannot be used.
Bus operations run 6 round trips daily on both weekdays and weekends/holidays, with airport departures from 9:30 to 18:00 and F Village departures from 8:00 to 16:30. The shuttle bus boarding and alighting location within ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO is in front of the Coca-Cola GATE on the first base side.
3-3. Taxi
When traveling by taxi from New Chitose Airport to Kitahiroshima, as of February 2026, the estimated fare is 8,220 yen and travel time is about 49 minutes. Actual fares may vary depending on traffic conditions and usage time. While convenient for direct travel from the airport, costs tend to be higher than other methods.
Late-night surcharges apply when departure time is between 22:00 and 5:00 the next day.
4. Transportation | From Kitahiroshima Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
Kitahiroshima Station is the nearest station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO. Since Rapid Airport also stops here, access from Sapporo and New Chitose Airport is relatively easy. With the opening of Es Con Field HOKKAIDO, development around the station has also progressed.
4-1. Bus
Shuttle buses to F Village depart from the dedicated boarding area at Kitahiroshima Station west exit. Travel time is about 5 minutes, with one-way fares of 230 yen for adults and 120 yen for children. Buses operate not only on game days but also on non-game days.
Operating frequency differs between game days and non-game days. On game days, service is increased starting 3 hours before game start. On night game days, additional services are provided after game end, so you can watch until late with peace of mind. On non-game days, buses run at 30-minute intervals.
4-2. Walking
You can also walk from Kitahiroshima Station to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO. On days with good weather, it's nice to walk while enjoying the scenery.
Travel time is approximately 20 minutes on foot, covering a distance of about 1.5km-2km.
There are several routes, but the route taking the cycling road called "Elfin Road" straight ahead from Kitahiroshima Station east exit is particularly recommended. The route is easy to understand and features relatively flat roads that are easy to walk on. Many directional signs are installed along the way, so there's little worry about getting lost.
5. Tourist Spots Around ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
Knowing places you can visit before and after games in advance makes it easier to plan your day's schedule, not just for watching games.
The Kitahiroshima area has commercial facilities where you can enjoy shopping, facilities where you can experience Hokkaido's food culture, and spots where you can learn about local history. Choosing places that are easy to visit in a short time won't increase travel burden much and makes it comfortable even for first-time visitors.
5-1. Mitsui Outlet Park Kitahiroshima
Mitsui Outlet Park Kitahiroshima is a full-scale outlet mall in Hokkaido. It brings together domestic and international brand shops, making it a facility where you can easily enjoy both shopping and dining. Shop operating hours are 10:00-20:00 and restaurants are 11:00-21:00, making it easy to secure time for visits before and after games.
Also, with free parking available, it's a user-friendly facility for travelers using cars. It's an easy place to consider as a stop when you want to enjoy shopping in addition to just watching games on game days.
Mitsui Outlet Park Sapporo-Kitahiroshima
5-2. Hokuren Kururu no Mori
(Source: X「@JA_JAtown」)
Hokuren Kururu no Mori is a facility where you can experience Hokkaido's food and agriculture up close. It features an agricultural products direct sales store, farm restaurant, and forest café, where you can purchase Hokkaido-produced vegetables, meat, and processed products at the direct sales store. The farm restaurant offers home-style cooking using Hokkaido ingredients in buffet format.
It's an easily accessible place for people who want to enjoy Hokkaido's distinctive food along with game watching. It's a spot that's easy to include as a candidate when you want to take time for meals as well as shopping.
5-3. Former Shimamatsu Ekitei-sho
(Source: Kitahiroshima City Board of Education)
Former Shimamatsu Ekitei-sho is a nationally designated historic site guided by the Kitahiroshima City Board of Education. Ekitei-sho were facilities established for lodging and transportation that supported Hokkaido's transportation during the pioneering period. Shimamatsu Ekitei-sho was established with the opening of Sapporo Hondo in 1873, and according to local guidance, it's introduced as a precious historic site that retains the atmosphere of those times.
If you want a different way to spend time before and after games, rather than shopping or dining, this can be a stop where you can experience local history. Since opening hours and closed days may change depending on the season, it's reassuring to check before visiting.
5-4. Sapporo Hachimangu Shrine
Sapporo Hachimangu Shrine is a shrine that's easy to visit when you plan to travel toward Sapporo. It's said to be the first shrine in Hokkaido to enshrine Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of learning and advancement. Unlike bustling commercial facilities, it's a place you can visit when you want to spend quiet time.
If you want to include sightseeing in Sapporo City along with game watching, it's easy to incorporate as a destination candidate. If you plan to visit shrines, checking worship times and events for the day in advance will make it easier to plan your schedule.
6. Frequently Asked Questions About Transportation to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO
First-time visitors to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO often worry about how to use buses and return crowds, so checking in advance makes it easier to decide on actions for the day. Especially on game days and event days when people tend to concentrate, it's important to check official transportation information and move with some extra time.
6-1. Do shuttle buses require reservations? Can you board on the same day?
No reservations are required for shuttle buses departing from Sapporo Station, New Chitose Airport, and Kitahiroshima Station.
These shuttle buses have timetables and boarding locations shown in official guidance. The guidance for departures from Sapporo Station and Kitahiroshima Station includes boarding methods and payment methods, and operations are generally premised on same-day use.
Also, since they're guided as non-reservation services, you can use them on the same day.
However, on game days and during busy times, lines may form at boarding areas, and you may not be able to board full buses. If you want to move according to schedule, it's reassuring to head to the boarding area a little earlier than departure time.
6-2. What are the tips for avoiding crowds on the way back?
If you want to avoid return crowds, we recommend avoiding the busiest time period immediately after the game ends.
Shuttle buses to Kitahiroshima Station include increased service guidance on game days, so first check the on-site information displays. On days when many people line up immediately after the end, waiting a little before moving can sometimes calm the lines.
If it's a walkable distance, walking to Kitahiroshima Station is also an option. Choosing a reasonable method while considering the physical condition of companions and weather conditions will make travel easier.
Summary
The methods for getting to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO vary in terms of easily selectable transportation depending on your departure point. From Sapporo Station, there are trains, shuttle buses, and taxis, which you can choose based on travel time and amount of luggage. From New Chitose Airport, direct buses that are easy to use immediately after arrival are also convenient. From Kitahiroshima Station, there are methods using shuttle buses and walking.
Also, knowing nearby spots you can visit before and after games makes it easier to organize your day's schedule. Checking how to use shuttle buses and return crowds in advance provides peace of mind. Please choose the transportation method that suits your itinerary and enjoy your time at ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO.
※This article was created based on information as of February 2026
