Sapporo

City in Hokkaido, Japan

This article is about the city in Japan. For other uses, see Sapporo (disambiguation).

Designated city in Hokkaido, Japan

Sapporo

札幌市

Designated city

City of Sapporo[1]

Sapporo skyline from Asahiyama Memorial Park

Sapporo Clock Tower

Sapporo TV Tower in Odori Park

Sapporo Beer Museum

Susukino area

Historical Village of Hokkaido

Former Hokkaidō Government Office

Flag

Seal

Interactive map outlining Sapporo

Sapporo

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 43°03′43″N 141°21′16″E﻿ / ﻿43.06194°N 141.35444°E﻿ / 43.06194; 141.35444
Country|  Japan
Region| Hokkaido
Prefecture| Hokkaido (Ishikari Subprefecture)
Government

• Mayor| Katsuhiro Akimoto
Area

• Designated city

| 1,121.26 km2 (432.92 sq mi)
Population

(July 31, 2023)

• Designated city

| 1,959,750
• Density| 1,700/km2 (4,500/sq mi)
• Metro

| 2,661,000
Time zone| UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address| 2-1-1 Kita-ichijō-nishi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido
060-8611
Climate| Dfa
Website| www.city.sapporo.jp/city/english
Symbols

Bird| Common cuckoo
Flower| Lily of the valley
Tree| Lilac
Sapporo

"Sapporo" in kanji

Japanese name
Kanji| 札幌
Hiragana| さっぽろ
Katakana| サッポロ
| Transcriptions

Romanization| Sapporo

Sapporo[a] (札幌市, Sapporo-shi; [sap.po.ɾo, sap.po.ɾoꜜ.ɕi] ⓘ) is a designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture and Ishikari Subprefecture. As of July 31, 2023, the city has a population of 1,959,750, making it the largest city in Hokkaido and the largest north of Tokyo. It is the fifth-most populous city in Japan and is Hokkaido's cultural, economic, and political center.

Originally a plain sparsely inhabited by the indigenous Ainu people, the area contained a few trade posts of the Matsumae domain during the Edo period. The city began as an administrative centre with the establishment of the Hokkaido Development Commission headquarters in 1869. Inspired by the ancient cities of Kyoto and Heijō-kyō, it adopted a grid plan and developed around Odori Park. After the Second World War, it replaced Otaru as Hokkaido's commercial and business hub, and its population surpassed one million by 1970.

After giving up the planned 1940 Sapporo Winter Olympics, Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics ever held in Asia, and the second Olympic games held in Asia after the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Sapporo recently dropped its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics.[3] The Sapporo Dome hosted three matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup and two matches during the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Additionally, Sapporo has hosted the Asian Winter Games three times, in 1986, 1990, and 2017 and the 1991 Winter Universiade.

The annual Sapporo Snow Festival draws more than 2 million tourists.[4] Other notable sites include the Sapporo Beer Museum[5] and the Sapporo TV Tower located in Odori Park. It is home to Hokkaido University, just north of Sapporo Station. The city is served by Okadama Airport and New Chitose Airport in nearby Chitose.

## Toponomy

[edit]

Sapporo's name is taken from Ainuic sat poro pet (サッ・ポロ・ペッ), which can be translated as "dry, great river", a reference to the Toyohira River.[6]

## History

[edit]

### Early history

[edit]

See also: Hokkaidō Development Commission

Former Hokkaido Government Office, built in 1888

Before its establishment, the area occupied by Sapporo (Ishikari Plain, around Ishikari, Hokkaido) was home to indigenous Ainu settlements.[7] In 1866, at the end of the Edo period, construction began on a canal through the area, encouraging a number of early settlers to establish Sapporo village.[8] In 1868, the officially recognized year celebrated as the "birth" of Sapporo, the new Meiji government concluded that the existing administrative center of Hokkaido, which at the time was the port of Hakodate, was in an unsuitable location for defense and further development of the island. As a result, it was determined that a new capital on the Ishikari Plain should be established. The plain itself provided an unusually large expanse of flat, well-drained land which is relatively uncommon in the otherwise mountainous geography of Hokkaido.

During 1870–1871, Kuroda Kiyotaka, vice-chairman of the Hokkaido Development Commission (Kaitaku-shi), approached the American government for assistance in developing the land. As a result, Horace Capron, Secretary of Agriculture under President Ulysses S. Grant, became an oyatoi gaikokujin and was appointed as a special advisor to the commission. Construction began around Odori Park, which still remains as a green ribbon of recreational land bisecting the central area of the city. The city closely followed a grid plan with streets at right-angles to form city blocks. The continuing expansion of the Japanese into around Hokkaido continued, and the prosperity of Hokkaido and particularly its capital grew to the point that the Development Commission was deemed unnecessary and was abolished in 1882. In 1871, the Hokkaidō Shrine was built in its current location as the Sapporo Shrine.

Edwin Dun came to Sapporo to establish sheep and cattle ranches in 1876. He also demonstrated pig raising and the making of butter, cheese, ham and sausage. He was married twice, to Japanese women. He once went back to the US in 1883 but returned to Japan as a secretary of government. William S. Clark, who was the president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst), came to be the founding vice-president of the Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University) for eight months from 1876 to 1877. He taught academic subjects in science and lectured on the Bible as an "ethics" course, introducing Christian principles to the first entering class of the college.

In 1880, the entire area of Sapporo was renamed as "Sapporo-ku" (Sapporo Ward),[9] and a railroad between Sapporo and Temiya, Otaru was laid. That year the Hōheikan, a hotel and reception facility for visiting officials and dignitaries, was built adjacent to the Odori Park. It was later moved to Nakajima Park where it remains today. Two years later, with the abolition of the Kaitaku-shi, Hokkaidō was divided into three prefectures: Hakodate, Sapporo, and Nemuro. The name of the urban district in Sapporo remained Sapporo-ku, while the rest of the area in Sapporo-ku was changed to Sapporo-gun. The office building of Sapporo-ku was also located in the urban district.[9]

Sapporo, Hakodate, and Nemuro Prefectures were abolished in 1886, and Hokkaidō government office building, an American-neo-baroque-style structure with red bricks, constructed in 1888. The last squad of the Tondenhei, the soldiers pioneering Hokkaido, settled in the place where the area of Tonden in Kita-ku, Sapporo is currently located. Sapporo-ku administered surrounding Sapporo-gun until 1899, when the new district system was announced. After that year, Sapporo-ku was away from the control of Sapporo-gun.[9] The "ku" (district) enforced from 1899 was an autonomy which was a little bigger than towns, and smaller than cities. In Hokkaido at that time, Hakodate-ku and Otaru-ku also existed.[10]

### 20th century

[edit]

Odori Park in 1936

In 1907, Tohoku Imperial University was established in Sendai Miyagi Prefecture, and Sapporo Agricultural College became part of the university as its agriculture faculty. Parts of neighbouring villages including Sapporo Village, Naebo Village, Kami Shiroishi Village, and districts where the Tonden-hei had settled, were integrated into Sapporo-ku in 1910. The Sapporo Streetcar was opened in 1918, and Hokkaido Imperial University was established in Sapporo-ku, as the fifth Imperial University in Japan, by separating the agriculture faculty of Tohoku Imperial University again. Another railroad operated in Sapporo, the Jōzankei Line, which was ultimately abolished in 1969.

In 1922, the new city system was announced by the national government in Tokyo, and Sapporo-ku was officially renamed Sapporo City.[8] The Sapporo Municipal Bus System was started in 1930. In 1937, Sapporo was chosen as the site of the 1940 Winter Olympics, but due to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, this was cancelled the next year. Maruyama Town was integrated as a part of Chūō-ku in 1940, and the Okadama Airport was constructed in 1942. During World War II, the city was bombed by American naval aircraft in July 1945.[11]

The first Sapporo Snow Festival was held in 1950 View of the city from Sapporo TV Tower, 2016

The first Sapporo Snow Festival was held in 1950. In the same year, adjacent Shiroishi Village was integrated into Sapporo City, rendered as a part of Shiroishi-ku, and Atsubetsu-ku.[12] In 1955, Kotoni Town, the entire Sapporo Village, and Shinoro Village were merged into Sapporo, becoming a part of the current Chūō-ku, Kita-ku, Higashi-ku, Nishi-ku, and Teine-ku.[12] The expansion of Sapporo continued, with the merger of Toyohira Town in 1961, and Teine Town in 1967, each becoming a part of Toyohira-ku, Kiyota-ku, and Teine-ku.[12]

The ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Sapporo and Hokkaido was held in 1968. The Sapporo Municipal Subway system was inaugurated in 1971, which made Sapporo the fourth city in Japan to have a subway system. From February 3 to 13, 1972, the 1972 Winter Olympics were held, the first Winter Olympics held in Asia.[8] On April 1 of the same year, Sapporo was designated as one of the cities designated by government ordinance, and seven wards were established.[12] The last public performance by the opera singer, Maria Callas, was in Sapporo at the Hokkaido Koseinenkin Kaikan on 11 November 1974.[13] The Sapporo Municipal Subway was expanded when the Tōzai line started operation in 1976, and the Tōhō line was opened in 1988, as well as the New Chitose Airport in the same year. In 1989, Atsubetsu-ku and Teine-ku were separated from Shiroishi-ku and Nishi-ku. Annual events in Sapporo were started, such as the Pacific Music Festival in 1990, and Yosakoi Sōran Festival in 1992. A professional football club, Consadole Sapporo, was established in 1996. In 1997, Kiyota-ku was separated from Toyohira-ku. In the same year, Hokkaidō Takushoku Bank, a Hokkaido-based bank with headquarters in Odori, went bankrupt.[14]

### 21st century

[edit]

In 2001 the construction of the Sapporo Dome was completed, and in 2002 the Dome hosted three matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup: Germany vs Saudi Arabia, Argentina vs England and Italy vs Ecuador, all of which were in the first round. Fumio Ueda, was elected as Sapporo mayor for the first time in 2003. Sapporo became the home to a Nippon Professional Baseball team, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, in 2004, which won the 2006 Japan Series, and the victory parade was held on Ekimae-Dōri (a street in front of Sapporo Station) in February 2007.

The Hokkaidō Shinkansen line, which currently connects Honshu to Hakodate through the Seikan Tunnel, is planned to link to Sapporo by 2030.[15]

## Geography

[edit]

Location of Ishikari Subprefecture in Hokkaido

Sapporo is a city located in the southwest part of Ishikari Plain and the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary stream of the Ishikari River.[16] It is part of Ishikari Subprefecture. Roadways in the urban district are laid to make a grid plan. The western and southern parts of Sapporo are occupied by a number of mountains including Mount Teine, Maruyama, and Mount Moiwa, as well as many rivers including the Ishikari River, Toyohira River, and Sōsei River. Sapporo has an elevation of 29 m (95 ft 2 in).[17]

Sapporo has many parks, including Odori Park, which is located in the heart of the city and hosts a number of annual events and festivals throughout the year. Moerenuma Park is also one of the largest parks in Sapporo, and was constructed under the plan of Isamu Noguchi, a Japanese-American artist and landscape architect.

Neighbouring cities are Ishikari, Ebetsu, Kitahiroshima, Eniwa, Chitose, Otaru, Date, and adjoining towns are Tōbetsu, Kimobetsu, Kyōgoku.

### Climate

[edit]

Sapporo

Climate chart (explanation)

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108

127

142

110

114

115

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
| Imperial conversion

J| F| M| A| M| J| J| A| S| O| N| D

4.3

3.6

3.1

2.1

2.2

2.4

3.6

5.6

4.3

4.5

4.5

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Sapporo has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfa), with a wide range of temperature between the summer and winter. Summers are generally warm and humid, but not oppressively hot, and winters are cold and very snowy, with an average snowfall of 4.79 m (15 ft 9 in) per year.[18] Sapporo is one of few metropolises in the world with such heavy snowfall,[19] enabling it to hold events and festivals with snow statues. The heavy snowfall is due to the Siberian High developing over the Eurasian land mass and the Aleutian Low developing over the northern Pacific Ocean, resulting in a flow of cold air southeastward across Tsushima Current and to western Hokkaido. The city's annual average precipitation is around 1,100 mm (43.3 in), and the mean annual temperature is 8.5 °C (47.3 °F).[20]

The highest temperature ever recorded in Sapporo was 36.3 °C (97.3 °F) on August 23, 2023.[21] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −28.5 °C (−19.3 °F) on February 1, 1929.[21]

Climate data for Sapporo (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1877−present)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 11.2
(52.2)  | 13.9
(57.0)  | 18.3
(64.9)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 33.7
(92.7)  | 34.2
(93.6)  | 36.0
(96.8)  | 36.3
(97.3)  | 32.7
(90.9)  | 27.3
(81.1)  | 22.4
(72.3)  | 14.8
(58.6)  | 36.3
(97.3)
Mean maximum °C (°F)  | 5.1
(41.2)  | 7.0
(44.6)  | 12.3
(54.1)  | 21.3
(70.3)  | 27.4
(81.3)  | 29.0
(84.2)  | 31.4
(88.5)  | 32.0
(89.6)  | 28.8
(83.8)  | 22.7
(72.9)  | 17.2
(63.0)  | 9.4
(48.9)  | 32.7
(90.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | −0.4
(31.3)  | 0.4
(32.7)  | 4.5
(40.1)  | 11.7
(53.1)  | 17.9
(64.2)  | 21.8
(71.2)  | 25.4
(77.7)  | 26.4
(79.5)  | 22.8
(73.0)  | 16.4
(61.5)  | 8.7
(47.7)  | 2.0
(35.6)  | 13.1
(55.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | −3.2
(26.2)  | −2.7
(27.1)  | 1.1
(34.0)  | 7.3
(45.1)  | 13.0
(55.4)  | 17.0
(62.6)  | 21.1
(70.0)  | 22.3
(72.1)  | 18.6
(65.5)  | 12.1
(53.8)  | 5.2
(41.4)  | −0.9
(30.4)  | 9.2
(48.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | −6.4
(20.5)  | −6.2
(20.8)  | −2.4
(27.7)  | 3.4
(38.1)  | 9.0
(48.2)  | 13.4
(56.1)  | 17.9
(64.2)  | 19.1
(66.4)  | 14.8
(58.6)  | 8.0
(46.4)  | 1.6
(34.9)  | −4.0
(24.8)  | 5.7
(42.3)
Mean minimum °C (°F)  | −11.8
(10.8)  | −11.7
(10.9)  | −7.9
(17.8)  | −1.4
(29.5)  | 3.9
(39.0)  | 9.0
(48.2)  | 13.7
(56.7)  | 14.7
(58.5)  | 8.7
(47.7)  | 2.1
(35.8)  | −4.6
(23.7)  | −9.0
(15.8)  | −12.8
(9.0)
Record low °C (°F)  | −27.0
(−16.6)  | −28.5
(−19.3)  | −22.6
(−8.7)  | −14.6
(5.7)  | −4.2
(24.4)  | 0.0
(32.0)  | 5.2
(41.4)  | 5.3
(41.5)  | −0.9
(30.4)  | −4.4
(24.1)  | −15.5
(4.1)  | −24.7
(−12.5)  | −28.5
(−19.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 108.4
(4.27)  | 91.9
(3.62)  | 77.6
(3.06)  | 54.6
(2.15)  | 55.5
(2.19)  | 60.4
(2.38)  | 90.7
(3.57)  | 126.8
(4.99)  | 142.2
(5.60)  | 109.9
(4.33)  | 113.8
(4.48)  | 114.5
(4.51)  | 1,146.1
(45.12)
Average snowfall cm (inches)  | 137
(54)  | 116
(46)  | 74
(29)  | 6
(2.4)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 1
(0.4)  | 30
(12)  | 113
(44)  | 479
(189)
Average extreme snow depth cm (inches)  | 76
(30)  | 95
(37)  | 82
(32)  | 22
(8.7)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 1
(0.4)  | 15
(5.9)  | 47
(19)  | 97
(38)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) | 22.1  | 19.2  | 18.3  | 12.3  | 10.2  | 9.3  | 9.4  | 10.5  | 11.7  | 14.0  | 18.3  | 19.9  | 175.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 29.1  | 25.2  | 22.5  | 6.7  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 1.0  | 13.5  | 26.8  | 124.4
Average relative humidity (%)  | 69  | 68  | 65  | 61  | 65  | 72  | 75  | 75  | 71  | 67  | 67  | 68  | 69
Average dew point °C (°F)  | −8
(18)  | −8
(18)  | −5
(23)  | −1
(30)  | 6
(43)  | 12
(54)  | 16
(61)  | 18
(64)  | 13
(55)  | 6
(43)  | 0
(32)  | −6
(21)  | 4
(39)
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 90.4  | 103.5  | 144.7  | 175.8  | 200.4  | 180.0  | 168.0  | 168.1  | 159.3  | 145.9  | 99.1  | 82.7  | 1,718
Average ultraviolet index | 1  | 1  | 1  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 5  | 5  | 4  | 2  | 1  | 1  | 3
Source 1: Japan Meteorological Agency[20][21]
Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV),[22] Time and Date (dewpoints, 2005–2015),[23] Météo Climat[24][25]

This graph was using the legacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to the new Chart extension.

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See or edit raw graph data.

## Administration

[edit]

### Wards

[edit]

Sapporo currently has ten wards (区, ku).

Sapporo City Hall (June 2007) | Name  | Kanji | Population  | Land area in km2 | Pop. density

per km2

| Map of Sapporo

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1  | Atsubetsu-ku | 厚別区 | 127,299  | 24.38  | 5,221  | A map of Sapporo's Wards
2  | Chūō-ku | 中央区 | 237,761  | 46.42  | 5,122
3  | Higashi-ku | 東区 | 261,901  | 56.97  | 4,597
4  | Kita-ku | 北区 | 286,026  | 63.57  | 4,499
5  | Kiyota-ku | 清田区 | 113,556  | 59.87  | 1,897
6  | Minami-ku | 南区 | 136,774  | 657.48  | 208
7  | Nishi-ku | 西区 | 216,835  | 75.10  | 2,887
8  | Shiroishi-ku | 白石区 | 213,310  | 34.47  | 6,188
9  | Teine-ku | 手稲区 | 141,886  | 56.77  | 2,499
10  | Toyohira-ku | 豊平区 | 223,408  | 46.23  | 4,833

### Demographics

[edit]

The first census of the population of Sapporo was taken in 1873, when 753 families with a total of 1,785 people were recorded in the town.[26] The city has an estimated population of 1,959,750 as of July 31, 2023 and a population density of 1,748 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,530/sq mi). The total area is 1,121.26 km2 (432+15⁄16 sq mi).

Historical population| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1873 | 1,785| —
1920 | 105,182| +5792.5%
1925 | 149,314| +42.0%
1930 | 174,179| +16.7%
1935 | 196,541| +12.8%
1940 | 206,103| +4.9%
1950 | 313,850| +52.3%
1955 | 426,620| +35.9%
1960 | 523,839| +22.8%
1965 | 794,908| +51.7%
1970 | 1,010,123| +27.1%
| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1975 | 1,240,613| +22.8%
1980 | 1,401,757| +13.0%
1985 | 1,542,979| +10.1%
1990 | 1,671,742| +8.3%
1995 | 1,757,025| +5.1%
2000 | 1,822,368| +3.7%
2005 | 1,880,863| +3.2%
2010 | 1,913,545| +1.7%
2015 | 1,952,356| +2.0%
2020 | 1,970,277| +0.9%
Source: Statistics Bureau [1]

### Surrounding municipalities

[edit]

Ishikari Subprefecture

* Ebetsu
* Kitahiroshima
* Ishikari
* Eniwa
* Chitose
* Ishikari District：Tōbetsu

Shiribeshi Subprefecture

* Otaru
* Abuta District：Kimobetsu
* Abuta District：Kyōgoku
* Yoichi District：Akaigawa

Iburi Subprefecture

* Date

## Economy

[edit]

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|

Sapporo MEA

The tertiary sector dominates Sapporo's industry. Major industries include information technology, retail, and tourism, as Sapporo is a destination for winter sports and events and summer activities due to its comparatively cool climate.[27]

The city is also the manufacturing centre of Hokkaido, manufacturing various goods such as food and related products, fabricated metal products, steel, machinery, beverages, and pulp and paper.[28] The Sapporo Breweries, founded in 1876, is a major company and employer in the city.[29][30]

Hokkaido International Airlines (Air Do) is headquartered in Chūō-ku.[31] In April 2004, Air Nippon Network was headquartered in Higashi-ku.[32] Other companies headquartered in Sapporo include Crypton Future Media, DB-Soft, Hokkaido Air System, and Royce'.

## Transport

[edit]

Sapporo Station Sapporo Municipal Subway is the only rubber-tyred metro system in East Asia. The Sapporo Streetcar is currently the only operational circular tram system in Asia (although a similar tram system in Kaohsiung, Taiwan is planned to begin operation later in 2023).

Sapporo has one streetcar line, three JR Hokkaido lines, three subway lines and JR Bus, Chuo Bus and other bus lines. Sapporo Subway trains have rubber-tired wheels.

### Airways

[edit]

#### Airport

[edit]

The Sapporo area is served by two airports: Okadama Airport, which offers regional flights within Hokkaido and Tohoku, and New Chitose Airport, a larger international airport located in the city of Chitose 50 kilometres (30 mi) away, connected by regular rapid trains taking around 40 minutes. The Sapporo-Tokyo route between New Chitose and Haneda is the second busiest in the world only after Gimpo to Jeju route.

### Railways

[edit]

JR Hokkaido Stations in Sapporo

#### High-speed rail

[edit]

JR Hokkaido

* Hokkaido Shinkansen（2032）

#### Conventional lines

[edit]

JR Hokkaido

* Hakodate Line: (Zenibako) – Hoshimi – Hoshioki – Inaho – Teine – Inazumi Kōen – Hassamu – Hassamu Chūō – Kotoni – Sōen – Sapporo – Naebo – Shiroishi – Atsubetsu – Shinrinkōen – (Ōasa)
* Chitose Line: Heiwa – Shin Sapporo – Kami Nopporo – (Kita-Hiroshima)
* Sasshō Line (Gakuentoshi Line): Sōen – Hachiken – Shinkawa – Shinkotoni – Taihei – Yurigahara – Shinoro – Takuhoku – Ainosato Kyōikudai – Ainosato Kōen – (Ishikari Futomi)

#### Subways

[edit]

* Sapporo Municipal Subway provides urban transit service.

#### Tramways

[edit]

* Sapporo Streetcar

#### Rapid transit

[edit]

* Mount Moiwa Ropeway
* Teineyama Ropeway

### Busways

[edit]

An airport shuttle bus servicing hotels in Sapporo operates every day of the year. SkyExpress was founded in 2005 and also provides transport to and from various ski resorts throughout Hokkaido, including Niseko.

## Sightseeing

[edit]

Sapporo Beer Museum Susukino, the entertainment district of Sapporo Odori Park (2018)

### Points of interest

[edit]

* The former Hokkaidō government office building
* The Sapporo Clock Tower
* The Hokkaidō Shrine
* Nishino Shrine
* Hokkaido Museum
* Historical Village of Hokkaido
* Sapporo Buried Cultural Property Center
* The Sapporo City Archive Museum (Former Sapporo Court of Appeal)
* The Edwin Dun Memorial Hall
* The Hokkaido University & Hokkaido University Museum
* The Sapporo Beer Museum & Sapporo Factory
* The Sapporo TV Tower
* The Sapporo Convention Center
* The Sapporo Salmon Museum in Makomanai Park
* The Sunpiazza Aquarium

Sapporo JR Tower adjacent to Sapporo Station.[33]

Sapporo Ramen Yokocho and Norubesa (a building with a Ferris wheel) are in Susukino district. The district also has the Tanuki Kōji Shopping Arcade, the oldest shopping mall in the city.

The district of Jōzankei in Minami-ku has many resort hotels with steam baths and onsen.

The Peace Pagoda, one of many such monuments across the world built by the Buddhist order Nipponzan Myohoji to promote and inspire world peace, has a stupa that was built in 1959,[citation needed] halfway up Mount Moiwa, to commemorate peace after World War II. It contains some of the ashes of the Buddha that were presented to the Emperor of Japan by Prime Minister Nehru in 1954. [citation needed] Another portion was presented to Mikhail Gorbachev by the Nipponzan-Myohoji monk, Junsei Terasawa. [citation needed]

### Parks/gardens

[edit]

* Asahiyama Memorial Park offers great views of the city
* Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill has a farm with sheep and attracts visitors with a statue of William S. Clark
* Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens and The Chizaki Rose Garden
* Maruyama Park is located next to the Hokkaido Shrine and houses the Maruyama Zoo
* Moerenuma Park
* Nakajima Park
* Nishioka Park is a location of rich nature that centers around a pond and consists of marshland and the forest of the Tsukisamu River and its upper river basin. This park also serves as one of the main habitats in Hokkaido for many types of wild birds.
* Odori Park

## Culture

[edit]

### Music

[edit]

* 1934 – The International Contemporary Music Festival was held by Akira Ifukube, Fumio Hayasaka, Atsushi Miura, and Isamu Ifukube (30 September)
* 1936 – Russian composer Alexander Tcherepnin visited Sapporo
* 1960 – The Sapporo Symphony Orchestra founded
* 1962 – John Cage and David Tudor visited Sapporo
* 1966 – Berliner Philharmoniker with Herbert von Karajan performed Brahms's Symphony No. 2 at Sapporo Shimin Kaikan (April)
* 1974 – Maria Callas last public performance at the Hokkaido Koseinenkin Kaikan (11 November)
* 1986 – The Sapporo Art Park include the Outdoor Stage and Art Hall (27 July)
* 1990 – The Pacific Music Festival (PMF) started
* 1997 – The Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara opened
* 2007 - "01_ballade" by Eiji Hirasawa (from CFM) is released as a demo, later renamed to "Hoshi no Kakera" as the full song for Hatsune Miku's debut
* 2018 – The Sapporo Community Plaza opened

### Art

[edit]

* The Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art represents Hokkaido artists like Eien Iwahashi, Kinjiro Kida, Nissho Kanda, Tamako Kataoka, and especially glass objects of École de Paris
* The Hongō Shin Memorial Museum of Sculpture hosts a collection of over 1,800 works by the artist Hongō Shin.[34]
* The Sapporo Art Park contains Art museum featuring outdoor installations & a sculpture garden, and the old house of Takeo Arishima.
* The Moerenuma Park including the Glass Pyramid, designed by Isamu Noguchi
* The Migishi Kotaro Museum of Art
* The Miyanomori Art Museum
* The Sapporo Odori 500-m Underground Walkway Gallery
* Member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a Creative City of Media Arts since 2013
* Sapporo International Art Festival (2014/2017/2024)

### Literature

[edit]

* The Hokkaido Museum of Literature
* Takeo Arishima Residence in Sapporo Art Park
* Junichi Watanabe Museum of Literature

### Film

[edit]

* The Idiot (1951 film) by Akira Kurosawa
* The Northern Museum of Visual Culture
* Theater Kino
* The Sapporo International Short Film Festival and Market

### Video games

[edit]

* Yakuza 5
* Persona 5 Strikers
* Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon Platinum and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Jubilife City, the capital of the Sinnoh region, is based on Sapporo.

### Events/festivals

[edit]

Dancers in the Yosakoi Sōran Festival Sapporo Snow Festival

February: the Sapporo Snow Festival The main site is at Odori Park, and other sites include Susukino (known as the Susukino Ice Festival) and Sapporo Satoland. Many of the snow and ice statues are built by members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.[35]

May: the Sapporo Lilac Festival. Lilac was brought to Sapporo in 1889 by an American educator, Sarah Clara Smith. At the festival, people enjoy the flowers, wine and live music.

June: the Yosakoi Soran Festival. The sites of the festival are centered on Odori Park and the street leading to Susukino, and there are other festival sites. In the festival, many dance teams dance to music composed based on a Japanese traditional song, "Sōran Bushi". Members of the dancing teams wear special costumes and compete on the roads or stages constructed on the festival sites. In 2006, 350 teams were featured with around 45,000 dancers, and over 1,860,000 people visited the festival.[35]

The Sapporo Summer Festival. People enjoy drinking at the beer garden in Odori Park and on the streets of Susukino. This festival consists of a number of fairs such as Tanuki Festival and Susukino Festival.[35]

September: the Sapporo Autumn Festival

December: Christmas market in Odori Park, similar to German Christmas markets.

From November through January, many citizens enjoy the Sapporo White Illuminations.

### Cuisine

[edit]

Soup curry

The city is home to Sapporo Brewery, white chocolate biscuits known as 'shiroi koibito' (白い恋人), and also as the birthplace of miso ramen.[36] Kouraku Ramen Meitengai, in the Susukino district, is an alley lined with many miso ramen restaurants, since 1951. After its demolition, due to plans for the Sapporo Olympics, the Ganso Sapporo Ramen Yokocho was established in its place. It attracts many tourists throughout the year.[36] From 1966, a food company named, Sanyo Foods, began to sell instant ramen under the brand name, "Sapporo Ichiban".

Haskap, a local variety of edible honeysuckle, similar to blueberries, is a specialty in Sapporo. Other specialty dishes of Sapporo include; soup curry, a soupy curry made with vegetables and chicken, sometimes other meats too, and jingisukan, a barbecued lamb dish, named after Genghis Khan. Sapporo Sweets, is a confectionery using many ingredients from Hokkaido where there's also the Sapporo Sweets Competition held annually.[37] Sapporo is also well known for fresh seafood including salmon, sea urchin and crab. Crab in particular is famed. Many types of crab are harvested and served seasonally in Sapporo like the horsehair crab, snow crab, king crab, and Hanasaki crab, with numerous dishes revolving around them.[38]

### Sports

[edit]

The Sapporo Dome in winter

The Sapporo Dome was constructed in 2001 and is currently host to the local professional football team, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.

ES CON Field Hokkaido (エスコンフィールド北海道, Esukon Fīrudo Hokkaidō), a baseball park in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, is home to Nippon Professional Baseball's Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and opened in March 2023. From 2004 to 2022, the Fighters called Sapporo Dome home.

#### Winter sports

[edit]

Sapporo was selected as host to the 5th Winter Olympics, scheduled for February 3 to 12, 1940; however Japan had to cancel the event, consequently handing the decision back to the IOC, after the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937.

In 1972, Sapporo hosted the 11th Winter Olympics. Some structures built for Olympic events remain in use today, including the ski jumps at Miyanomori and Okurayama. After considering a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2030 Winter Olympics, Olympic representatives in Sapporo have said that the city is considering a bid for the 2034 Winter Olympics. The city predicted it may cost as much as 456.5 billion yen ($4.3 billion) to host the games and is planning to have 90 percent of the facilities within half an hour of the Olympic village, according to a report published 12 May 2016. The Alpen course would be in Niseko, the world's second-snowiest resort, while the village would be next to the Sapporo Dome, the report said.[39] The plans were presented to the Japanese Olympic Committee on 8 November 2016.[40][41] In 2002, Sapporo hosted three group matches of the FIFA World Cup at the Sapporo Dome. In 2006, Sapporo hosted some games of the 2006 Basketball World Championship and also for the 2006 Women's Volleyball World Championship. In 2007, Sapporo hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships at the Sapporo Dome, Miyanomori ski jump, Okurayama ski jump, and the Shirahatayama cross-country course. It has been the host city to two Asian Winter Games and hosted the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Obihiro. Sapporo also hosted matches during the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Skiing remains a major sport in Sapporo with almost all children skiing as a part of the school curriculum. Okurayama Elementary School is unusual in having its own ski hill and ski jumping hill on the school grounds. Within the city are commercial ski hills including Moiwayama, Bankeiyama, KobaWorld, Sapporo Teine and Fu's.

Many sports stadiums and domes are located in Sapporo, and some of them have been designated as venues of sports competitions. The Sapporo Community Dome, also known by its nickname "Tsu-Dome", has hosted the Golden Market, a huge flea market event which is usually held twice a year, along with some sports events. The Makomanai Ice Arena, in Makomanai Park, was one of the venues of the Sapporo Olympics in 1972. It was renamed the Makomanai Sekisuiheim Ice Arena in 2007, when Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., acquired naming rights and renamed the arena after their real estate brand.[42] Other large sports venues include the Makomanai Open Stadium, Tsukisamu Dome, Maruyama Baseball Stadium, and the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center, which hosts the professional basketball team, Levanga Hokkaido.

Toyota Big Air was a major international snowboarding event held annually in Sapporo Dome.

#### Professional sport teams

[edit]

Club  | Sport  | League  | Venue  | Established

|
|
|
|

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | Baseball | Nippon Professional Baseball | Es Con Field Hokkaido | 2004
Levanga Hokkaido | Basketball | B.League Division 1  | Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center,
Tsukisamu Dome | 2006
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo | Football (soccer) | J2 League | Sapporo Atsubetsu Park Stadium,
Sapporo Dome | 1996

* J.League – Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo (J1 in 1998, 2001–2002, 2008, 2012, 2017–present; J2 in 1999–2000, 2003–2007, 2009–2011, 2013–2016).
* NPB – Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Pacific League

## Education

[edit]

The Sapporo Clock Tower, formerly a part of Hokkaido University in the 19th century Hokkaido University Sapporo Odori High School

### Universities

[edit]

National

* Hokkaido University
* Hokkaido University of Education

See Japanese national university

Public

* Sapporo City University
* Sapporo Medical University

Private

* Fuji Women's University
* Health Sciences University of Hokkaido
* Hokkai School of Commerce
* Hokkai Gakuen University
* Hokkaido Bunkyo University
* Hokkaido College of Pharmacy
* Hokkaido Institute of Technology
* Hokkaido Musashi Women's Junior College
* Hokkaido University of Science
* Hokkaido Tokai University
* Hokusei Gakuen University
* Japan Health Care College
* Koen Gakuen Women's Junior College
* Sapporo International University
* Sapporo Ōtani University
* Sapporo University
* Sapporo University of Health Sciences
* Tenshi College

### Primary and secondary schools

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2015)

|

There are 198 municipal elementary schools, and 98 municipal junior high schools in Sapporo. Sapporo Odori High School provides Japanese-language classes to foreign and Japanese returnee students, and the school has special admissions quotas for these groups.[43]

The city has two private international schools:

* Hokkaido International School
* Hokkaido Korean Primary, Middle and High School (North Korean school)

## Twin towns and sister cities

[edit]

### Sister cities

[edit]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

#### International

[edit]

Sapporo has twinning relationships with several cities worldwide.[44][45]

City | Country | State | Since

|
|
|

Portland |  United States | Oregon | November 17, 1959
Munich |  Germany | Bavaria | August 28, 1972
Shenyang |  China | Liaoning | November 18, 1980
Denver |  United States | Colorado | September 1982
Novosibirsk |  Russia | Novosibirsk Oblast | June 13, 1990
Daejeon |  South Korea | South Chungcheong | October 22, 2010

Sapporo also cooperates with:

City | Country | State

|
|

Balikpapan |  Indonesia | East Kalimantan
Brisbane |  Australia | Queensland
Davao City |  Philippines | Davao Region
Seattle |  United States | Washington

#### Domestic

[edit]

City | Prefecture | Region | Since

|
|
|

Hamamatsu |  Shizuoka | Chūbu region | May 14, 2009
Matsumoto |  Nagano | September 6, 2010
Kagoshima |  Kagoshima | Kyūshū region | November 16, 2013

## See also

[edit]

* List of cities in Japan
* Sapporo Brewery

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ /sə.ˈpɔː.roʊ, sæ-/[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "City of Sapporo". City of Sapporo. Archived from the original on August 26, 2006. Retrieved September 2, 2006.
2. ^ Wells, John, ed. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Pearson Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
3. ^ Yamaguchi, Mari (October 11, 2023). "JOC, Sapporo announce decision to abandon bid for 2030 winter games, seek possible bid from 2034 on". AP. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
4. ^ さっぽろ雪まつり実行委員会. 前回のさっぽろ雪まつりの様子. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
5. ^ Japan National Tourist Organization — Sapporo Beer Museum Archived June 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
6. ^ ふるさとの川史話いっぱい. City of Sapporo. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2009.
7. ^ "Recognition at last for Japan's Ainu  Archived November 8, 2017, at the Wayback Machine". BBC News. July 6, 2008
8. ^ a b c サイト閉鎖のお知らせ. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2007.
9. ^ a b c New Sapporo History 2nd edition (新札幌市史 第2巻, Shin Sapporo Shishi)
10. ^ 北海道市町村自治制の沿革概要 (PDF) (in Japanese). Government of Hokkaido. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
11. ^ The Asahi Shimbun. "朝日新聞デジタル：空襲の記憶 風化させぬ - 北海道 - 地域". www.asahi.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
12. ^ a b c d New Sapporo History 5th edition (新札幌市史 第5巻, Shin Sapporo Shishi)
13. ^ Sutherland, Robert Maria Callas Diaries of a Friendship London Constable 1999 p265 ISBN 0-09-478790-5
14. ^ "lawsuit against the bankruptcy of the Takushoku Bank". Archived from the original on December 22, 2007. Retrieved October 7, 2007.
15. ^ "Celebrating the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen—travel by train from Hakodate to Sapporo while exploring along the way". Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
16. ^ 札幌市のあらまし. City of Sapporo. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
17. ^ "Where is Sapporo, Japan?". worldatlas.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
18. ^ 気象庁 | 平年値（年・月ごとの値） (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
19. ^ City of Sapporo. "General Overview of Sapporo" (PDF) (in English and Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 5, 2007. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
20. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. Japan Meteorological Agency. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
21. ^ a b c 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. Japan Meteorological Agency. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
22. ^ "Sapporo, Japan – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast". Weather Atlas. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
23. ^ "Climate & Weather Averages in Sapporo". Time and Date. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
24. ^ "Météo climat stats for Sapporo". Météo Climat. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
25. ^ "Météo climat stats for Sapporo". Météo Climat. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
26. ^ Japanese Imperial Commission (1878). Le Japon à l'exposition universelle de 1878. Géographie et histoire du Japon (in French). p. 31.
27. ^ "Sapporo Winter Sport Museum Guide". Archived from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
28. ^ 工業統計調査／札幌市 (in Japanese). City of Sapporo. Archived from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
29. ^ "Sapporo Holdings: employee numbers 2019". Statista. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
30. ^ Japan, Brewery Convention of. "Brewers Association of Japan". Brewers Association of Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
31. ^ "会社概要 (in Japanese). Hokkaido International Airlines. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
32. ^ " 会社概要 (in Japanese). Air Nippon Network. April 6, 2004. Archived from the original on April 6, 2004. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
33. ^ Tourism Statistics of Sapporo Archived 2007-10-25 at the Wayback Machine, 2006, p.35 (pdf file)
34. ^ "English Guide｜Hongo Shin Memorial Museum of Sculpture, Sapporo". www.hongoshin-smos.jp. Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
35. ^ a b c Tourism Statistics of Sapporo Archived October 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, 2006, p.29 (pdf file)
36. ^ a b 元祖さっぽろラーメン横丁公式サイト. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
37. ^ "Sapporo, the sweets republic". Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
38. ^ Dwyer, Chris (November 12, 2018). "Welcome to Sapporo, crab capital of Japan (and maybe even the world)". CNN. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
39. ^ "Sapporo to Show JOC Plan for 2026 Olympic Winter Games After Rio". Bloomberg News. May 17, 2016. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
40. ^ 札幌で再びオリンピックを ＪＯＣに開催提案書 (in Japanese). NHK. 8 November 2016. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
41. ^ "Olympics: Sapporo shows 2026 Winter Games plan to JOC". kyodonews.net. November 8, 2016. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
42. ^ "Makomanai Sekisuiheim Ice Arena Homepage". Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
43. ^ "Education" (Archive). City of Sapporo. Retrieved on October 12, 2015.
44. ^ 札幌市 – 国際交流 – 姉妹都市 (in Japanese). City of Sapporo. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
45. ^ Sister Cities | International Community Bureau Archived 2012-07-12 at archive.today (in Japanese)

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 札幌市.

* Official Website
* Sapporo Travel
* Unesco Media City Sapporo

Links to related articles

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Winter Olympic Games host cities

* 1924: Chamonix
* 1928: St. Moritz
* 1932: Lake Placid
* 1936: Garmisch-Partenkirchen
* 1940: None[c1]
* 1944: None[c1]
* 1948: St. Moritz
* 1952: Oslo
* 1956: Cortina d'Ampezzo
* 1960: Squaw Valley
* 1964: Innsbruck
* 1968: Grenoble
* 1972: Sapporo
* 1976: Innsbruck
* 1980: Lake Placid
* 1984: Sarajevo
* 1988: Calgary
* 1992: Albertville
* 1994: Lillehammer
* 1998: Nagano
* 2002: Salt Lake City
* 2006: Turin
* 2010: Vancouver
* 2014: Sochi
* 2018: Pyeongchang
* 2022: Beijing
* 2026: Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo
* 2030: Nice and French Alps
* 2034: Salt Lake City and Utah

[c1] Cancelled due to World War II  Olympic Games portal

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Metropolitan cities of Japan

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※ also a prefectural capital; † eligible for core city status but not yet nominated; ☆ to become core cities

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Hokkaido

Sapporo (capital)

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Ishikari Subprefecture

Sapporo|

| Wards|

* Atsubetsu
* Chūō
* Higashi
* Kita
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* Minami
* Nishi
* Shiroishi
* Teine
* Toyohira

|

Cities|

* Chitose
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* Ishikari
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District|

* Ishikari District
* Shinshinotsu
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Oshima Subprefecture

Core city|

* Hakodate

City|

* Hokuto

Districts|

* Futami District
* Yakumo
* Kameda District
* Nanae
* Kamiiso District
* Kikonai
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Hiyama Subprefecture

Districts|

* Hiyama District
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Shiribeshi Subprefecture

City|

* Otaru

Districts|

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* Kimobetsu
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* Furubira District
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Sorachi Subprefecture

Cities|

* Akabira
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Districts|

* Kabato District
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Kamikawa Subprefecture

Core city|

* Asahikawa

Cities|

* Furano
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* Shibetsu

Districts|

* Kamikawa (Ishikari) District
* Aibetsu
* Biei
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Rumoi Subprefecture

City|

* Rumoi

Districts|

* Mashike District
* Mashike
* Rumoi District
* Obira
* Teshio District
* Enbetsu
* Teshio
* Tomamae District
* Haboro
* Shosanbetsu
* Tomamae

* v
* t
* e

Sōya Subprefecture

City|

* Wakkanai

Districts|

* Esashi District
* Esashi
* Hamatonbetsu
* Nakatonbetsu
* Rebun District
* Rebun
* Rishiri District
* Rishiri
* Rishirifuji
* Sōya District
* Sarufutsu
* Teshio District
* Toyotomi
* Horonobe

* v
* t
* e

Okhotsk Subprefecture

Cities|

* Abashiri
* Kitami
* Monbetsu

Districts|

* Abashiri District
* Bihoro
* Ōzora
* Tsubetsu
* Monbetsu District
* Engaru
* Nishiokoppe
* Okoppe
* Ōmu
* Takinoue
* Yūbetsu
* Shari District
* Kiyosato
* Koshimizu
* Shari
* Tokoro District
* Kunneppu
* Oketo
* Saroma

* v
* t
* e

Iburi Subprefecture

Cities|

* Date
* Muroran
* Noboribetsu
* Tomakomai

Districts|

* Abuta District
* Tōyako
* Toyoura
* Shiraoi District
* Shiraoi
* Usu District
* Sōbetsu
* Yūfutsu District
* Abira
* Atsuma
* Mukawa

* v
* t
* e

Hidaka Subprefecture

Districts|

* Hidaka District
* Shinhidaka
* Horoizumi District
* Erimo
* Niikappu District
* Niikappu
* Samani District
* Samani
* Saru District
* Biratori
* Hidaka
* Urakawa District
* Urakawa

* v
* t
* e

Tokachi Subprefecture

City|

* Obihiro

Districts|

* Ashoro District
* Ashoro
* Rikubetsu
* Hiroo District
* Hiroo
* Taiki
* Kamikawa District
* Shimizu
* Shintoku
* Kasai District
* Memuro
* Nakasatsunai
* Sarabetsu
* Katō District
* Kamishihoro
* Otofuke
* Shihoro
* Shikaoi
* Nakagawa District
* Honbetsu
* Ikeda
* Makubetsu
* Toyokoro
* Tokachi District
* Urahoro

* v
* t
* e

Kushiro Subprefecture

City|

* Kushiro

Districts|

* Akan District
* Tsurui
* Akkeshi District
* Akkeshi
* Hamanaka
* Kawakami District
* Shibecha
* Teshikaga
* Kushiro District
* Kushiro
* Shiranuka District
* Shiranuka

* v
* t
* e

Nemuro Subprefecture

City|

* Nemuro

Districts|

* Menashi District
* Rausu
* Notsuke District
* Betsukai
* Shibetsu District
* Nakashibetsu
* Shibetsu

Northern Territories|

* Etorofu District
* Rubetsu
* Kunashiri District
* Tomari
* Ruyobetsu
* Shana District
* Shana
* Shibetoro District
* Shibetoro
* Shikotan District
* Shikotan

List of mergers in Hokkaido

* v
* t
* e

Host cities of Asian Games

Summer|

* 1951: Delhi
* 1954: Manila
* 1958: Tokyo
* 1962: Jakarta
* 1966: Bangkok
* 1970: Bangkok
* 1974: Tehran
* 1978: Bangkok
* 1982: Delhi
* 1986: Seoul
* 1990: Beijing
* 1994: Hiroshima
* 1998: Bangkok
* 2002: Busan
* 2006: Doha
* 2010: Guangzhou
* 2014: Incheon
* 2018: Jakarta-Palembang
* 2022: Hangzhou
* 2026: Aichi-Nagoya
* 2030: Doha
* 2034: Riyadh

Winter|

* 1986: Sapporo
* 1990: Sapporo
* 1996: Harbin
* 1999: Kangwon
* 2003: Aomori
* 2007: Changchun
* 2011: Astana-Almaty
* 2017: Sapporo
* 2025: Harbin
* 2029: Trojena

* v
* t
* e

Metropolitan areas in Japan with a population of over a million

Hokkaido region|

* Sapporo (Wikidata)
* Ishikari
* Shiribeshi
* Sorachi

Tōhoku region|

* Sendai (Wikidata)
* Miyagi

Kantō region|

* Utsunomiya (Wikidata)
* Tochigi
* Maebashi (Wikidata)
* Gunma
* Tokyo
* Saitama
* Chiba
* Tokyo
* Kanagawa
* Ibaraki
* Yamanashi

Chūbu region|

* Niigata (Wikidata)
* Niigata
* Toyama (Wikidata)
* Toyama
* Hamamatsu (Wikidata)
* Shizuoka
* Nagoya (Wikidata)
* Gifu
* Aichi
* Mie

Kinki region|

* Kyoto (Wikidata)
* Shiga
* Kyoto
* Osaka (Wikidata)
* Kyoto
* Osaka
* Hyogo
* Nara
* Wakayama
* Kobe (Wikidata)
* Hyogo

Chūgoku region|

* Okayama (Wikidata)
* Okayama
* Hiroshima (Wikidata)
* Hiroshima

Kyushu region|

* Kitakyushu (Wikidata)
* Fukuoka
* Fukuoka (Wikidata)
* Fukuoka
* Kumamoto (Wikidata)
* Kumamoto

* v
* t
* e

Cities in Japan with a population of 200,000+

2,000,000 and more|

* Tokyo (capital)
* Yokohama
* Osaka
* Nagoya

1,000,000–1,999,999|

* Sapporo
* Fukuoka
* Kobe
* Kyoto
* Kawasaki
* Saitama
* Hiroshima
* Sendai

500,000–999,999|

* Kitakyushu
* Chiba
* Setagaya
* Sakai
* Niigata
* Hamamatsu
* Shizuoka
* Sagamihara
* Nerima
* Okayama
* Ōta
* Kumamoto
* Edogawa
* Adachi
* Kagoshima
* Funabashi
* Hachiōji
* Kawaguchi
* Himeji
* Suginami
* Itabashi
* Matsuyama
* Higashiōsaka
* Utsunomiya

200,000–499,999|

* Matsudo
* Nishinomiya
* Kurashiki
* Ichikawa, Chiba
* Oita
* Fukuyama
* Amagasaki
* Kanazawa
* Nagasaki
* Kōtō
* Katsushika
* Yokosuka
* Toyama
* Toyota
* Takamatsu
* Machida
* Gifu
* Hirakata
* Fujisawa
* Kashiwa
* Toyonaka
* Nagano
* Toyohashi
* Ichinomiya
* Wakayama
* Okazaki
* Miyazaki
* Nara
* Suita
* Takatsuki
* Shinagawa
* Asahikawa
* Iwaki
* Kochi
* Takasaki
* Kōriyama
* Tokorozawa
* Kawagoe
* Kita
* Akita
* Ōtsu
* Koshigaya
* Maebashi
* Naha
* Nakano, Tokyo
* Shinjuku
* Yokkaichi
* Aomori
* Kurume
* Kasugai
* Morioka
* Akashi
* Fukushima
* Tsu
* Shimonoseki
* Nagaoka
* Ichihara
* Hakodate
* Yao
* Ibaraki, Osaka
* Fukui
* Meguro
* Kakogawa
* Tokushima
* Mito
* Hiratsuka
* Toshima
* Yamagata
* Sasebo
* Fuchū, Tokyo
* Kure, Hiroshima
* Hachinohe
* Saga
* Neyagawa
* Sōka
* Sumida
* Fuji
* Kasukabe
* Chigasaki
* Matsumoto
* Atsugi
* Yamato
* Ageo
* Takarazuka
* Chōfu
* Ōta, Gunma
* Tsukuba
* Numazu
* Joetsu
* Shibuya
* Minato
* Kumagaya
* Isesaki
* Nishitokyo
* Kishiwada
* Tottori

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Japan
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Academics|

* CiNii

Other|

* IdRef
* NARA
* Yale LUX

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±%]: Percent change
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