Sapporo Clock Tower

Sapporo Clock Tower

Also known as the Sapporo Timekeeper's Tower, the Sapporo Clock Tower is located at 2-chome, North 1-jo, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City. It is a famous city landmark and one of the few remaining American-style buildings in Hokkaido, now listed as one of Sapporo’s most important cultural heritage sites.

The Sapporo Clock Tower was originally built in 1878 as a symbol of the introduction of Western education and the development period of Hokkaido in the 19th century. Initially, it served as a martial arts practice hall for Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University), also functioning as an auditorium and indoor gymnasium. The tower stands 19.825 meters tall with a total floor area of 759.811 square meters. It is a two-story wooden building. When first constructed, it did not have a clock—only the tower structure—and used a large bell manufactured at the Tokyo factory of Japan’s Ministry of Engineering, which was struck manually by pulling ropes. Later, due to inaccuracies in manual timekeeping and adverse effects from the vibrations caused by bell-ringing, the tower was rebuilt in June 1881 with a proper clock installed.

Today, the Sapporo Clock Tower has become one of Sapporo’s most popular tourist attractions. The first floor also houses a museum that showcases artifacts and materials detailing the history of Sapporo Agricultural College and the development of Sapporo.

Sapporo Clock Tower

Must-visit reason: One of Sapporo’s most important cultural properties

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Japan[Japan]

Prefecture/State where the attraction is located: Hokkaido [Hokkaido]

City where the attraction is located: Sapporo [Sapporo]