[Odori Park in Sapporo] Full of Events and Green Plants

SAPPORO

Sapporo (札幌) that about 1,960,000 people live is the largest city in Hokkaido. Although there are various theories, its origin of the name is “Dry Big River (乾いた大きな川)” in Ainu language. A population of the Sapporo is the 4th largest city after Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya in japan, and the population accounts for 36 % of Hokkaido’s population! So the Sapporo has been flourished as the center of the Hokkaido. The area of the Sapporo is 1,121.26 km2, and is about as big as Hong Kong, and is the 7th largest city in the Hokkaido. The Sapporo is also famous as a tourist city, and about 15 million people come. As for a climate, it is hot that temperature rises to nearly 25 degrees in a summer, but it is easy to live without moisture. I always feel a little cool. It is cold that temperature falls to nearly -10 degrees in a winter, and amount of snowfall sometimes has more than 1 m. Read More

Odori Park

The International Exchange Zone at the easternmost tip of the Odori Park has the Sapporo TV Tower, Wall Fountain (壁泉), Water Gauge Tower (水位表示塔), Benson Fountain (ベンソンの水飲み) and sculptures. The zone is at the foot of the TV Tower, so it looks very large. By the way, the Benson Fountain is a bronze drinking fountain presented by Portland City in America, a friendship town of the Sapporo city.

The Water and Light Zone across Sapporo Ekimae-dori Street (札幌駅前通り) has Seionhi (聖恩碑 * a Monument of Thanks to Emperor Showa), fountains, a tourist information center, a smoking area and sculptures. In a summer, tables and chairs are set around 2 fountains, and visitors can take a break or eat a soft serve ice cream or drink a beer. In addition, grilled corn seasoned soy sauce or boiled corn are sold at a corn wagon, and those are famous as the Odori Park speciality food. By the way, around here is a photogenic place, so I think that it is pleasure to find the best angle.

The Play and Event Zone has a sundial, a fountain, Information Center and Official Shop, Black Slide Mantra, an outdoor stage, Play Slope and a splash pad. The fountain and playground equipments are built, so family visitors come to play. Here is a children’s playground for the Sapporo citizens and tourists.

The History and Culture Zone across Ishiyama street (石山通り) has Maibaum Sapporo (マイバウム), a fountain, an universal public restroomu and sculptures. The Maibaum is a decoration pole of a festival in Germany, and was presented by Munich city, a friendship town of the Sapporo city. The height is 25 m.

The Sunk Garden Zone at the westernmost tip of the Odori Park has the Sapporo Shiryokan, a rose garden, a waterway and a sculpture. About 55 types of the rose are planted, sceneries of a stone building or the TV Tower go well with the rose, and here is a photogenic place. The rose with the waterway and Young Lady Statue (若い女) reminds me of a residence of a sovereign or nobleman in Europe.

Atmosphere of Odori Park and Sapporo TV Tower Can Be Watched on Youtube

Moive of Odori Park and Sapporo TV Tower

Sapporo TV Tower

Sapporo TV Tower (札幌テレビ塔) is a tower for broadcasting in the east end of Odori Park, Sapporo city, and was built for TV waves of NHK (日本放送協会) adjacent to the Sapporo TV Tower in 1956. Mr. Tachu Naito (内藤多仲) that designed Tokyo Tower (東京タワー) and Nagoya TV Tower designed the tower. Its height is 147.2 m, and it is well-known as the 2nd highest building in Hokkaido after JR Tower. The tower has been famous as a symbol of the Sapporo since a long time ago, and is one of famous school trip spots. About 360,000 tourists come. Read More

Sapporo Shiryokan (Former Sapporo Court of Appeals)

Sapporo Shiryokan is a former court house at the west end of the Odori Park, and is a stone house built in 1926, and has been designed as a registered tangible cultural property. Admission free. Visitors can see an old criminal court. A cafe and galleries are at the building, too, and a photo exhibition or an one‐man exhibition are held, too. By the way, the rose garden are maintained in front of the building. The garden is beautiful, and the visitors can relax.

Sapporo Snow Festival

Sapporo Snow Festival (札幌雪まつり) is a snow event held in Sapporo city, and has been held since 1950, and the biggest snow festival event in Hokkaido, and one of 3 major snow festivals in the world together with Québec Winter Carnival in Canada and Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in China. Open period is only about one week in early February, and more than 2 million people visit here during the time. In the daytime, snow sculptures look only white, but those turn into colourful themselves according to illumination or projection mapping in the evening, and more and more tourists gather. Concerts and jumping performance of snowboarding are held, too, and the tourists get excited. By the way, the Sapporo is very cold in the February, so you had better wear a warm outfit. Especially, you had better wear a warm outfit carefully in the evening. Read More

Yosakoi Soran Festival

Yosakoi Soran Festival (YOSAKOIソーラン祭り) in Sapporo is a dance event mixed “Yosakoi Festival (よさこい祭)” in Kochi with a song of the herring fishing “Soran Bushi (ソーラン節 * Folk Tune Interjected as the Refrain of Soran)” familiar to Hokkaido people. Mr. Gaku Hasegawa (長谷川岳) was moved by the vibtrant Yosakoi Festival in the Kochi, and planned and designed the same dance event in the Hokkaido. The event was held for the first time in 1992, and audience was about 20,000. But it becomes a big event that about 2 million tourists visit the Sapporo at present. Open period is early June, and about 300 dance teams dance to win Yosakoi Soran Champion (YOSAKOIソーラン大賞) during 5 days in about 20 venues including Odori Park (大通公園), a main venue, in the Sapporo. Read More

Sapporo Lilac Festival

Sapporo Lilac Festival is held from mid May to late May at Odori Park. The lilac was ever said to be a tree of the Sapporo, and is a familiar tree for the Sapporo citizen. About 400 lilac trees are planted at the park, and blossoms are in full bloom in mid May. Purple blossoms bloom as well as Red blossoms and white blossoms, and Tourists can enjoy eating and drinking, too. Lilac Music festival (ライラック音楽祭) and Ramen Show (ラーメンショー) is held at the same time, too.

Atmosphere of Lilac Festival Can Be Watched on Youtube

Moive of Lilac Festival

Sapporo Odori Beer Garden

Sapporo Odori Beer Garden is a summer event held from mid July to mid August, and is started in 1959. 4 major Japanese beer companies (Kirin Beer, Asahi Beer, Suntory and Sapporo Beer) gather in the Odori Park, and each beer companies set up beer garden venues, and sell their beers and dishes. Except Japanese beer, World’s Beer Square (世界のビール広場) and Sapporo Germany Village (札幌ドイツ村) are held, too, and visitors can savor world beer. The total number of seats is 13,000 seats, too, and the Sapporo Odori Beer Garden is the largest beer garden in Japan. Admission free. But there are charged for drinking and eating.

Odori Park with Fall Foliage

The Odori Park is famous as a beauty spot for the fall foliage, too. 92 types of 4700 trees such as cherry trees, Japanese zelkova trees, ginkgo trees and maple trees are planted. Not only tourists but also sapporo people feel like taking a photo, and a lot of people come to enjoy the fall foliage. The best time to see is from early October to mid October.

German Christmas Market and Sapporo White Illumination

German Christmas Market and Sapporo White Illumination are held from late November to late December. Those are different events, but tourists can enjoy 2 events at the same time because those are held at about the same time. The Sapporo White Illumination is in particular popular, and the tourists can watch at a beautiful night scenery. Crystal River and Spark Fountain are amazing.

The Sapporo White Illumination is an illumination event strated in 1981, and has some venues in the Sapporo, and the Odori Park is a main venue. Blue, Yellow, White LED and illumination of the TV Tower are beautiful, so the event is suitable for couples.

Atmosphere of German Christmas Market and Sapporo White Illumination Can Be Watched on Youtube

Moive of German Christmas Market and Sapporo White Illumination