Sapporo clock tower [札幌市時計台]
Sapporo Clock Tower
The part of clock
Sapporo Clock Tower is located 0.7 km south of JR Sapporo station and just north of Odori park.
It is the symbol of Sapporo.
It was built as a training gym of Sapporo Agricultural College (current Hokkaido University) in 1878.
It was planned by Professor William Wheeler (1876-1930) who was the assistant principal invited from Massachusetts Agricultural College in the United States of America.
And the building was built by Japanese craftsmen.
But the building had no clock tower at that time.
When the opening ceremony, the Hokkaido Developement administrator, Kuroda Kiyotaka (1840-1900), who became the Prime Minister later, made a suggestion to add a clock tower.
Then Prof. Wheeler sent an order to E. Howard Watch & Clock Co. in Boston city, Massachusetts in U.S.
Then, the new clock was installed in 1881.
The clock keeps still moving, and the bell rings every hour.
The height of the building is about 19.8 meters.
Now, it is surrounded with many modern and high buildings.
Therefore, it is said that the tower is one of most disappointing tourist sites.
Because the historic tower is unfitted for this place, Sapporo city thought that it should move to any good place.
But many citizens were against the plan of Sapporo city.
As a result, this tower is preserved in this place.
Sapporo Clock Tower in winter
Museum inside the clock tower
The first floor of the building is a museum, and second floor is a hall like a church.
How to get here
About 0.7 km walk from JR Sapporo station.
Or, about 0.2 km walk from Odori station of subway.
