Hitsujigaoka observation hill [羊ケ丘展望台]
Statue of Dr.Clark on Hitsujigaoka hill
Field of lavender around observatory
Hitsujigaoka observation hill is located about 9 km south-southeast of central Sapporo.
It is an observatory on the top of gently sloping hill.
It has a good view of Sapporo city.
Just to the north of this hill, you can see the Sapporo Dome which is a stadium for baseball and soccer.
There is a statue of Dr. William Smith Clark (1826-1886) on this observatory.
It was built in 1976.
Dr. Clark was the first vice-president of Sapporo Agricultural College (current Hokkaido University) invited from the Massachusetts Agricultural College in the United States.
His words "Boys, be ambitious!" is very famous for Japanese people.
Therefore, the statue is the symbol of Hokkaido people with pioneer spirit.
Around the observatory, a flock of sheep are grazing.
It is a pastoral scenery.
"Hitsujigaoka" means "hill of sheep" in Japanese.
Sheep around observatory
Sapporo Snow Festival Museum
Originally, sheep has been pastured around here.
And this area is on the property of the National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region now.
There are some buildings for visitors such as restaurant, souvenir shop, footbath and Wedding chapel around the observatory.
And Sapporo Snow Festival Museum introduces the history of the festival over half century-long.
How to get here
Get off at Fukuzumi station of subway Toho line.
Then, by route bus, about 10 minutes to "Hitsujigaoka tenboudai" stop.
