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Sapporo Clock Tower

The Pendulum of History Never Stops

As a landmark of Sapporo city, the Sapporo Clock Tower is one of the few remaining buildings from the developing period of Hokkaido, welcoming visitors from all over the world throughout the year. It was originally the drill hall of the former Sapporo Agricultural College and was moved to this location in 1906. The clock at the top of the tower automatically chimes the time at all hours.

The Sapporo Clock Tower 札幌時計台 is a Western-style building dating from the Early Meiji Era. The Four-Sided Clock chimes automatically at every hour, which is a tradition for over a century, making it an iconic sight in Sapporo.

Manywhere Trivia:
The Clock Tower, the symbol of Sapporo, is extremely famous but actually a little bit boring to visitors, as a result, the clock tower has long been in the top three list of disappointing attractions in Japan.

The Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University) was established in 1876 and two years later the Drill Hall of the Sapporo Agricultural College was built on the campus, with the ground floor used as a research laboratory and museum specimen rooms while the first floor used as an indoor gymnasium. It was moved to its present location in 1906 when it was handed over to the Sapporo government. The history of the Sapporo Clock Tower and Sapporo Agricultural College is described in detail in The Ground Floor Exhibition Room.

The Red Star, Symbol of Hokkaido Development Commission

The Sapporo Clock Tower was originally equipped with only one brass bell, and the chime was done by human hands. In 1881, an American Company E. Howard & Co installed A Mechanical Clock prominently on the roof of the building. It is said the chime can be heard clearly in four kilometers.