Sapporo Clock Tower

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About Sapporo Clock Tower

The Clock Tower is the oldest building in central Sapporo. It was built in 1878 as a drill hall and ceremony hall for the Sapporo Agricultural School, established by the government to train people who would colonize Hokkaido, and which later became today’s Hokkaido University. The painted wooden style, with a veranda and a sloped roof, follows interior U.S. models, since the school’s instructors came from the United States.

The clock, ordered from a Boston company, was installed in the tower in 1881 and still strikes the hours with the original mechanism, maintained by local watchmakers. The building was moved a few meters when the school relocated, but remained in the center, now surrounded by office buildings, which surprises visitors who expect an isolated structure.

On the ground floor, rooms tell the story of the school and the colonization with photographs, documents and a model of the clock mechanism. The upper floor is the old hall, with a wooden floor, benches and a figure of William S. Clark, the American teacher known in Japan for the phrase "Boys, be ambitious." The hall still hosts concerts and small events.

The visit is short and pairs well with the former government building and Odori Park, a few blocks away. The façade is frequently photographed, and a small viewpoint across the street helps frame the entire tower.