札幌市

Orientation & Geography

Asia, Japan, Hokkaido

Sapporo (札幌市, Sapporo-shi) is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population, and the largest city on the island of Hokkaido. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan. Sapporo is known outside Japan for hosting the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first ever held in Asia, and for the annual Yuki Matsuri in the city, internationally referred to as the Sapporo Snow Festival, which draws more than 2 million tourists from around the world. The city is also home to Sapporo Brewery and the famous white chocolate biscuits "White Lovers" (白い恋人) exclusively sold in Hokkaido.