Sapporo: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Sapporo is located on the Ishikari Plain in northern Japan. This was one of the last areas of the country to be colonised by the Japanese, just a century and a half ago. Until then it had been the preserve of Japan's Ainu, a long-suffering indigenous hunter-gatherer culture that preceded the Japanese parvenus by several thousand years. The Tokugawa Shōgunate set up a trading post on a site near present-day Sapporo in 1821. It annexed the Hokkaidō area only in 1855, and in 1857 two families were registered as the first residents. In 1866, work began on a canal; then came the nationwide Meiji Restoration. Eager to consolidate Japanese prestige, the government set up a Kaitakushi (Development Commission) to develop the island, settling on Sapporo as a regional capital. From the very beginning, the city and the region's economy was carefully planned. This, along with military spending, a rail link to a nearby port and coal mines, and an influx of settlers, assured the city's future.

Modern History

In the 20th century, Sapporo continued to develop along carefully stage-managed lines, celebrating its 50th birthday in 1918 by holding a grand exhibition. In the 20th century it emerged as a major producer of agricultural products. Sapporo Beer, the country's first, was founded in 1876 and quickly became synonymous with the city itself.

Sapporo was spared the ravages of US bombardment during WWII and emerged as a leading Japanese city, its status confirmed in 1972 when it hosted the 11th Winter Olympics and became, under the Local Autonomy Laws of that same year, one of the country's 'eleven major cities'.

Recent History

Sapporo has continued to develop in its orderly, self-assured way in recent times. It is now Japan's fifth-largest city and a popular launching pad for visits into Hokkaidō. There's little trace of its pioneer history to be seen in the well-organised, highly industrialised city it is today.

Back to top ^