Sapporo Clock Tower

Along with the growth of the city in the late 1860s, the Clock Tower (時 , Tokeidai) was built in 1878, the location is in the center of Sapporo just near Odori park, this makes the tower The clock becomes the oldest remaining structure in the city.

The idea for the tower came from Dr. John Clark, the first vice-principal of the Sapporo Agricultural School at the time. The tower was designed by the Americans and originally served as a gym for students to study physical education and military training. It is also used as a hall for ceremonies. The building was briefly a post office, then an office and library for the Hokkaido Education Association. The clock tower now serves as a museum displaying exhibits, photographs and information about the agricultural history of Sapporo and the development of Sapporo.

Its main feature is the hot air balloon-style wooden architecture, which was popular in the central and western parts of the United States during the frontier period. It is famous for its red roof and white walls, but during the time it was used as a public library, the color of its walls was said to be green.

Visitors can learn about the history of the Clock Tower, including the incident of the great fire, in the exhibition hall on the first floor. The interior also displays clocks similar to the original Sapporo Clock Tower, commissioned and purchased from the E. Howard Clock Company in Boston and installed in the building in 1881.

In 1970, the Sapporo Clock Tower was designated an 'Important Cultural Property' and was certified as a 'Mechanical Engineering Heritage' of Japan in 2009.

Despite being attracted by some of the modern buildings around, for foreign and domestic tourists the Clock Tower remains one of Sapporo's hugely popular buildings and symbols.

• Operating hours: 8:45 to 17:10
• Entrance fee: 200