A 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station brings one to a small, white clock tower in the city center. The 13-meter-high Western timepiece is an iconic image of the city and Hokkaido.
Most Japanese recognize the tower, one of the most popular tourist spots in Hokkaido. But few probably know its original association.
The clock tower, originally used as part of a martial arts hall, is one of the few existing structures of Sapporo Agricultural College, which was opened in 1876 by the central government to bring in American agricultural experts and to introduce Western technologies to a developing Hokkaido.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.