Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Encyclopedia
is one of the ten wards in Sapporo city, Japan
. Chūō-ku means "central ward" in Japanese. As its name suggests, city administration and entertainment facilities are centred in this ward.
In 1922, Sapporo was chartered as a city. In the middle of Shōwa period, the 1st Sapporo Snow Festival was held, and Sapporo city office was erected in 1971.
Chūō-ku was established officially in 1972, when the Sapporo Olympics
was held and Sapporo was accredited as one of the city designated by government ordinance. During those Olympics, they hosted the normal hill ski jumping
event and the ski jumping portion of the nordic combined
event. The other 6 wards (Higashi-ku
, Kita-ku
, Minami-ku
, Nishi-ku
, Shiroishi-ku
and Toyohira-ku
) were also established in the same year. The ski jump would be a venue when the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
would be held at Sapporo in 2007.
The ward is located in the center of Sapporo. As a downtown district of the city, there are a lot of governmental offices and buildings of companies. The City Hall of Sapporo, the office building of the government of Hokkaido and the headquarters of Hokkaidō Police office are located.
Chūō-ku is also the centre for sightseeing, and many of historical and entertainment facilities of Sapporo are located. Odori Park lies on the centre of the ward, and Sapporo TV Tower is placed on the eastern end of the park. The Sapporo Snow Festival is also held annually in Odori Park. The largest shinto shrine in Hokkaidō prefecture, Hokkaido Shrine (Hokkaidō jingu) is located in Miyanomori area, and draws a number of people on the island during Oshougatsu
(the New Year's Day). Maruyama Zoo, Mt. Okura Ski Jump Stadium
, and Miyanomori middle hill jump stadium are near the shrine.
Susukino
area has many bars and pubs. The street car runs from there to Odori Park going around the ward. A beautiful panorama view is enjyoable on the top of Mt. Moiwa, which has a ropeway. Memorial guest hall, Hōhei Kan, is in Nakajima Park, which houses a music hall Sapporo Concert Hall "Kitara"
. The Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens
is also in this ward.
has its headquarters in the ward. Hokkaido International Airlines
(Air Do) is headquartered in Chūō-ku. Yomiuri Shimbun
has a branch office in the ward.
Japan Airlines
at one time operated a ticketing facility on the second floor of the Imon Sapporo Building in Chūō-ku. On March 31, 2009 the facility closed.
As of April 1, 2008, statistics of Chūō-ku, Sapporo is listed below.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Chūō-ku means "central ward" in Japanese. As its name suggests, city administration and entertainment facilities are centred in this ward.
History
During Meiji Period, Sousei river, precursor of Susukino district, Sapporo Beer company and the drill hall of the former Sapporo Agricultural College were built in the area where Chūō-ku is currently located. After Sapporo became ku (ward), Sapporo Agricultural College, which is current Hokkaido University, was moved to the place where current Kita-ku was seated, and Sapporo ward administrative building was built.In 1922, Sapporo was chartered as a city. In the middle of Shōwa period, the 1st Sapporo Snow Festival was held, and Sapporo city office was erected in 1971.
Chūō-ku was established officially in 1972, when the Sapporo Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
was held and Sapporo was accredited as one of the city designated by government ordinance. During those Olympics, they hosted the normal hill ski jumping
Ski jumping at the 1972 Winter Olympics
-Large hill:February 11, 1972In the competition on the Okurayama jumping hill, conditions were "variable and unfair" according to a Norwegian account of the 1972 Games published in 2006, and the result is described as "the greatest surprise of all time on the jumping hill"...
event and the ski jumping portion of the nordic combined
Nordic combined at the 1972 Winter Olympics
-Men's event:-References:*...
event. The other 6 wards (Higashi-ku
Higashi-ku, Sapporo
is one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is directly translated as "east ward", and is neighboured to Kita-ku, Chūō-ku, Shiroishi-ku, Ebetsu, Tōbetsu.- Overview :...
, Kita-ku
Kita-ku, Sapporo
is a ward of Sapporo composed of residential neighborhoods mostly arranged in grid patterns, and each built surrounding a train station, broken up by areas of farmland and some light-industrial areas. Kita-ku is located in the northern part of Sapporo. With 260,000 people, it is the most...
, Minami-ku
Minami-ku, Sapporo
is one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Minami-ku is directly translated as "south ward". Having the area of 657.23 km² in total, Minami-ku occupies 60 percent of the area of Sapporo.- Overview :...
, Nishi-ku
Nishi-ku, Sapporo
Nishi is a ward of Sapporo composed of residential neighborhoods mostly arranged in grid patterns, with some areas of farmland and forested mountainous terrain mostly near its western and southern edges. It is located the west part of Sapporo city and the second largest of Sapporo's 10 wards...
, Shiroishi-ku
Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo is one of the ten wards in Sapporo city, Japan....
and Toyohira-ku
Toyohira-ku, Sapporo
is one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. The ward was established in 1972, when the Sapporo Olympics was held in Sapporo. Four other wards in Sapporo are bounded on Toyohira-ku.- Overview :...
) were also established in the same year. The ski jump would be a venue when the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
would be held at Sapporo in 2007.
Overview
Chūō-ku is also the centre for sightseeing, and many of historical and entertainment facilities of Sapporo are located. Odori Park lies on the centre of the ward, and Sapporo TV Tower is placed on the eastern end of the park. The Sapporo Snow Festival is also held annually in Odori Park. The largest shinto shrine in Hokkaidō prefecture, Hokkaido Shrine (Hokkaidō jingu) is located in Miyanomori area, and draws a number of people on the island during Oshougatsu
Japanese New Year
The is one of the most important annual festivals, with its own unique customs, and has been celebrated for centuries. Due to the importance of the holiday and the preparations required, the preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka.The Japanese New Year has been...
(the New Year's Day). Maruyama Zoo, Mt. Okura Ski Jump Stadium
Mt. Okura Ski Jump Stadium
The , also known as the is a ski jumping venue located in the Miyanomori area in Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Owned mostly by Sapporo City, the ski jump is placed on the eastern slope of the Mt. Okura. The stadium has hosted a number of winter sports events including 1972 Winter Olympics and...
, and Miyanomori middle hill jump stadium are near the shrine.
Susukino
Susukino
is a red-light district located in Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is one of the major red-light districts in Japan along with Kabukichō, Tokyo, and Nakasu, Fukuoka. Currently, the district is congested with many restaurants, bars, hotels, and adult-entertainment establishments...
area has many bars and pubs. The street car runs from there to Odori Park going around the ward. A beautiful panorama view is enjyoable on the top of Mt. Moiwa, which has a ropeway. Memorial guest hall, Hōhei Kan, is in Nakajima Park, which houses a music hall Sapporo Concert Hall "Kitara"
Sapporo Concert Hall
, also known as its nickname , is a municipal musical venue located in Nakajima Park, Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Japan. Established in 1997, the building is owned by Sapporo City, known for having a huge organ built by Alfred Kern & Fils Manufacture D'Orgues in the main music hall.- Overview :The building...
. The Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens
Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens
The are botanical gardens operated by Hokkaido University. They are located at North 3, West 8, Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan, and open daily; an admission fee is charged....
is also in this ward.
Economy
Hokkaido Railway CompanyHokkaido Railway Company
The is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group , and thus often known as . It operates intercity rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart card ticketing system, from autumn 2008....
has its headquarters in the ward. Hokkaido International Airlines
Hokkaido International Airlines
, also known as is a Japanese low-cost airline operating scheduled service between Tokyo and cities in Hokkaidō. It is headquartered in the in Chūō-ku, Sapporo, and its main base of operations is Tokyo International Airport in Ōta, Tokyo...
(Air Do) is headquartered in Chūō-ku. Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
The is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five national newspapers in Japan; the other four are the Asahi Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and the Sankei Shimbun...
has a branch office in the ward.
Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
at one time operated a ticketing facility on the second floor of the Imon Sapporo Building in Chūō-ku. On March 31, 2009 the facility closed.
Statistics
- Area: 46.42 square km
- Population: 211,233
- Households: 115,362
- Chūō-ku Ward Office: Minami 3 Jo Nishi 11 Chome, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi (city)
- Zipcode: 060-8612
- Phone: +81 11 231-2400
Points of interest
- Sapporo Clock TowerSapporo Clock TowerSapporo Clock Tower is a wooden structure and well-known local tourist attraction, located at North 1 West 2, Chūō-ku, Sapporo, the largest city on the island of Hokkaidō, northern Japan....
- Former Hokkaidō government office buildingFormer Hokkaido government office buildingis an American-neo-baroque structure constructed in 1888 as a base of the Hokkaidō administration. The nickname is Akarenga or "Red Brick." It is the symbol of Hokkaidō and was designated a Japanese Important Cultural Property in 1969...
- Odori ParkOdori Parkis a park located in the heart of Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Odori means "large street" in Japanese. It stretches east to west through Nishi 1 chōme, Ōdōri to Nishi 12 chōme, Ōdōri , and divides the city into north and south sections. Odori Park spans about 1.5 km and covers 78,901 m²...
- Maruyama StadiumMaruyama StadiumMaruyama Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Sapporo, Japan. It is currently used mostly for baseball and football matches. The stadium holds 25,000 people. The stadium was built in 1935.-External links:*...
- Mt. Okura Ski Jump StadiumMt. Okura Ski Jump StadiumThe , also known as the is a ski jumping venue located in the Miyanomori area in Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Owned mostly by Sapporo City, the ski jump is placed on the eastern slope of the Mt. Okura. The stadium has hosted a number of winter sports events including 1972 Winter Olympics and...
- SusukinoSusukinois a red-light district located in Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is one of the major red-light districts in Japan along with Kabukichō, Tokyo, and Nakasu, Fukuoka. Currently, the district is congested with many restaurants, bars, hotels, and adult-entertainment establishments...
- Tanukikōji
- Hokkaido ShrineHokkaido ShrineThe is a Shinto shrine located in Sapporo, Japan. Sited in Maruyama Park, Chūō-ku, Sapporo, the Hokkaido Shrine enshrines four kami including the soul of the Emperor Meiji...
- HōheikanHoheikanThe is a historical building and a wedding venue, located in Nakajima Park, Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. The building has previously been a hotel, guest house, event venue, and military camp. Currently, the Hōheikan is registered as one of the National Important Cultural Properties, and used...