About Hokkaido
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Odori Park is an oasis with 92 types of trees including lilacs and elm stands located in the middle of a business district. On its lawns and around its fountains, one can find locals and tourists alike relaxing. Odori Park is called a park, but it’s really a street. In 1871, a firebreak, which cuts central Sapporo into is northern and southern parts, was built. The firebreak became Shiribeshi Dori, which was renamed Odori.
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The Clock Tower (Tokeidai) is a symbol of Sapporo. The building was constructed during the early period of Sapporo's development in 1878 as a drill hall of the Sapporo Agricultural College. In 1881 a clock purchased from Boston was installed.
Today, the Clock Tower serves as a museum with displays about the building's history and Sapporo on the first floor. On the second floor are displays about the clock and a spacious ceremony hall that calls to mind the simple buildings of the colonial American Midwest.
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Otaru is a small harbor city, about half an hour northwest of Sapporo by train. Its beautifully preserved canal area and interesting herring mansions make Otaru a pleasant day trip from Sapporo or a nice stop en route to or from Niseko or the Shakotan Peninsula. From the early days of Hokkaido's colonization in the late 1800s, Otaru served as a major trade and fishing port. It was hence chosen as the terminal station of Hokkaido's first railway line that connected the port with nearby Sapporo.
