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Sapporo is the capital and largest city of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost prefecture. It has a population of approximately 1,970,277 inhabitants, making it one of Japan’s major urban centers. Established in the late nineteenth century during the Meiji period, Sapporo was developed with guidance from foreign advisors, particularly from the United States, which influenced its grid-based urban planning. The city gained international recognition when it hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympic Games held in Asia.
Sapporo is known for landmarks such as the Sapporo Clock Tower, Odori Park, and the Hokkaido Shrine. The city is also famous for its annual Snow Festival and regional cuisine, including miso ramen. Notable individuals born in Sapporo include footballer Daigo Nishi and video game executive Satoru Iwata, former president of Nintendo.
Sapporo in Japan
141.4° E
Sapporo Population Evolution
The population of Sapporo in 2026 is estimated to 1,991,780 inhabitants. This estimate is taken from our extrapolation of available data and not an official estimate.
Population Summary
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1873 | 1,785 | |
| 1940 | 206,103 | +11,446.4% |
| 1970 | 1,010,123 | +390.1% |
| 1995 | 1,757,025 | +73.9% |
| 2020 | 1,970,277 | +12.1% |
Interactive Map of Sapporo
What to see in Sapporo
Sapporo Dome
Odori Park
Sapporo TV Tower
Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium
Hokkaidō Jingū
Sapporo Beer Museum
Sapporo Clock Tower
multi-purpose hallFormer Hokkaidō Government Office
prefectural office buildingFamous People Born in Sapporo
Satoru Iwata
entrepreneurDaigo Nishi
association football playerSister Cities of Sapporo
Sister cities, also known as twin cities, are formal partnerships between cities in different countries to promote cultural and commercial ties.
This list is based on publicly available structured data and may differ slightly from official municipal publications.
| City | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Shenyang | 🇨🇳 People's Republic of China | 9,070,093 |
| Brisbane | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2,706,966 |
| Davao City | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 1,848,947 |
| Novosibirsk | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1,637,266 |
| Munich | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1,510,378 |
| Daejeon | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 1,475,221 |
| Hamamatsu | 🇯🇵 Japan | 788,211 |
| Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | 737,015 |
| Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | 715,522 |
| Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | 652,503 |
| Balikpapan | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 598,043 |
| Kagoshima | 🇯🇵 Japan | 593,754 |
| Matsumoto | 🇯🇵 Japan | 239,115 |