Sapporo TV Tower
Odori Park’s Observatory
Sapporo TV Tower is located at the eastern end of Odori Park, along the river Sosei-gawa in downtown Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan’s northern island. Since August 1957, it has been offering an incredible view on the city and the mountains from its observation deck, a place worth visiting day and night, especially during the Snow Festival Yuki Matsuri.
Sapporo’s central green lung, Odori Park, is extending over 1,5 kilometer long east to west, along the eponymous avenue. Inhabitants enjoy the verdant oasis in the heart of the city throughout the year, as well as the large scale events that are also held there, such as the famous Yuki Matsuri in early February.
The Sapporo TV Tower culminates at 147,2 meters high near the Sosei-gawa river, at the eastern end of Odori Park, and is one of the most convenient places to admire the Snow Festival’s massive ice sculptures. From its observatory at 90,38 meters of altitude, the tower indeed offers an interesting view, a bit from the back and from a higher ground, on the crowd discovering the ephemeral ice artworks.
Night panorama on the city’s illuminations
We recommend climbing the tower at nightfall, when the city's lights underline Sapporo’s rectilinear urban landscape. The night view on the Yuki Matsuri is also very popular, and the observation deck opens on a large panoramic view on Odori Park and its facilities.
On the daytime and depending on the season, the unobstructed view extends to the surrounding mountains, especially the closest one, Mount Moiwa.
Timeless tourist attraction
Sapporo TV Tower displays a characteristic red steel silhouette, designed by architect Tachu Naito (1886 - 1970) who got inspired by the Eiffel Tower and designed several other similar broadcasting towers in Japan, such as:
- Tokyo Tower;
- Tsutenkaku in Osaka; and,
- The Nagoya TV Tower.
Sapporo TV Tower, like its sisters, is equipped with LED lights illuminated at night fall 🍁, and the 4 big digital clocks hanging in the heart of its structure allow to read time from any direction. Note that for environmental protection and reducing energy consumption, the clocks are switched off between midnight and 5 a.m.
Discovering the tower’s floors
Tourists in Sapporo have been visiting the tower since 1957 and the interior layout of its observatory has barely changed since its opening. It recreates a vintage and quirky atmosphere for a timeless attraction, hosted by the local mascot called Terebi To-san, "TV Dad."
The underground (BF) and the ground floor (1F) are free and give access to a shopping area with:
- Several cafes and restaurants;
- A visitors’ center; and,
- An official souvenir shop.
One of the access to the tower is a direct connection to the underground shopping mall Aurora Town of the Sapporo Chikagai network, which is very convenient in winter to move between the city center’s underground stations without going outside.
The 1rst floor (2F) is dedicated to rental reception rooms for private events. The entrance of the Observatory, and its ticket counter, are located at the 3F floor, called in English "Sky Lounge", which also includes a restaurant and several souvenir shops. To reach the glassed platform with a 360° panoramic view on Sapporo, you’ll have to take the elevator ; but stairs are also available.