Odori Park

Odori Park and Sapporo TV Tower

Night

In 1869, Shima Yoshitake, a judge sent by the government as the commissioner responsible for founding a central city in Hokkaido, came to Sapporo and developed a city plan that divided Sapporo City into North and South sections by means of a large street. In his plan, the northern part of Sapporo would have been set aside for public servants and offices, while the southern part would have been a residential area. In his plan the location of the dividing street was different from the current location of Odori Park.

After Shima's dismissal for misgovernment in Hokkaido, Iwamura Michitoshi supervised the urban planning of Sapporo. He remodelled the original plan in 1871, and Kabō-sen (火防線) was constructed in the place where Odori Park is currently located. The Kabō-sen was a firebreak consisting of 105 metres of largely vacant land, which often prevented the progress of fire during the Meiji period.

In 1872, the street was named "Shiribeshi Dōri" (後志通), but this name was not popular and it was renamed "Ōdōri" in June 1881.

In Meiji period, the Nishi 1 and 2 chōme areas of Odori street were a little narrower than the other parts. This was because both the Hōheikan, a hotel in the European architectural style which was later moved to Nakajima Park, which was located in Nishi 1 chōme, and the telephone exchange building located in Nishi 2 chōme, protruded over Ōdōri street. Since the first Agricultural Interim Fair was held at Nishi 2 chōme and Nishi 3 chōme in 1878, Odori street has been the place where a number of events and ceremonies have taken place.

The western parts of Odori street, however, were not as busy as the eastern side such as Nishi 2 chōme, and the military parade grounds of the Tondenhei, a unit of Hokkaido farmer-soldiers, were constructed from Nishi 10 chōme to Nishi 12 chōme. After the abolition of the Tondenhei, some of the athletic meetings of neighbourhood schools were held in the Odori, but gradually the street was abandoned and used as a garbage and snow dumping ground. A popular complaint was that a large part of the Odori in the heart of the city has been abandoned, and there was pressure to develop the area for housing lots, but this did not happen.

In 1876, 6600 m² of the flower garden was constructed on the grounds of Nishi 3 chōme and Nishi 4 chōme, and in 1909, the street was arranged as a walking area under the direction of Yasuhei Nagaoka, a Japanese landscape and garden planner. This may be the origin of the Odori "Park".[2]

During World War II, the Odori Park was given over to potato production. After the War ended and supply of food improved, Odori once again became a garbage and snow dumping ground. The occupation forces took over a part of Odori Park and constructed a baseball field and tennis court, and after Odori Park was handed over by the Allied Powers, several athletic fields were created in the west of the Odori.

The development of Odori as a park has resumed since it was returned by the occupation forces in 1950. Since that time, many flower gardens have been created by assigning grounds of Odori to garden design companies. Currently, each flower garden is adorned with a nameplate of the company which showcases its garden planning skills in that area throughout the year.[3]

Sapporo TV Tower

• Sapporo Municipal Subway, Ōdōri Station (Tōhō-line) is located.
• Sapporo TV Tower – located in the eastern half of the Nishi 1 chōme block. Visitors can view the scenery of the entire Odori Park and Sapporo City from its observation deck. The tower was erected in 1957.
• Hōheikan (moved) – A hotel in the European style built in 1880. Its garden protruded over Odori Park. Later, this building was used as community centre and assembly hall. The Hōheikan was moved to Nakajima Park in Sapporo, when the construction of the Sapporo TV Tower and new assembly hall were planned.
• Sapporo Transportation Authority Building (demolished) – After World War II, a garage, dormitory, and office were placed in the south of the Hōheikan.

• Sapporo Municipal Subway, Ōdōri Station (Tōhō-line) is located here.
• Monument of the first telephone exchange in Hokkaidō – the area of Sapporo Communications Bureau and Sapporo Post Office protruded over the northern half of the Nishi 2 chōme block. The monument was erected in 1973.
• Volleyball court (removed) – existed for a brief period after World War II.

• The road between Nishi 3 chōme and 4 chōme is Ekimae-Dōri, a street which leads directly to Sapporo Station.
• Sapporo Municipal Subway, Ōdōri Station (Tōhō-line and Tōzai-line) is located here.
• Monument of Takuboku Ishikawa – a monument built in 1981, on which is engraved a poem by Japanese poet, Takuboku Ishikawa.
• The statue of the general Takeshirō Nagayama (removed) – erected in November 1909. In 1943, it was taken by the government as a metal resource for use in construction of weapons and other items during World War II.
• A church (demolished) – built by the American army which occupied Sapporo after World War II. It was demolished after the restoration of Odori Park.

• Sapporo Municipal Subway, Ōdōri Station (Tōhō-line and Tōzai-line).
• The monument of Yoshii Isamu.
• A baseball field (removed) – existed for a brief period after World War II.

• Seion Monument (聖恩碑) – a stone obelisk built in thanks to the Emperor of Japan in 1938.
• An athletic field (removed) – school sports were held in this field.
• A tennis court (removed) – existed for a brief period after World War II.

• An outdoor stage
• Monument of development – built in 1886 and placed at Kairakuen in Sapporo, later relocated to Odori Park in 1899.
• A tennis court and basketball court (removed) – existed for a brief period after World War II.

• Monument of group return
• The statue of Kiyotaka Kuroda (removed) – erected in August 1903. In 1943, it was taken by the government as scrap metal for war use.
• A baseball field (removed) – existed for a brief period after World War II.

• There are no roadways between Nishi 8 chōme and Nishi 9 chōme, and these thus two blocks are joined together.
• Black Slide Mantra – a twisted slide created by Japanese-American artist, Isamu Noguchi. In the spring of 1988, when the agreement to construct Moerenuma Park between Sapporo City and Noguchi was announced, the creation of this slide was also planned. Black Slide Mantra was exhibited in the Venice Biennale, and is the sister version of the white "Slide Mantra" in Miami, Florida, United States.[4] Placement of the Black Slide Mantra was the main cause of Nishi 8 chōme and Nishi 9 chōme being joined.

• A monument of Arishima Takeo
• A children's play area, including swings, slides and a water play area.

• The statue of Kiyotaka Kuroda – recreated after World War II.
• The statue of Horace Capron

Maibaum in Nishi 11 chome

• Sapporo Municipal Subway, Nishi 11 chōme Station (Tōzai-line)
• Maibaum – a decorated pole in the German tradition. The first Maibaum was given by Munich, Germany, a sister city of Sapporo, and placed in 1976. The original Maibaum deteriorated and was removed in 2000, and later a remodelled version was erected. The pole is 25 metres high.
• The statue of Michitoshi Iwamura (removed) – a bronze statue of the pioneer of Sapporo City, erected in 1933. In 1943, it was taken by the government for reuse during World War II.

• Sunk Garden – a flower garden with over 30 kinds of roses.

• Formally, Nishi 13 chōme is outside of the Odori Park, but it has been regarded as a part of Odori Park since the Sapporo City Archive Museum was constructed.
• Sapporo City Archive Museum – constructed as Sapporo Court of Appeals in September 1926. The building was made of bricks, Sapporo soft stone, and reinforced concrete. The building was officially named Sapporo City Archive Museum in 1973, and listed in Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan in 1997.