What does Sapporo mean?

Sapporo (さっぽろ) is a city located in the west of Hokkaido Island, Japan. With an area of ??1,121 square kilometers and a population of 1.94 million, Sapporo is a tourist city famous for its snow. With Sapporo as the center, Hokkaido forms the Sapporo Metropolitan Area outside Japan's three major metropolitan areas.

Sapporo is a metropolitan city located in the Central District of Hokkaido, Japan. It is the fifth most populous city in Japan and one of Japan's designated cities by government decree. Since Sapporo City is the seat of the Hokkaido Government (Provincial Office) and the Ishikari Branch Office, it has also become the administrative center of Hokkaido.

The name "札[zhá]horo[huǎng]" comes from the Ainu language, meaning "big river". Sapporo City is located in the southwest of the Ishikari Plain in Hokkaido and is the northernmost urban area in Japan with a population of over one million. In addition, since Japan is an island country and most of its major cities are close to the sea, Sapporo has become a rare large inland city in Japan and has the largest population among inland cities.

In addition to being the administrative center of Hokkaido, Sapporo is also the industrial and commercial center of Hokkaido. It hosted the 11th Winter Olympics in 1972; Odori Park, a linear park located in the city center, is also the venue for the annual Sapporo Snow Festival. As a venue, Sapporo is also an internationally renowned tourist city. On October 5, 2018, Sapporo City was selected as one of "Japan's New Three Night View Cities".