Traces of a bygone era, still alive.

Historical Village of Hokkaido

Pass through the "Former Sapporo Station," the entrance to the village, and a retro townscape opens up before you. Among it all, the "Former Kaitakushi Sapporo Main Government Office" stands out especially. Recreated from a building constructed in Meiji 6 (1873), it's memorable for the vivid contrast of its pure white walls and green window frames, and the octagonal tower rising at its center. Sadly, the original building was lost to fire in Meiji 12 (1879), but in Meiji 21 (1888), the Red Brick Government Office (Former Hokkaido Government Office), which still stands today, was completed on the south side of that same site. The octagonal tower of the Kaitakushi Sapporo Main Government Office lived on symbolically, carried forward into the Red Brick Government Office as an emblem of independence and progress.

At the printing shop of the "Former Otaru Shimbun," built from Sapporo soft stone, rows of movable type sit neatly lined up on shelves. Imagining the bustling energy of that era only deepens the quiet stillness of the space today. Peek into the barbershop, the soba shop, the clinic, the photo studio, and you'll find the tools and equipment of the past left exactly as they were — leaving the impression that the dedication of the people who once worked there hasn't changed a bit, then or now.

At the "Horse-Drawn Tram," Hokkaido native ponies called "Dosanko," once essential for transport and farm work in the pioneer era, are hard at work. Pulled by a Dosanko, you can travel from the "Former Urakawa Branch Office" to the "Former Sokeshuomabetsu Staging Post." Departing from Urakawa and arriving at the Kimobetsu staging post while leisurely taking in the townscape along the way is a curious kind of journey unique to this village. In winter, a horse-drawn sleigh takes over, with the Dosanko pushing powerfully through the snow.
What comes through in the buildings and streetscape is the wisdom and effort of the people of the pioneer era. We can't return to that old way of life, but it becomes clear that their spirit and culture still connect directly to the present. On weekdays, many children visit "Historical Village of Hokkaido" as part of school social studies trips. It's just as fitting a place for adults to spend a leisurely day off.