Sapporo Trip: Odori Park

Odori Park, an oasis in the office district, is surrounded by approximately 4,700 trees of 92 species, including lilacs and elms. Tourists and locals alike relax around the lawns and fountains. Despite being called a park, Odori Park is actually a road. In 1871 (Meiji 4), a firebreak was created to divide the center of Sapporo into north and south, which later became a road called Shoshin-dori, and was eventually renamed Odori. This usually tranquil spot is also the venue for major events representing Hokkaido. Odori Park stretches east to west and is divided into 12 blocks from 1-chome to 12-chome, each separated by crosswalks. The distance from one end of Odori Park to the other is about 1.5 km, taking approximately 30 minutes to walk.