Historical Village of Hokkaido is a tourist attraction located at the Nopporo Forest Park on the outskirts of the city. It is a large (54 hectare/119 acre) outdoor museum with about 60 old wooden and stone buildings from the Meiji (1868-1910) and Taisho (1910-1926) periods. The buildings were collected from all over Hokkaido, mostly rescued from demolitions, road widening and other “progress”. Sadly, only about 60 buildings out of a much larger architectural heritage could be saved, though in Sapporo city itself buildings such as the Hoheikan, “red bricks”, and clock tower remain in their original locations.
The buildings were painstakingly dismantled and relocated into 4 different zones within the village. These zones are “Town”, “Fishing Village”, “Farm Village” and “Mountain Village”. Inside each building there are displays showing how Hokkaido residents of the period lived. Its a bit of a tourist trap – horse drawn trolleys and sleigh rides are popular with the Japanese tourists, but for those interested in history and Japanese culture, comparing the rest of Japan with the heavy western influence involved in the colonization of Hokkaido is worthwhile.
The village contains playground facilities for children and has good facilities for wheelchair users, and has the usual cafeterias and souvenir shops etc. It is closed every Monday and over the New Year period (December 29th to January 3rd). Admission prices are slightly cheaper in winter, and are free for school children, adults over 65 years old and disabled people.
How to Get There:
From Shin-Sapporo station, take the JR Hokkaido bus via Shin-rin Koen to the Village. It takes about 15 minutes.