Sapporo Station

Sapporo Station has served as Hokkaido's principal rail hub since 1880, when it opened during the Meiji-era development of Japan's northern frontier island. Rebuilt and expanded over the decades, the current ten-platform structure was completed in 2003 and connects JR Hokkaido mainlines, the Chitose Airport Line, and two Sapporo subway lines in a single complex. The attached JR Tower rises 173 metres above the station, housing a hotel, offices, and the T38 observation deck on the 38th floor. Multiple directly connected shopping malls, including Stellar Place and ESTA, make the complex one of the busiest retail destinations in northern Japan.