Newly developed city of Sapporo, north of Japan, is a center of modern culture
There are two different ideas regarding the naming of the city, Sapporo. One is that it is from the Ainu (aborigine in Hokkaido) word, sapporo, which means a large dry land. The second idea is that it comes from sariporobetsu meaning a river in a large field with reeds. Sapporo is a metropolitan city in Hokkaido, the north country. It is located southwest of the Ishikari Plain with the Toyohira-gawa River flowing through the center of the city. Yet 60% of the area is covered with woods. The organized municipality was started only at the beginning of the Meiji period (1868 - 1912). Because of the town's short history, they succeeded in utilizing an advanced overseas method of urbanization. As a result, the city's districts have been organized in an effective way with the construction of wide roads. This is rare in Japan, and gives the feeling that it is a modern town. Recently, more and more famous musical festivals and parades have been held in the city, and it continues to lead the area as a center of northern culture.
