Sapporo, city in Japan, on southwestern Hokkaido Island, capital of Hokkaido Prefecture, on the Ishikari River. The largest city on Hokkaido Island, Sapporo is a commercial and manufacturing center and is served by the port of Otaru, located on an arm of the Sea of Japan (East Sea). Major manufactures include processed food, wood products, and printed materials. Sapporo is the site of Hokkaido University (1876); the Sapporo Medical College (1945) and its affiliated Cancer Research Institute (1952); Hokkai Gakuen University (1950); Sapporo University (1967); and a botanical garden. Sapporo was established as a planned city in 1871 and became the capital of the prefecture in 1886. The city, a popular winter-sports center, was the scene of the 1972 Winter Olympic Games. Population (1999) 1,792,167.
