The Sapporo Mitsui JP Building marked its 10th anniversary in August 2024.
If you go back in time, this was the site of the Hokkaido Development Commission. In the early Meiji period (1868-1912), the Development Commission's site was far larger than the current Hokkaido Government Office, stretching from the current Kita 1-jo-dori Avenue to the JR railway tracks in the north-south direction, and from Nishi 4-chome to Nishi 7-chome in the east-west direction. The current Hokkaido Government Office site is in the center of this area.
In 1958, the Sapporo Mitsui Building was built at Kita 2-jo Nishi 4-chome, and in 1965 a new building extension was added to the south of the main building, which was then renovated the following year. At the time, the Sapporo Streetcar Naebo Line ran east-west along Kita 3-jo-dori Avenue. The Sapporo Mitsui Building would go on to serve as a base for the Hokkaido economy for many years.

The Sapporo Mitsui Building after the new building extension was added and the main building was renovated (image taken from the Sapporo Mitsui Building Completion Commemorative Photo Collection)

The Sapporo Mitsui Building is to the east of the Hokkaido Government Office front garden (on the photo) (image taken from the Sapporo Mitsui Building Completion Commemorative Photo Collection)

In August 2014, the Sapporo Mitsui JP Building, also known as Akarenga Terrace, was completed. At the same time, the Sapporo City Kita 3-jo Square, also known as Akapla, was developed as a plaza in front of the Hokkaido Government Office Akarenga Building. This plaza was the starting point of Kita 3-jo-dori Avenue, which has great significance for the development of Hokkaido and Sapporo, and it has become a space that creates a symbolic landscape with the Hokkaido Government Office Akarenga Building in the background. This is also the spot where the first paved roads in Sapporo were laid, and the wooden blocks and rows of ginkgo trees were designated as Civil Engineering Heritage in 2011.
Akapla hosts seasonal events throughout the year, making it a popular spot for people to get together.

Akapla, where paved roads were first laid in Sapporo, hosts seasonal events throughout the year. The photo shows the Flower Carpet in June 2018 (photo by Doppietta photo)

Ashihara Hiroaki of the Mitsui Fudosan Hokkaido Branch Business Group, who is in charge of creating a lively atmosphere at Akarenga Terrace and Akapla, says, “The consistent concept is 'urban development that ages gracefully in harmony with the area'. The idea of 'aging gracefully' is that, as time passes, the area blends in with its surroundings, becoming part of the townscape, and as the years go by, people become more attached to it and it becomes more attractive.”

Ashihara Hiroaki of the Mitsui Fudosan Hokkaido Branch Business Group

The Sapporo Mitsui JP Building is a complex that consists of office floors that are leading the development of Sapporo and all of Hokkaido, a commercial zone with a wide range of exciting and great-tasting options, and Akapla, a public space for interacting with others. The landscape is formed by the surrounding spaces and buildings, such as the Hokkaido Government Office Akarenga Building, Kita 3-jo-dori Avenue, and Sapporo Ekimae-dori Avenue. These elements make the area more attractive to the citizens of Sapporo and Hokkaido.
Ashihara added, “In terms of creating a bustling atmosphere, the stagnation caused by COVID-19 has been significant. However, looking at the next 10 years, redevelopment of the city center is progressing, and the extension of the Shinkansen to Sapporo is also on the horizon. The 'aging gracefully' of an area cannot be achieved by a single company or person. Our fundamental approach is to develop the area together with many people.”

Sapporo Mitsui JP Building Awards
2015: Good Design Award in Urban Area and Regional Development
2015: Excellence Award in the Urban Space Category for the Cityscape Grand Prize
2015: Good Lighting Award 2014
2016: 57th BCS Special Award
2016: Planning and Design Award, The City Planning Institute of Japan
2016: Excellence Award in the Environmental Design Category for the 14th Environmental and Equipment Design Award
2016: Hokkaido Red Brick Architecture Award 2015
2017: Excellence Award for the Japan Society of Civil Engineers Design Award 2016