After work hours on Thursday, September 11th, a buzzing energy filled Akapla (Sapporo Kita 3-jo Plaza), as if defying the gradually intensifying signs of autumn.

This marked the inaugural Akapla Corporate Tug-of-War Tournament. Twenty-eight teams, primarily from companies operating in nearby buildings, participated in a heated competition for exclusive prizes including shopping and dining gift certificates for establishments in the Red Brick Terrace.

Teams consisted of 8 mixed-gender members (with at least one female participant). The tournament structure included a round-robin preliminary round across Leagues A through G (4 teams each), followed by a final tournament featuring the 7 advancing teams plus 1 wild card team, for a total of 8 teams. This meant even teams eliminated in the preliminaries competed in 3 matches, while those reaching the finals (best-of-three sets) competed in a hard-fought 7 matches.

If you've ever pulled your heart out in a tug-of-war match, you'll know it's a grueling contest. Once the one-minute time limit expires, many people couldn’t help but take a seat in exhaustion, drenched in sweat.

Not only the people pulling the rope, but also a lot of people from each company formed cheering squads to bring even more excitement to the atmosphere!

Will this new interactive event at Akapla continue in front of the illuminated Red Brick Building?

With the newly renovated Former Hokkaido Government Office (Red Brick Building) serving as a backdrop, this plaza marks the starting point of Kita 3-jo Street and represents a significant element in Sapporo's development. The energy filling the plaza is truly remarkable.

The winner of the prestigious first Akapla Corporate Tug-of-War Tournament was Kajima Corporation. The runner-up is North Pacific Bank, and third place was shared by CBRE K.K. and AXA Life Insurance Co., Ltd.

Representatives from the eight teams advancing to the final stage express how they feel about the upcoming matches.

Will the winning prize be used for a company get-together at the Red Brick Terrace?

Having fun after a hard fought competition