Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill to Undergo Renovation; Closing for 4 Years Starting 2027

The Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill, a famous tourist spot in Sapporo, Hokkaido, will close starting next April for renovation due to aging facilities, with a planned reopening around July 2028. The famous Dr. Clark statue and the sheep pasture will be preserved. The Sapporo Tourism Association announced this news yesterday. The observation hill was established in 1959, and many tourists visit to take photos with the Dr. Clark statue, which points into the distance with its right hand. As of the end of March 2026, the cumulative number of visitors exceeded 32.3 million. Dr. William Smith Clark was the first vice-principal of the Sapporo Agricultural College, the predecessor of Hokkaido University. The Sapporo Tourism Association stated that buildings such as the Dr. Clark Memorial Hall within the area are over 40 years old, and barrier-free access has become an issue. During the closure, the entire area will be off-limits, meaning visitors will not be able to see the statue or the sheep. According to the Mainichi Shimbun, all internal facilities will be demolished, and a large complex combining restaurants and souvenir shops will be built. If construction proceeds smoothly, operations are expected to resume around July 2028. Keisuke Saito, manager of the observation hill, said, "With less than a year until the closure, this is the last chance to see the current facilities."