City (pop., 2000 prelim.: 1,822,300), Hokkaido , Japan.
Located on the Ishikari River , the city was laid out in 1871 with wide, tree-lined streets; it became the capital in 1886. It is a major commercial centre, with Otaru, on the Sea of Japan (East Sea), as its port. Chief industries are lumbering, printing, and publishing. A popular centre for skiing and winter sports, it was the site of the 1972 Winter Olympic Games . The annual Snow Festival features giant sculptures carved from packed snow. It is the site of two universities.