The Red Brick Government Building (former Hokkaido Prefectural Government Office Building), a historic structure representing Hokkaido, will reopen on July 25, 2025. It has been reborn as a new spot perfect for sightseeing, with a new shop of ISHIYA, famous for Shiroi Koibito, a restaurant serving local Hokkaido cuisine, and an observation balcony from the octagonal tower that was previously off-limits. It is a new and popular spot where you can experience history, culture, experiences and cuisine all at once.

The building is made of 2.5 million bricks. We will climb the iconic "octagonal tower" on the roof at the end of the article!

The Red Brick Government Building (former Hokkaido Prefectural Government Office Building), built during the Meiji period, is a building that represents the history of Hokkaido and is also a nationally designated Important Cultural Property. Construction began in 1886 and was completed in 1888. The interior was completely destroyed by fire in 1909, but the exterior walls remain, and even today it still conveys the atmosphere of the Meiji period. Restoration work was carried out in 1968, and the building was designated a national Important Cultural Property the following year.

The interior of the building exudes a sense of history

Since 2019, the building has been undergoing large-scale renovation work, including earthquake-resistance improvements, and is set to finally reopen on July 25, 2025. It has been reborn as a building that conveys the history of Hokkaido to the present and will be passed on to the future.

The stairs in front of the entrance, symbolizing the Red Brick Government Building

Various paintings, including works by Tamako Kataoka, are on display in the museum.

There is a basic admission fee to enter the newly renovated Red Brick Building, but the Shiroi Koibito Akarenga Sweets Labo on the first floor, the restaurant HOUSE.H, and the Red Brick Shop are free to enter. We will introduce the highlights of each building.

A fun-filled store with a focus on entertainment

This is a new store run by ISHIYA, famous for the Hokkaido specialty sweet "Shiroi Koibito". The theme is a "sweets laboratory" run by a professor who was excited by the snowy scenery of Hokkaido. At the entrance, there is a "Sweets Happy Machine" and if you're lucky, you might get the "Shiroi Koibito" that the professor completed! There are also travel-themed capsule machines and a photo spot inspired by a snow globe.

There are various features that make you feel like you're in a "sweets laboratory"

Anyone can enjoy the "Sweets Happy Machine." Insert a coin, turn the handle and...

The ball passes through the gears...

Stay tuned to see what comes out in the end

A capsule machine that you can enjoy for 500 yen per turn. It looks cute like a trunk.

You can actually see the manufacturing process

A photo spot inside a snow globe that is likely to become popular

There are also a wide selection of souvenirs, including the store's exclusive Shiroi Koibito. There is also a service where you can make your own original Shiroi Koibito, which is popular at the Chocolate Factory. It's perfect as a souvenir.

The limited edition Shiroi Koibito comes in a pack of three, making it an easy-to-buy size.

The Chocolate Factory and this are the only places where you can make your own original cans

The cafe shop inside the store also sells the "Red Brick Sandwich" (450 yen, tax included). This octagonal cookie sandwich, modeled after the octagonal tower of the Red Brick Government Building, is filled with butter cream containing white chocolate and bean paste made from Hokkaido red beans. You can also enjoy the crispy texture.

"Red Brick Sandwich" comes in a cute package

The butter cream and bean paste are sweet and delicious!

There are three other flavors of Shiroi Koibito Soft Serve Ice Cream: White, Mixed, and Black. The regular size is 500 yen (tax included). The jumbo size is 750 yen. The Shiroi Koibito Topped Soft Serve Ice Cream, which comes with one Shiroi Koibito, is 650 yen and comes in two flavors, chocolate and strawberry.

The H in the store name comes from Hokkaido.

This restaurant offers food and drinks made with plenty of ingredients from Hokkaido. It is run by North Graphics, the same company behind the Italian restaurant "Source" and the fermented food restaurant "Hakkou Yard."

The large windows are impressive

On this day, I tried the Ezo deer hamburger steak, which was easy to eat without any unpleasant odor while still allowing you to enjoy the taste of Ezo deer meat. In addition to wine and whiskey, the restaurant also offers its own original craft beer and craft gin, making it the perfect pairing with alcohol.

Ezo deer hamburger steak. It was very filling.

Original craft beer and craft gin

You can also enjoy other delicious dishes

Mickey Mouse collaboration T-shirts also on sale

The shop is spacious and perfect for stopping by during your sightseeing. It stocks everything from classic Hokkaido confections such as Rokkatei to character collaboration products.

Limited edition goods available at the Red Brick Shop

A wide range of products from Hokkaido specialties to character collaborations

New interactive exhibits also available

Admission to the Red Brick Government Building, excluding the free zone, is subject to a fee: 300 yen for adults, 200 yen for university and high school students, and free for junior high school students and younger and people with disabilities. From here, we will introduce the new Red Brick Government Building, which has been reborn as a new hub for disseminating information on Hokkaido's history, culture, and tourism.

Director's Office

It consists of three rooms: "The Governor's Office," "Urban Development," and "Architecture." It is a space that recreates the Governor's office, with exhibits on the historical background of the time of construction, the renovation called the "Great Reiwa Renovation," and past Hokkaido morning newspapers.

Projection mapping exhibits

Exhibits arranged in a circle

This is a section that introduces the heritage and culture of each region of Hokkaido. It also introduces all 74 Hokkaido Heritage sites that have been selected from among the tangible and intangible assets that should be handed down to the next generation as treasures of Hokkaido, as well as World Heritage sites and Japan Heritage sites.

Introducing Hokkaido heritage sites in each region

The exhibition features impressive footage of traditional Ainu dances filmed in various regions of Hokkaido. On the floor is a map of Hokkaido drawn in 1859 by Matsuura Takeshiro, who also gave Hokkaido its name, and it lists approximately 9,800 Ainu words.

A wide range of specialties from all over Hokkaido

The room is filled with exhibits of local products and crafts from Hokkaido's 179 cities, towns, and villages. A semicircular panoramic video lets you enjoy the natural scenery unique to Hokkaido.

There is also an attraction where you can throw darts at Hokkaido, just like in a "segment of a certain TV show." The city or town you hit is introduced on video, and by scanning the issued QR code you can learn more about that city or town.

The town where the dart hit this time was Chichibubetsu Town.

Additionally, in the basement there are exhibits providing an overview of the Northern Territories and the history of Sakhalin, including during the war.

This is the part of the octagonal tower, the symbol of the Red Brick Government Building, that you can actually climb.

The highlight of this renovation is that you can now climb the Octagonal Tower, which is the face of the Red Brick Building! We were given a guide to climb it.

To reach the octagonal tower, you have to climb a narrow staircase...

I also crawled through low ceilings...

Panel displays along the way

And then we reach the balcony!

The view from the balcony at the top of the mountain overlooks Kita 3-jo Street, which was the foundation of Hokkaido's development. It's a place that lets you feel the romance of Hokkaido's history. Viewing the octagonal tower costs 1,200 yen (elementary school students and above). There are four tours per day, each lasting 30 minutes, with a maximum of seven people. Please apply online or at the museum counter on the day.

View of Kitasanjo Street from the balcony

You can also see the rare octagonal tower from inside.

Some of the rooms are also available for rent to the public.

In addition, there is a "Premium Guided Tour" (500 yen for adults, 250 yen for elementary school students to university students) that allows you to learn more about the history and architecture, and the prestigious "Red Brick Hall" on the second floor and the "Domin Base" located in the semi-basement are available for public rental. The "Red Brick Government Building" has been reborn as a place where you can experience Hokkaido's history, experience its culture, and connect it to the future. It is a noteworthy spot where tourists and locals alike can discover new charms of Hokkaido.