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A Surprising Story Behind its Name?! A Walk Down Sapporo's "Anpan Road"
In Sapporo, there's a real road called "Anpan Road." It's quite a unique name, and its origins trace all the way back to the Meiji Era. What's more, there's a heartwarming story behind it that even many Sapporo residents don't know... Why not take a walk down Anpan Road and get in touch with Sapporo's history?
Anpan Road is located in Toyohira-ku, Sapporo. It's about 2.6 km long. Let's start from the Hiragishi side, in front of Hiragishi Elementary School near Minami-Hiragishi Station on the Namboku Subway Line. You'll find a large sign on the school fence explaining the history of Anpan Road, which makes for a good landmark.
The route from the Hiragishi side is a continuous uphill slope, perfect for a bit of a walk. And as you walk, you'll clearly see how Anpan Road is connected to Sapporo's history. For example, you're sure to spot a monument like this one along the way.
The monument reads, "Completed in the 44th year of Meiji (1911) through the labor of soldiers from the former 25th Infantry Regiment and the service of local residents." Let's briefly unravel the history here.
It all started in the 43rd year of Meiji (1910), when the town office in Toyohira was relocated to Tsukisamu. This meant that residents of Hiragishi had to take a significant detour to get to the office. To make matters worse, the government was in financial difficulty at the time and couldn't afford to build a new road. That's when the 25th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army, stationed nearby, volunteered to help construct the road for free.
During the construction, the local people showed their gratitude by distributing five anpan (sweet red bean paste buns) per soldier each day. Seven shops took on the task of making the anpan, and one of them still exists today. It's the famous "Tsukisamu Anpan," a name every Sapporo citizen knows. That's why this road, completed in a short span of just six months, was named Anpan Road.
Now, as we walk from the Hiragishi side, we're approaching the end of Anpan Road. The Tsukisamu side ends in front of Exit 1 of Tsukisamu-Chuo Station on the Toho Subway Line. When you think about how the kindness of the soldiers and the gratitude of the local people came together to create this road in the Meiji Era, doesn't it just warm your heart?
It's a great little side trip for tourists, and a wonderful way for Sapporo residents to explore some local history while out for a stroll.
Anpan Road is located in Toyohira-ku, Sapporo. It's about 2.6 km long. Let's start from the Hiragishi side, in front of Hiragishi Elementary School near Minami-Hiragishi Station on the Namboku Subway Line. You'll find a large sign on the school fence explaining the history of Anpan Road, which makes for a good landmark.
The route from the Hiragishi side is a continuous uphill slope, perfect for a bit of a walk. And as you walk, you'll clearly see how Anpan Road is connected to Sapporo's history. For example, you're sure to spot a monument like this one along the way.
The monument reads, "Completed in the 44th year of Meiji (1911) through the labor of soldiers from the former 25th Infantry Regiment and the service of local residents." Let's briefly unravel the history here.
It all started in the 43rd year of Meiji (1910), when the town office in Toyohira was relocated to Tsukisamu. This meant that residents of Hiragishi had to take a significant detour to get to the office. To make matters worse, the government was in financial difficulty at the time and couldn't afford to build a new road. That's when the 25th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army, stationed nearby, volunteered to help construct the road for free.
During the construction, the local people showed their gratitude by distributing five anpan (sweet red bean paste buns) per soldier each day. Seven shops took on the task of making the anpan, and one of them still exists today. It's the famous "Tsukisamu Anpan," a name every Sapporo citizen knows. That's why this road, completed in a short span of just six months, was named Anpan Road.
Now, as we walk from the Hiragishi side, we're approaching the end of Anpan Road. The Tsukisamu side ends in front of Exit 1 of Tsukisamu-Chuo Station on the Toho Subway Line. When you think about how the kindness of the soldiers and the gratitude of the local people came together to create this road in the Meiji Era, doesn't it just warm your heart?
It's a great little side trip for tourists, and a wonderful way for Sapporo residents to explore some local history while out for a stroll.
Writer Profile
Hokkaido Tourism Camera-Writer
Team Buchineko
We are "Team Buchineko," a group with many connections to tourist spots and facilities in Hokkaido. Even things that seem ordinary to us living in Hokkaido are wonderful resources. We aim to share the charm of this amazing prefecture.
