In a country and city where buildings are often considered to have a 30-year lifespan, the Sapporo Clock Tower is an obvious outlier. Built in 1878 when Sapporo was still being settled by Japanese, it is the oldest building in the city as well as the oldest clock tower in the country. While the Shinkorō tower in Hyogo is technically older, it was not used as a clock tower until later on. Sapporo largely owes its development to American assistance, which is evident in the tower’s design. It was originally…
