Winter Sports Museum 札幌オリンピックミュージアム

Hokkaido is known for its snow and Sapporo has a long, deep connection to winter sports. Hosting the 1972 Winter Olympics, the Universiade Winter Games, and other major events has established its reputation in the winter sports world. The Sapporo Olympic Museum is a great place to learn about and experience the Olympic Games and winter sports held in Sapporo.

The museum is accessible via bus, taxi and car from Sapporo Station .

Taking a taxi or driving is the best way to get to the Winter Sports Museum from Sapporo Station . Alternatively, from Sapporo Station to Maruyama Koen Station, take the Tozai Subway Line, then the Kuramaru bus to Okurayama Stadium, which takes about 15 minutes. Parking is free at the bottom of the ski jump.

The Sapporo Olympic Museum is located in the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium , which was the venue for the Winter Olympics, overlooking the city of Sapporo. The museum is designed to expand your knowledge of winter sports and give you the thrill of participating in various winter sports events.

The exhibits at the museum are all about Sapporo's Olympic connection, athletes and history. They cover the Olympics as well as the other events Sapporo has hosted, like the Universiade Winter Games and Nordic Ski Championships. The displays include information about winter sports history, historical documents, and actual gear used by the athletes.

From the museum, you can take a ski lift to the Okurayama Observatory which was a ski jump built for the 1972 Olympics. It offers panoramic views of the city below as well as Sapporo Dome, the Ishikari plain and Ishikari Harbor.

If you're an avid athlete or just want to get that adrenaline rush, head for the museum's interactive zone to try your hand at ice hockey, bobsledding, biathlon, speed skating, cross-country skiing and ski jumping in simulators.

Both adults and kids can enjoy them. You can easily spend a few hours here.

Near the museum in Makomanai Park, you'll find Makomanai Open Stadium. Makomanai Open Stadium hosted the 1972 Olympics opening ceremony and speed skating events. Today, it hosts sporting events such as international skate competitions, marathon races and more.

Makomanai Open Stadium offers fun things to do all year round. From mid-November to early March, you can skate. During the summer, you can play tennis and futsal at Makomanai. Makomanai Park is known for its spring cherry blossoms and fall foliage.