Sapporo Clock Tower was built in 1878, originally as an indoor practice area for military arts by the Sapporo Agricultural College.  At that time, it was called ‘the big clock of the agricultural college’.
The official name of the tower is the Old Sapporo Agricultural College Enbu-jou and it is one of the oldest existingclock towers in Japan. The clock has a system where the weight of the chimes power the clockworks.  Themain parts of the clock have never been replaced and have run continuously since they were installed.
The appearance of the big clock on the gabled  roof gives the structures an original and exotic appearance.
The entire two-storey building is made of wood,  except for the clock. Today, the first floor is an exhibition hall,and the second floor is a hall that can be rented for private functions. In the past, it was used as the main government building of Sapporo, as well as a court and  library.
The third to fifth floors house  the clock and its mechanisms. On the hour, the pure sounds of the clock chimes can be heard ringing out.