Temples & religious sites
Sapporo Japan Temple
The Sapporo Japan Temple is the 151st operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the third in Japan. Located in Sapporo, Hokkaido, the temple serves over 8,000 members residing on the island of Hokkaido and in Aomori Prefecture. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on October 3, 2009, during general conference, concurrently with the Brigham City Utah, Concepción Chile, Fort Lauderdale Florida and Fortaleza Brazil temples. Ground was broken on 22 October 2011 by Gary E. Stevenson of the Seventy presiding. Michael T....
What it is
This is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving the church's roughly 8,000 members across Hokkaido and Aomori Prefecture. Like other LDS temples, it is not a general place of worship or tourist sightseeing site in the way a shrine or cathedral might be — access to the interior is restricted to church members in good standing. Visitors who are not members can view the building and its grounds from outside, which is the main reason a traveller might stop by.
Getting there
The temple is located in Sapporo, reachable from the city centre by taxi or local transit in roughly 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic and your starting point. It is not directly on a major subway line, so allow extra time if relying on buses.
How long to spend
Since entry is limited to church members, most visitors will only spend 15-30 minutes viewing the exterior and grounds before moving on.
When to go
Daylight hours are best for viewing the building and grounds. Winters in Sapporo bring heavy snow, which can make the surrounding area slower to navigate, so a visit in the warmer months may be more comfortable if you're just walking the grounds.
Combining with nearby sights
The Sapporo Harisutosu Seikyōkai (Orthodox church), about 3.4km away, makes for a related stop if you're interested in religious architecture in the city. Further out, the Historical Village of Hokkaido and the Hokkaido Museum, both around 5km away, offer a deeper look at the region's history and could be paired together as a half-day outing. Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill, also roughly 5km away, is worth adding if you want a scenic viewpoint over the city in the same trip.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
