Quick facts
Sapporo overview
Sapporo (orange) and the other large cities of Japan
Sapporo lies in Hokkaido in Japan at 43.07°N, 141.35°E, about 26 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Tokyo (UTC+9); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Nagoya (2,332,176) and larger than Fukuoka (1,612,392). The largest city in Japan is Tokyo with 9,733,276 people; the capital, Tokyo, has 9,733,276.
The national capital, Tokyo, is about 833 km away; the nearest large city is Ebetsu, 17 km from Sapporo.
Japan as a whole has a live population of 122,222,547 (-0.6% a year) and ranks #12 of 238 countries — see the Japan population page for the full statistics and the Japan atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Sapporo
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Ebetsu Hokkaido | 17 km | 133,953 |
| Otaru Hokkaido | 31 km | 115,333 |
| Tomakomai Hokkaido | 52 km | 174,806 |
| Asahikawa Hokkaido | 113 km | 333,530 |
| Obihiro Hokkaido | 152 km | 166,536 |
| Hakodate Hokkaido | 152 km | 275,730 |
Largest cities in Japan
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sapporo?
Sapporo has about 1,973,832 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Sapporo the capital of Japan?
No. The capital of Japan is Tokyo (9,733,276 people), about 833 km away. Sapporo is the 5th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Sapporo compared with the rest of Japan?
Its 1,973,832 residents are 1.6% of the 122,222,547 people living in Japan today. Tokyo is larger with 9,733,276 people.
Where is Sapporo?
In Hokkaido, Japan, at latitude 43.07 and longitude 141.35, 26 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Ebetsu (17 km), Otaru (31 km), Tomakomai (52 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Sapporo Population 2026 — Japan. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/japan/sapporo/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/japan/sapporo/">Sapporo Population 2026 — Japan</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.