SAPPORO -- With its stunning exterior appearance, the former Sapporo Methodist Church, now the Sapporo Christ Church, looks as if it has popped out of a picture book.

The United Church of Christ in Japan building stands prominently along the Sosei River, which flows north to south in central Sapporo, with its storybook charm surrounded by a sea of tall buildings.

After its wooden predecessor burned down in 1903, the new church was designed by Chiyokatsu Mayama, an engineer with the Hokkaido Prefectural Government's civil engineering division and a church member, and reconstructed in 1904 using fire-resistant Sapporo nanseki, or locally sourced tuff. This structure with wooden frames is a prime example of Sapporo nanseki architecture and was designated a registered tangible cultural property of Japan in 1998.

The exterior features a light blue roof and a distinctive tower on the left side of the facade, with the finely designed interior, as seen in parts including the front altar framed by lyre-motif pillars. It also features a bright rose window with stained-glass inlays on the second floor.

The church's pastor Katsuya Kobayashi, 53, said, "On the exterior wall, you can see the five-pointed star, the symbol of the Hokkaido Development Commission. I can't help but feel that it represents the wish for blessings and peace to the people living in the neighborhood."

(Japanese original by Taichi Kaizuka, Hokkaido Photo and Video Department)

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The Japanese version of this article was originally published on Feb. 9, 2025.

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