Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium

Okurayama Observatory is an observation spot located within the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium. It is a historic venue that was used for the 1972 Winter Olympics. The observatory is at an elevation of about 307 meters above ground and is popular with young visitors as a night-view spot where you can overlook the city. (The description states Hakodate, but this is widely known as a Sapporo facility; the key point in the text is that you can enjoy broad city views and even see as far as the Ishikari Plain.) The site was donated to Sapporo by Baron Kishichiro Okura, founder of Hotel Okura. The stadium is still active as a ski jumping venue, and in winter it functions as a training base where Olympic athletes practice. Taking the lift up to the observatory lets you feel what it might be like to be a ski jumper looking down the inrun. There is also the Sapporo Olympic Museum, where you can learn about Olympic history, and restaurants where you can enjoy jingisukan and lamb dishes. You can also try simulated ski-jump experiences at the Sapporo Winter Sports Museum. To access Okurayama Observatory, take a local bus from Maruyama-Koen Station on the subway, get off at "Okurayama Stadium Entrance," then walk about 10 minutes.