Sapporo Masjid
| Sapporo Masjid | |
|---|---|
札幌マスジド | |
The Sapporo Masjid in 2024 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Year consecrated | 1993 |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido |
| Country | Japan |
Interactive map of Sapporo Masjid | |
| Coordinates | 43°4′38.9″N 141°20′51.5″E / 43.077472°N 141.347639°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Completed | November 2023 (current building) |
| Construction cost | ¥250 million |
| Website | |
| sapporomasjid | |
The Sapporo Masjid (Japanese: 札幌マスジド) is a mosque in Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. It is run by the Hokkaido Islamic Society. The original mosque was housed inside a residential building and opened in 1993; it was the first mosque in Hokkaido. In 2023, the mosque moved to a larger building in Kita-ku to accommodate the growing Muslim community in the city.
The mosque conducts Islamic services in several languages, including English, Arabic, and Bengali. Educational seminars and cultural outreach events and celebrations are also open to non-Muslims.
History
The Sapporo Masjid opened in 1993 and was the first mosque in Hokkaido. It was originally housed within a multi-tenant building in Kita-ku, but the space became too small as the number of worshippers grew over the years.[1]
The mosque moved to a larger building in the ward and was opened in November 2023 following extensive renovations costing ¥250 million, funded by donations from within Japan and abroad.[1][2][3] Additionally, mosques have also been built in neighbouring Ebetsu and Otaru to accommodate the approximately 10,000 Muslims living in Hokkaido (as of November 2025).[2]
Services
The Sapporo Masjid is run by the Hokkaido Islamic Society, which conducts services such as religious education, cultural outreach events, Islamic marriages, and Islamic funerals.[4]
The current building is four stories tall and contains areas for wudu (ritual washing) on the first and fourth floors, and separate prayer rooms for men and women. Service is conducted in several languages, including English, Arabic, and Bengali.[1][2]
Outreach
The Sapporo Masjid has held seminars for Japanese locals, particularly university students, who are interested in learning about Islam and the Muslim community in Hokkaido. The mosque hosted students from the Hokkai School of Commerce in 2023[5] and Sapporo University in 2025.[6]
Parties open to both Muslims and non-Muslims are held at the mosque during Islamic holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, as well as celebrations during holy months like Ramadan.[4]
References
- ^ a b c Gamou, Mio (8 December 2024). イスラム教徒 共生へ手探り [Muslims search for a path toward coexistence]. Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese).
- ^ a b c Gamou, Mio (21 November 2024). 北海道にイスラム教徒１万人 教徒と日本をつなぐモスク 「札幌マスジド」を訪ねたら [Hokkaido has 10,000 Muslims. A visit to the 'Sapporo Masjid', a mosque that connects Muslims with Japan]. Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ "Japanese Muslims celebrate renovation of historic 'Sapporo' mosque". Shia Waves. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ a b Hokkaido Islamic Society 2024 Annual Overview (YouTube). Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan: Hokkaido Islamic Society. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ^ 山田ゼミ活動：札幌マスジド（モスク）とハラールショップを訪ねました [Yamada Seminar Activities: Visiting the Sapporo Masjid (Mosque) and Halal Shop] (in Japanese). Hokkai School of Commerce. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
- ^ 本学学生20名が挑戦！多文化共生プレイベントを開催！ [Twenty students from our university take on the challenge! Multicultural coexistence pre-event held!] (in Japanese). Sapporo University. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2026.