The Hoheikan was a western-style hotel constructed in 1880, which was earlier than the construction of the Rokumeikan guest house in Tokyo, by the Hokkaido Development Commission. It was once used to host members of the imperial family and other distinguished guests. It is well-known that the hotel’s first guest was Emperor Meiji.

The contrast between pure white walls and the ultramarine pigments from lapis lazuli stone used in the window frames looks really luxurious. However, this ultramarine color had been lost for a long time and they were painted in different color for some reason. The window frames were restored to their original color by the specially ordered paint in the large-scale improvement works from 1982 to 1986.

At the time of the construction, the hotel was located in the place where Sapporo Civic Hall is located today. Going through the changes of the time, the building has been used in many ways such as the division headquarters of the Japanese Army, the lodgment of the U.S. Army, and the Sapporo branch of Mitsukoshi Department Store. In 1958, the building was relocated to Nakajima Park, where several cultural facilities such as the Sapporo Concert Hall and Hokkaido Museum of Literature are located. It was designated as a national Important Cultural Property in 1964. The hall is now used as a popular wedding hall, namely Japan’s only wedding hall that is a designated Important Cultural Property.