Salmon Museum

This science museum aims to communicate the importance of the fact that salmon returned to Toyohira River after once disappearing, and offers visitors a chance to observe salmon.

Toyohira River flows through Sapporo. The river deteriorated due to the city’s development, and the salmon which were once plentiful disappeared. However, due to improvements in the wastewater system and the release of the first salmon fry into the river in 1979, the salmon returned in 1981. The museum was built to commemorate the return of the salmon, to keep them coming back, and to educate the public about their ecology. The building was designed by Yoshiya Tanoue, who is known for designing the former Oguma residence. The museum has twenty types of salmon on display in tanks. In the fall, visitors can watch salmon spawn in the observation pond. This is a great facility that asks visitors to consider the balance between nature and urban development through the example of salmon.