Minami-ku (南区) is one of the 10 wards inSapporo,Hokkaidō,Japan. Minami-ku is directly translated as "south ward". Having the area of 657.48 km2 in total, Minami-ku occupies 60 percent of the area of Sapporo.[1]
According to thejūminhyō (registry) in 2008, 149,139 people were living in Minami-ku. The total area of the ward is 657.48 km2,[2] which is the largest in Sapporo. 17 mountains including Mount Yoichi (1488.1 metres, the highest mountain in Sapporo)[1] are included in the ward, along with part of theShikotsu-Tōya National Park.
Originally, the area where currently Minami-ku is located has been famous for the hot springs in Jōzankei area and mines in Ishiyama area, and many pioneers and their families have settled from the outside of Hokkaidō. In 1918, the Jōzankei Railroad was opened for traffic from Shiroishi area to current Minami-ku area. In 1946, after the end of World War II, American army took over farms in Makomanai area and built a military facility called Camp Crawford.[3]
