Sapporo is a designated city in Hokkaido, Japan, situated within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Located in the southwest of the island, it serves as the capital of both Hokkaido Prefecture and Ishikari Subprefecture. As the largest city in Hokkaido and the largest north of Tokyo, it functions as the region's primary cultural, economic, and political center.