The Sapporo branch of the Nishi Honganji, one of the main Jodo Shinshu Buddhist sects, stands in the western part of the city centre and is among the better examples of late Meiji-era temple architecture in Hokkaido. The main hall is large by Sapporo standards, built in 1879 and rebuilt to its current form in the early 20th century, with the characteristic deep curved roof and decorative metalwork of the Jodo Shinshu tradition. The complex is small enough to visit quickly but substantial enough to reward a proper look.
The Jodo Shinshu sect played a significant role in Hokkaido's development — the temple includes a small museum documenting the sect's missionary activity across the island during the pioneer era, when the sect provided religious services and practical community support to the incoming settlers from Honshu. The framing is admittedly institutional, but the record of how Buddhism adapted to Hokkaido's particular settlement history is more interesting than the usual temple museum fare. The temple is a short walk west from Odori Park and easily combined with the Clock Tower and the Hokkaido University Botanical Garden in a half-day walk.