Hokkaido University is a mainstay comprehensive university that places importance on its graduate schools. The university started out in 1876 as the Sapporo Agricultural College, the first modern academic institute in Japan. We have passed through a long period of history, including our time as an Imperial College, as well as during the creation of the new university system. Over this period, we have declared and cultivated our basic philosophies of education and research; namely “Frontier Spirit”, “Global Perspectives”, “All-round Education” and “Practical Learning.”

As many concrete engineers may know, Dr Isami HIROI (1862-1928) has greatly contributed to concrete durability. He graduated from Sapporo Agricultural College and was a professor there. He supervised the construction of the Otaru Port Breakwater (1897-1908), where he tried a new concrete mixture and made concrete specimens to examine its durability. The test is still continued even more than 100 years have been passed.

In order to meet the demands of society and to move ahead as a National University Corporation, Hokkaido University needs to formulate a long term goal for developing the basis of knowledge creation, knowledge dissemination and knowledge application in the new century, with our newly acquired freedom, while reconfirming our basic philosophies and recognizing our accountability to society.

Sapporo is located on the western plains of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. More than 60% of Sapporo-primarily in the south west is mountainous, creating a concentration of urban activity focused around the Toyohira River, which runs through the city.

Approximately 100 years ago, Sapporo had a population of about 10 thousand. With 1,480 thousand residents by May 1983, it surpassed Kyoto's population and became Japan's fifth largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya. As of October 2009, population of Sapporo is approximately 1,904 thousand.

Sapporo is characterized by four distinct seasons, including a cool summer and cold, snowy winter. Beautiful days continue from April to June, when the city is filled with lush, green vegetation and blooming flowers. In September, temperatures drop with each rainfall and the precipitation increases as autumn deepens. The leaves begin to change color in October and the temperature sometimes approaches 0 degrees. The first snowfall usually occurs in late October. From early December onward, the ground is continuously covered with snow. Ice and snow covering the ground typically begins to melt in early April.