Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 3.2

Toyohira-ku is one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. The ward was established in 1972, when the Sapporo Olympics was held in Sapporo. Four other wards in Sapporo are bounded on Toyohira-ku. As of April 1, 2012, the ward has an estimated population of 214,437, with 109,510 households and a population density of 4,626.47 persons per km². The total area is 46.35 km².OverviewThe name "Toyohira" is derived from the Ainu language and means "crumbled cliff". The symbol flower of the ward is the Petunia. The ward has two mascot characters: Korin is a character based on an apple, as apples used to be grown in Toyohira-ku, and Mētan is based on a sheep, which are bred on Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill. Toyohira-ku has some sports venues which were constructed for the Sapporo Olympics in 1972, and the Sapporo Dome is also located there.According to the jūminhyō (registry of current residential addresses and figures) in 2008, 209,358 people are living in Toyohira-ku, namely 97,999 males and 111,336 females. The total area of the ward is 46.35 km², and it is adjacent to four other wards in Sapporo: Minami-ku, Chūō-ku, Kiyota-ku, and Shiroishi-ku.