Police officer Yume Nakayama from the Sapporo Nishi Police Station’s Community Affairs Division, on crowd accident alert duty at Hokkaido Shrine in minus 9-degree Celsius cold. Snow had accumulated on her uniform. 12:30 AM, Chuo Ward, Sapporro.

The year 2026 has begun. At the moment of its opening, one of the most crowded places in Hokkaido is the Hokkaido Shrine in Sapporo’s Chuo Ward. During the first three days of the New Year, approximately 450,000 visitors from within and outside the prefecture came for their first shrine visit of the year. The security for this event is handled by the Hokkaido Prefectural Police Security Department’s Riot Police and officers primarily from the Sapporo Nishi Police Station. An embedded observation from New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day revealed efforts ranging from crowd control to handling lost items from inbound tourists, all to support a peaceful New Year.

December 31st, 10:00 PM, Sapporo Nishi Police Station. The station chief gave instructions to the officers: “The longer the response to an unexpected incident, the bigger it becomes. Respond swiftly.” The full-scale security operation, involving a total of 260 police officers over the period, officially commenced, lasting until January 3rd.

10:30 PM, the temperature was minus 9 degrees Celsius. Amid light snowfall, visitors had already begun arriving at the shrine. To ease congestion, they were being guided by security personnel to worship in groups of up to about 300 people at a time.

Hokkaido Shrine

Hokkaido Shrine, located in Sapporo, is a major Shinto shrine founded in 1869 to enshrine the deities of pioneering and development, marking the start of Japan’s official settlement of Hokkaido. It was later expanded to also enshrine Emperor Meiji. Today, it is a popular site for traditional festivals and is especially famous for its thousands of cherry trees, making it a prime hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot in spring.

Sapporo Nishi Police Station

The Sapporo Nishi Police Station is a modern police facility serving the Nishi (West) ward of Sapporo, Japan. While the station itself is a functional government building, its history is tied to the development of Sapporo as a major city following its official founding in 1868 and the establishment of a centralized police system in Hokkaido during the Meiji era.

Hokkaido Prefectural Police Security Department

The Hokkaido Prefectural Police Security Department is a specialized division within the Hokkaido Prefectural Police responsible for maintaining public order, preventing terrorism, and overseeing security for major events and critical infrastructure. Historically, its roles and capabilities have evolved in response to Japan’s changing security landscape, including preparations for international summits like the 2008 G8 Summit held in Toyako, Hokkaido.

Riot Police

“Riot Police” refers not to a specific place but to specialized police units trained and equipped to control civil disturbances, riots, and large-scale protests. Their modern form evolved significantly throughout the 20th century, often in response to industrial unrest and social movements, with tactics and equipment developing to manage crowd dynamics while aiming to minimize escalation.