| Higashi | |
| Official Name: | Higashi Ward |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Settlement Type: | Ward |
| Map Alt: | Location of Higashi-ku in Sapporo |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Japan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Prefecture |
| Subdivision Name1: | Hokkaidō |
| Subdivision Type2: | City |
| Subdivision Name2: | Sapporo |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | April 1, 1972 |
| Area Total Km2: | 56.97 |
| Population Total: | 262,195 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Population Note: | Estimation as of August 31, 2021 |
| Timezone1: | Japan Standard Time |
| Utc Offset1: | +9 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Higashi Ward Office |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Postal |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | 065-8612 |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Address |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | 7-1 Kita Juichijyo Higashi, Higashi-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido |
| Website: | Higashi Ward Office |
is one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is directly translated as "east ward", and is neighboured to Kita-ku, Chūō-ku, Shiroishi-ku, Ebetsu, Tōbetsu.
According to the 2008 registry of residential addresses, 254,360 people lived in Higashi-ku. It is 57.13 km2 in area, and a number of rivers are located in the ward including the Toyohira River.
The ward has a mascot character, Tappy, which was designed to be an onion-themed fairy; it was named in 1993, and is a portmanteau of "Tamanegi" (meaning onion in Japanese) and "happy".[1] The onion is a vegetable raised in Higashi-ku, and therefore Tappy is associated with onions.[1]
Originally, at the place where Higashi-ku is, Naebo Village and Okadama Village were established by pioneers in 1870. Sapporo Village was established in 1871, and Kariki Village was established in 1873. In 1902, Naebo Village, Okadama Village, and Kariki Village were merged into Sapporo Village, which covered nearly the same extent as the current Higashi-ku.[2]
In 1955, Sapporo Village was merged into Sapporo City. In 1972, Sapporo was listed as one of the cities designated by government ordinance,[2] which enabled Higashi-ku to be established. In 1988, the Tōhō line of the Sapporo Municipal Subway was laid, and subway stations were placed in Higashi-ku.
The headquarters of Hokkaido Air System is located on the property of Okadama Airport in Okadama-chō.[3] Previously the airline was headquartered in the New Chitose Airport terminal in Chitose.[4]
In April 2004 Air Nippon Network was headquartered in Higashi-ku.[5]