Diocese of

Sapporo 札幌

Japan

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Sapporo 札幌 / Sapporen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Tokyo 東京

Neighbouring Dioceses: Yuzhno Sakhalinsk (↑), Sendai 仙台 (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: December 11

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1915.02.12: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Sapporo 札幌 / Sapporen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Hakodate 函館 and became suffragan of Tokyo 東京)
1929.03.30: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Sapporo 札幌 / Sapporen(sis) (Latin)
1932.07.18: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Karafuto
1952.12.11: Promoted as Diocese of Sapporo 札幌 / Sapporen(sis) (Latin) (gained territory from Diocese of Sendai 仙台)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2013.06.22 – ...):

Bishop Bernard Taiji Katsuya (ベルナルド勝谷太治) (70)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Sapporo 札幌 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Bernard Taiji Katsuya (ベルナルド勝谷太治) (70)
(2013.06.22 – ...)

Bishop of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan)

Virtus in infirmitate perficitur

Born:	1955.12.02 (Muroran, 北海道, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1986.04.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.10.14

Priest of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan) (1986.04.29 – 2013.06.22)

Bishop of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan) (2013.06.22 – ...)

Bishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi (タルチシオ菊地功), S.V.D. (67) (later Cardinal)
(Apostolic Administrator 2009.11.17 – 2013.06.22)

Bishop Peter Toshio Jinushi (ペトロ地主敏夫)
(1987.10.03 – 2009.11.17)

Fiat voluntas tua

Born:	1930.09.20 (Sapporo, 北海道, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1960.03.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.01.15
Died:	2021.05.04 (Sapporo, 北海道, Japan † 90)

Apostolic Administrator of Karafuto (Russia) (1987.10.03 – 2000)

Bishop of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan) (1987.10.03 – 2009.11.17)

Bishop Benedict Takahiko Tomizawa (ベネディクト冨澤孝彦)
(1952.12.11 – 1987.10.03)

Born:	1911.02.12 (Kyōto, 京都府, Japan)
Ordained Priest:	1937.03.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.03.19
Died:	1989.03.26 († 78)

Bishop of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan) (1952.12.11 – 1987.10.03)

Apostolic Administrator of Karafuto (Russia) (1953.01.30 – 1987.10.03)

Vicars Apostolic of Sapporo 札幌 (Roman Rite)

Msgr. Augustine Isamu Seno (アウグスチヌス瀬野勇)
(Apostolic Administrator 1944 – 1952)

Msgr. Lawrence Tatewaki Toda (ラウレンチオ戸田帯刀)
(Apostolic Administrator 1941 – 1944)

Bishop Wenceslaus Kinold (ヴェンチェスラオ・キノルド), O.F.M.
(1929.03.18 – 1941)

Born:	1871.07.07 (Giershagen, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1897.07.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.06.09
Died:	1952.05.22 († 80)

Prefect Apostolic of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan) (1915 – 1929.03.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Sapporo 札幌 (Japan) (1929.03.18 – 1941)

Titular Bishop of Panemotichus (1929.03.18 – 1952.05.22)

Apostolic Administrator of Karafuto (Russia) (1934 – 1938)

Prefects Apostolic of Sapporo 札幌 (Roman Rite)

Fr. Wenceslaus Kinold (ヴェンチェスラオ・キノルド), O.F.M. (later Bishop)
(1915 – 1929.03.18)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Guardian Angels (Kitaiciho Church), 札幌 (Sapporo), 北海道, 北海道
Former Cathedral: Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Motomachi Church), 函館 (Hakodate), 北海道, 北海道
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (68)

Yuzhno Sakhalinsk (↑), Sendai 仙台 (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 78,421 km²

Population: 14,958 Catholics (0.3% of 5,140,388 total)

Pastoral Centres: 56 parishes

Personnel: 46 priests (19 diocesan, 27 religious), 273 religious (43 brothers, 230 sisters), 2 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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