Japan Sapporo Mission
Mission leaders
Jeffrey G. and April K. Bickel
Began service ~July 2026 (three-year terms, “on or about July 1”) · estimated release 2029-07-01 estimate · source: Church Newsroom 2026 · as of October 8, 2026
Mission office
- Office address
- 24-1-25 Kita-2jo-nishi,, Chuo-ku,, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, 064-0822, Japan
- Phone
- Not yet verified
- Not yet verified
- Source
- Unofficial third-party directory (latterdaymissions.com) — may be out of date unofficial — confirm before mailing as of October 8, 2026
Letters & packages
Japan Post is reliable; duties may apply on higher-value packages.
- Your missionary can email weekly on P-day; letters and packages are optional extras.
- Confirm the current mailing address with the mission office or the call packet before sending — offices move.
- Small, padded envelopes usually travel faster and cheaper than boxes; declare contents honestly and avoid restricted items.
- Mail-by dates for holidays and a calendar reminder are in the interactive guide.
Weather & climate
Profile: cold-winter · about 1597 mm of rain a year.
Monthly averages
| Avg high | Avg low | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16°F / -9°C | 8°F / -14°C | 140 mm |
| Feb | 18°F / -8°C | 9°F / -13°C | 117 mm |
| Mar | 28°F / -2°C | 17°F / -8°C | 110 mm |
| Apr | 38°F / 3°C | 26°F / -3°C | 99 mm |
| May | 53°F / 11°C | 39°F / 4°C | 106 mm |
| Jun | 60°F / 15°C | 48°F / 9°C | 128 mm |
| Jul | 68°F / 20°C | 57°F / 14°C | 142 mm |
| Aug | 68°F / 20°C | 58°F / 14°C | 188 mm |
| Sep | 61°F / 16°C | 50°F / 10°C | 134 mm |
| Oct | 47°F / 8°C | 36°F / 2°C | 142 mm |
| Nov | 33°F / 0°C | 22°F / -6°C | 167 mm |
| Dec | 20°F / -7°C | 10°F / -12°C | 161 mm |
Monthly averages computed from Open-Meteo historical weather data (2016–2025, ERA5 reanalysis) for a ~1° grid cell near the mission city. Approximate; local altitude and coast effects vary.
Language
Japanese
Japanese uses three scripts (hiragana, katakana, kanji). Pronunciation is even and syllable-timed; vowels a-i-u-e-o are short and pure. Politeness levels matter: use the polite "-masu/-desu" forms. Missionaries are called "Chōrō" (Elder) and "Shimai" (Sister).
Assignments can include other languages; your call letter states your language.
Nearby temples
- Sapporo Japan Temple — Operating (21 August 2016) · ~8 km
The Church in Japan
- Official Languages
- Japanese
- Church Membership
- 131,776
- Congregations
- 230 (142 Wards, 88 Branches)
- Number of Missions
- 7
- Operating Temples
- 4
Newsroom Facts & Statistics · updated Fri Mar 06 2026
Practical
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Currency
- JPY
- Country code
- +81
- U.S. travel advisory
- Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions as of 2026-10-08
- Organized
- 16 Mar 1970
Culture & food
- Bow when greeting; remove shoes at the door.
- Punctuality and quietness on trains are expected.
- Use two hands to give and receive.
Foods: Ramen, Curry rice, Onigiri, Sushi
Family groups
- Sapporo Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group
- Japan Sapporo Mission 2014 Facebook Group
- Japan Sapporo Mission 1979-82 Reunion Group
- Sapporo Mission- Koizumi Group- 1973-76 Group
- Japan Sapporo Mission Facebook Group
As listed by latterdaymissions.com (unofficial). Groups may be private, renamed, or inactive.
Next steps
Official: Missionary Portal · Missionary resources