Sapporo Breweries (サッポロビール株式会社) is one of Japan’s oldest beer makers, tracing its roots to the Kaitakushi Brewery, a government-run brewery established in Sapporo, Hokkaido, in 1876. The company’s visual identity has centered on a five-pointed star for nearly 150 years, a mark that predates the modern corporation itself.
Design and History
The star motif first appeared on the label of the original “Sapporo Beer” when it launched in 1877, the year after the brewery opened. That label is considered the first use of the star mark by the Sapporo group. The star was inherited from the Kaitakushi, the national government’s Hokkaido development commission, whose symbol was a five-pointed star known as the “goryosei.” This star was modeled on the North Star, which served as a guiding light for the pioneers who settled Hokkaido. [1] [2]
In January 1964, the company changed its name from Nippon Beer to Sapporo Beer Limited. [3] The red star mark was adopted as the corporate mark at that time, with the star’s shape derived from the “Hokushin-ki,” the flag of the Kaitakushi that bore the five-pointed star. [4] The red star remains in use on product labels, most notably on Sapporo Lager Beer, which fans have long nicknamed “Akaboshi” (red star). [5]
The current corporate mark, a yellow star, dates to 2003. That year, Sapporo Breweries transitioned to a pure holding company structure, becoming Sapporo Holdings, while a new Sapporo Breweries was established as the group’s alcoholic beverage business company. The yellow star was created as the corporate mark for this new Sapporo Breweries. [6] The mark is officially named the “Sapporo Shining Star.” [1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Sapporo Shining Star is a motif representing a polestar, and the group has used it since its predecessor, the Kaitakushi Brewery, was established in 1876. [7] The star embodies the “frontier spirit” of the Kaitakushi pioneers, who faced harsh conditions and looked to the shining North Star as a reliable guide and symbol of hope. [2]
According to the company’s internal corporate mark guidelines, the mark represents a promise that Sapporo will continue to provide people with vibrant, shining moments in every era, carried by the unchanged frontier spirit it has held since its founding. [6]
Typography and Design
The yellow star is designed to evoke “shining gold.” The corporate mark guidelines describe a gradient gold treatment called “Sapporo Shining Gold,” but because that gradient is difficult to reproduce consistently in standard printing, the company uses a widely reproducible yellow called “Sapporo Yellow” in practice. [6]
On product packaging, the star is frequently paired with the wordmark “SAPPORO” in black lettering. A trademark registration for the SAPPORO mark describes a single five-pointed star in yellow with the word “SAPPORO” in black. [8]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
