Hokkaido has many attractions due to its fresh seafood, beautiful landscape, and seasonal events. However, depending on the season you visit, these experiences are different and you might miss out if you visit at the wrong time. So it’s essential to understand Hokkaido’s attractions and plan ahead based on the time you visit. This article provides a seasonal guide to help you explore the best of Hokkaido throughout the year.
Things to Do in Hokkaido in Spring
Cherry Blossoms
When it comes to springtime, cherry blossoms are everywhere. In Sapporo, the largest city of Hokkaido, Maruyama Park and Hokkaido-Jingu are popular spots for cherry blossoms. While in Hakodate, a port city located in southern Hokkaido, Goryokaku Park is recommended. You can enjoy deep and vibrant pink cherry blossoms, “Ezoyama-zakura”, and “Chishima-zakura” which is a low tree so its blossoms can be enjoyed at eye level. Both are native to the northern regions so they cannot be seen in Honshu. And then in Hokkaido, spring is slow in coming compared to south Japan and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom from late April to early May. The cherry blossoms bloom at different times in different regions, even within Hokkaido, so be sure to check the flowering schedule in advance.
Jozankei Onsen Stream Carp streamer
There is another spring event in Hokkaido, called “Jozankei Onsen Stream Carp streamer”. This is one of Japan’s traditional events where they hang up carp streamers for Children’s Day in May, hoping that their children will grow up healthy and strong. In Jozankei, from early April to early May, about 400 carp streamers ‘swim’ in the sky, creating a breathtaking sight. It’s wonderful to experience this vibrant celebration of spring.
Must Try Foods During Spring in Hokkaido
One of the highlights of spring in Hokkaido is the hair crab. Its meat is sweet and tender, while the crab butter (kani-miso) is rich and irresistibly addictive. In early spring, after the melting of the drift ice, the hair crab will feast on the plankton which had been carried by the drift ice and consequently offers the best flavor and texture of any season.
Things to Do in Hokkaido in Summer
Lavender Fields in Furano
Hokkaido is famous for its beautiful flower gardens of various sizes, especially lavender, which is the most iconic one. In Furano, there are large lavender fields, and nowadays, many tourists are coming from home and abroad. The best spot for the lavender field is Farm Tomita. Here, you can enjoy viewing a breathtaking purple landscape and buy lavender-related products such as soap and oil. The experience is sure to be unforgettable.
YOSAKOI Soran Festival
Additionally, one of Hokkaido’s most popular festivals, the YOSAKOI Soran Festival, takes place in June, attracting a crowd of over 2 million people. Yosakoi is a Japanese dance style that began in Kochi, and the festival in Hokkaido blends Naruko clappers from the Yosakoi Festival with Hokkaido’s folk songs, Soran Bushi. If you are interested in the event, Odori Park is the perfect place to experience the highlights, including the semifinals and finals held on the special stage on the 8th block. Pay attention to the choreography, the sense of unity in the performances, and the dazzling costumes and makeup.
Must Try Foods During Summer in Hokkaido
Hokkaido is Japan’s top producer of sea urchins, and the ones from Rishiri Island are particularly exceptional. This is because the sea urchins feed on Rishiri kombu, a premium kelp widely used in high-end cuisine, and the seawater enriched by mountain runoff from Mt. Rishiri generates abundant plankton. These factors contribute to their incredibly rich and sweet flavor, making June to August, the open sea urchin fishing season, the perfect time to visit.
Things to Do in Hokkaido in Autumn
Asahidake
Hokkaido is the first place in Japan where you can enjoy autumn foliage. Unlike Honshu, Hokkaido’s autumn leaves are interspersed with the green of coniferous trees, creating a vibrant contrast that makes the scenery even more stunning. A popular spot is Asahidake in Daisetsuzan, where Japan’s earliest autumn foliage begins. Colors start to appear in late August, with the peak viewing period in September. Daisetsuzan, known as “Kamui Mintara” in the Ainu language, brings you a mystical landscape.
Sapporo Autumn Fest
Autumn is the season for harvesting crops in Japan, and in Hokkaido, the Sapporo Autumn Fest celebrates this bountiful time of year. It is held for about three weeks from early September at Odori Park in Sapporo. There are about 300 restaurants offering local delights such as ramen, Genghis Khan BBQ, and fresh seafood. As one of Hokkaido’s largest festivals, attracting over 2 million visitors annually, it can get very crowded. To avoid the crowds, it’s better to visit on weekdays or in the morning.
Must Try Foods During Autumn in Hokkaido
Another must-visit event is the Nemuro Sanma Festival. This festival offers a unique experience where purchasing a set of chopsticks and a tray allows you to enjoy as much sanma as you like. Additionally, the festival features other seafood delicacies like oysters and Hanasaki crab, giving visitors the chance to savor the best of Hokkaido’s ocean harvest.
Things to Do in Hokkaido in Winter
In winter, Hokkaido offers a wide variety of attractions and activities that take full advantage of its snowy landscapes and cold climate. Here we introduce two types of winter experiences in Hokkaido.
Sapporo Snow Festival
First is the snow festival, the most famous being the Sapporo Snow Festival, but other notable events include the Asahikawa Winter Festival and the Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival. These festivals feature impressive snow sculptures and ice artworks, illuminated at night to create a magical and unforgettable atmosphere. Keep in mind that winter temperatures in Hokkaido often remain below freezing, even during the day, so make sure to dress warmly and prepare for the cold to comfortably enjoy these events.
Rikubetsu Shibare Festival
The second must-try experience is the “Shibare Festival,” held in early February in Rikubetsu, known as the coldest town in Japan. ‘Shibare’ is a Hokkaido dialect word meaning “extremely cold,” and this event gives you the chance to experience Japan’s harshest winter conditions. The highlight of the festival is the “Human Cold Endurance Test,” where participants spend a night in balloon-like igloos under skies that can drop to below -30°C. Bottled drinks freeze, the batteries of electronic devices drain rapidly, and the cold becomes so intense that it feels more painful than anything else. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is far from ordinary.
Must Try Foods During Winter in Hokkaido
Another unmissable experience in Hokkaido during winter is enjoying ramen. Hokkaido is home to 1,600 ramen shops, the second-highest number in Japan after Tokyo. Each region boasts its own specialty: Sapporo is famous for its rich miso ramen, Asahikawa for savory soy sauce ramen, and Hakodate for light and clear salt ramen. Exploring the unique flavors and styles at different ramen shops is a delicious way to warm up and appreciate the culinary diversity of Hokkaido.
Summary
Hokkaido offers attractions and seasonal experiences year-round, making it an exciting destination in any season.
Spring brings cherry blossoms like Ezoyama-zakura and Chishima-zakura, with Maruyama Park in Sapporo and Goryokaku Park in Hakodate being the top spots. The Jozankei Carp Streamer event and the sweet, tender hair crab after the drift ice season are seasonal highlights. Summer features vibrant lavender fields, especially at Farm Tomita in Furano. The YOSAKOI Soran Festival attracts over 2 million visitors, blending traditional dance with Hokkaido’s folk music, while Rishiri Island’s nutrient-rich sea urchins are a culinary delight. Autumn is the first chance in Japan to enjoy colorful foliage, with Daisetsuzan being the top destination. The Sapporo Autumn Fest offers local delights, while the Nemuro Sanma Festival celebrates Hokkaido’s seafood. Winter transforms Hokkaido into a snowy wonderland with events like the Sapporo Snow Festival and the extreme Shibare Festival in Rikubetsu. Hokkaido’s ramen, from Sapporo’s miso to Hakodate’s salt varieties, is a perfect way to warm up.
To make the most of your trip to Hokkaido without any regrets, start by deciding on your top priorities and plan your itinerary accordingly.
