What’s On in Hokkaido, Japan
Japan's snowy northern frontier — powder slopes, lavender fields, fresh seafood and the famous Sapporo Snow Festival.
119 listings
Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri)
Massive snow and ice sculptures transform Odori Park into a jaw-dropping winter wonderland each February.
Yosakoi Soran Festival
Over 30,000 dancers in vivid costumes perform energetic Yosakoi routines across Sapporo's parks and streets for five electric days.
Sapporo Odori Beer Garden
Japan's largest open-air beer festival transforms Odori Park into a 1.5 km stretch of suds, snacks and summer revelry.
Shiretoko Drift Ice Walk (Ryūhyō Walk)
Don a dry suit and crunch across the UNESCO-listed Sea of Okhotsk's drift ice floes while scanning for Steller sea eagles and floating ice seals.
Sapporo Autumn Fest
Hokkaido's harvest celebration in Odori Park, showcasing the island's exceptional seafood, wagyu, vegetables, and craft beverages across themed zones.
Sapporo White Illumination
Odori Park and Minami Ichijo street transform into a glittering winter wonderland of lights each November.
Kushiro Marshland Tancho Crane Watching
Watch hundreds of endangered Japanese red-crowned cranes dance and call across a snow-blanketed marshland at dedicated feeding stations.
Sapporo Ramen Yokocho (Ramen Alley)
A legendary narrow alley of 17 tiny ramen shops in central Sapporo, birthplace of the iconic miso ramen that changed Japanese food culture.
Hakodate Morning Market (Hakodate Asaichi)
Hokkaido's most famous seafood market where visitors haul live squid and feast on uni rice bowls at dawn.
Asahikawa Winter Festival (Asahikawa Fuyu Matsuri)
One of Japan's largest winter festivals, famous for colossal snow and ice sculptures lining the frozen Ishikari River.
Goryokaku Cherry Blossom Festival (Goryokaku Hanami)
Over 1,600 cherry trees ring the star-shaped Goryokaku Fort in a spectacular Hokkaido spring hanami spectacle.
Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri (Hell Festival)
A theatrical demon-themed street festival celebrating the volcanic 'hell valley' hot spring town of Noboribetsu.
Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks (Toyako Onsen Hanabi)
Nightly fireworks reflected across the caldera waters of Lake Toya, running for over 180 consecutive nights each year.
Furano Lavender Festival
Japan's lavender capital erupts in purple across rolling Hokkaido hills, drawing visitors to iconic flower farms in mid-summer.
Otaru Snow Light Path Festival (Otaru Yuki Akari no Michi)
Thousands of candle-lit snow lanterns and ice sculptures illuminate the historic canal district of Otaru in romantic winter light.
Sapporo Lilac Festival (Sapporo Rairakku Matsuri)
Sapporo's city symbol, the lilac, blooms in Odori Park in a fragrant, colourful festival marking the true arrival of Hokkaido spring.
Daisetsuzan National Park Autumn Foliage (Koyo)
Japan's earliest autumn colour ignites the alpine slopes of Daisetsuzan, the 'Roof of Hokkaido', from late September each year.
Hakodate Port Festival (Hakodate Minato Matsuri)
Hakodate's biggest summer celebration features the iconic Ika Odori squid dance, fireworks over the harbour, and lively street parades.
Lake Akan Winter Festival (Akan Kohan Fuyu Matsuri)
Ice sculptures, fireworks, and Ainu cultural performances light up the frozen surface of Lake Akan in eastern Hokkaido.
Niseko Hanazono Resort Powder Skiing
Ski world-renowned Japow on the slopes of Mount Yotei at Niseko, famed for some of the deepest, driest powder snow on earth.
Biei Patchwork Road Cycling & Scenery
Cycle or drive the rolling Biei Patchwork Road, where geometric crop fields of vivid colour create Hokkaido's most photographed countryside.
Hokkaido Obihiro Fireworks Festival (Obihiro Hanabi Taikai)
One of Tokachi's largest summer fireworks displays lights up the night sky above the Tokachi River.
Muroran Port Festival Fireworks (Muroran Minato Matsuri Hanabi)
Brilliant fireworks burst over Muroran's industrial harbour, creating a dramatic contrast of steel and light.
Sapporo Toyohira River Fireworks Festival (Toyohira Hanabi Taikai)
Over 4,000 fireworks explode above the Toyohira River in the heart of Sapporo on a warm July evening.
Otaru Ushio Festival Fireworks (Otaru Ushio Matsuri Hanabi)
Otaru's beloved summer Ushio Festival closes each night with dazzling harbour fireworks over the historic canal district.
Hakodate Fireworks Festival (Hakodate Hanabi Taikai)
Hakodate's summer hanabi illuminates the bay framed by the glittering night cityscape of one of Japan's most scenic port towns.
Noboribetsu Date Jidai Mura Fireworks Show
An Edo-period theme village hosts summer evening fireworks shows combining ninja performances with hanabi spectacle.
Asahikawa Fireworks Festival (Asahikawa Hanabi Taikai)
Hokkaido's second-largest city celebrates summer with a grand riverside fireworks display along the Ishikari River system.
Kushiro City Fireworks Festival (Kushiro Kansha Hanabi Taikai)
Kushiro's fog-kissed harbour comes alive in late summer as hundreds of fireworks burst above the Pacific, illuminating the mist.
Abashiri Fireworks over the Sea of Okhotsk (Abashiri Hanabi Taikai)
Fireworks soar above the Sea of Okhotsk in Abashiri, the same waters famous for winter drift ice — a spectacular seasonal contrast.
Ikeda Town Wine Festival & Fireworks (Ikeda Budoka Matsuri Hanabi)
Japan's northernmost wine town crowns its grape harvest festival with a fireworks finale above rolling Tokachi vineyards.
Shinhidaka Fireworks Festival (Shinhidaka Hanabi Taikai)
Horses and fireworks define summer in Hidaka — Japan's horse-breeding heartland hosts a hanabi show amid thoroughbred pastures.
Wakkanai Port Fireworks Festival (Wakkanai Minato Matsuri Hanabi)
Japan's northernmost city launches fireworks over the Sea of Japan, with Sakhalin Island visible on clear nights across the strait.
Maruyama Park Hanami (円山公園花見)
Sapporo's most beloved hanami spot, where over 100 Ezo Yamazakura trees ring a historic park beside Hokkaido Jingu shrine.
Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival (松前さくらまつり)
Japan's northernmost castle town celebrates spring with 10,000 cherry trees spanning 250 varieties around a beautifully preserved feudal castle.
Goryokaku Park Cherry Blossoms (五稜郭公園の桜)
Hakodate's star-shaped Goryokaku fort transforms into a stunning floral spectacle viewed from the Goryokaku Tower observation deck.
Nijo Market Spring Sakura Stroll (二条市場さくら散策)
Combine cherry blossom walks along the Sosei River with fresh seafood tastings at Sapporo's lively 130-year-old Nijo Market.
Asahiyama Memorial Park Cherry Blossoms (旭山記念公園の桜)
A hillside park above Sapporo where blooming cherry trees frame sweeping panoramic views over the city and distant mountain ranges.
Hokkaido Jingu Spring Cherry Blossom (北海道神宮の桜)
Sapporo's grand Shinto shrine is surrounded by 1,400 cherry trees, blending sacred architecture with one of Hokkaido's most atmospheric hanami settings.
Onuma Quasi-National Park Cherry Blossoms (大沼国定公園の桜)
Volcanic Mount Komagatake looms over mirror-calm lakes fringed with cherry blossoms at this stunning quasi-national park near Hakodate.
Lake Shikotsu Cherry Blossom Hanami (支笏湖の桜)
Japan's northernmost caldera lake offers an intimate hanami experience with cherry trees blooming beside crystalline cobalt-blue waters.
Obihiro Sakuragaoka Park Hanami (帯広桜ヶ丘公園花見)
Obihiro's beloved hilltop park offers a sea of cherry blossoms overlooking the vast Tokachi Plains, a quintessential Hokkaido spring panorama.
Nishiki Park Cherry Blossom Hanami, Kitami (北見錦公園の桜)
One of eastern Hokkaido's finest hanami locations, where Nishiki Park's hillside cherry trees bloom late and long above the city of Kitami.
Takino Suzuran Hillside National Government Park Sakura (滝野すずらん公園の桜)
Japan's only national government park in Hokkaido surprises spring visitors with waterfalls, forest trails, and cherry blossoms across 400 hectares.
Hakodate Bay Cherry Blossom Cruise (函館湾さくらクルーズ)
Enjoy cherry blossom season from the water on a scenic Hakodate Bay cruise, pairing spring blooms with the city's celebrated harbour panorama.
Sounkyo Onsen Autumn Foliage Festival (層雲峡温泉紅葉祭り)
Fiery maple and birch foliage frames the dramatic Sounkyo Gorge cliffs, glowing even after dark under special illuminations.
Jozankei Onsen Autumn Foliage (定山渎温泉紅葉)
A beloved hot-spring valley just an hour from Sapporo bursts into vivid reds and yellows along the Toyohira River each October.
Tokachidake Onsen Alpine Koyo Hiking (十勝岳温泉紅葉ハイキング)
Hike through volcanic highland trails where dwarf bamboo, blueberry scrub, and rowan ignite in brilliant colour against snow-dusted peaks.
Lake Shikotsu Autumn Foliage Cruise (支笏湖紅葉クルーズ)
Glide across one of Japan's clearest caldera lakes aboard a glass-bottomed boat, surrounded by mountain slopes ablaze with autumn colour.
Onuma Quasi-National Park Autumn Foliage (大沼国定公園の紅葉)
Over 100 small islets linked by arched wooden bridges become floating stages of crimson and gold with Mount Komagatake looming beyond.
Nakajima Park Autumn Foliage Stroll (中島公園の紅葉散策)
Sapporo's beloved urban park glows with ginkgo and maple colour, reflected in Nakajima Pond beside the graceful Hokkaido Concert Hall.
Shiretoko Pass Autumn Foliage Drive (知床峠紅葉ドライブ)
Drive the UNESCO World Heritage peninsula's only mountain pass as dwarf stone pine and rowan paint the volcanic slopes in vivid autumn hues.
Mount Hakodate Autumn Foliage & Night View (函館山の紅葉と夜景)
Ride the ropeway to Hokkaido's most iconic night-view summit as autumn foliage transforms the hillside slopes before the city lights appear below.
Asahidake Ropeway Autumn Foliage (旭岳ロープウェイ紅葉)
Hokkaido's highest peak signals the arrival of Japan's first autumn colours, reachable by ropeway for stunning volcanic plateau koyo views.
Kurodake Autumn Foliage Ropeway & Chairlift (黒岳ロープウェイ・リフト紅葉)
A two-stage ropeway and chairlift system whisks visitors to Kurodake's colourful alpine zone for unobstructed panoramic koyo views above the clouds.
Noboribetsu Okuyama Koyo Nature Trail (登別奥山紅葉自然歩道)
Follow the loop trail above Jigokudani Hell Valley as sulphurous steam drifts through autumn-coloured forest of maple, birch, and oak.
Abashiri Tento-zan Park Autumn Foliage (網走天都山紅葉)
Climb Tento-zan hill above Abashiri for sweeping views over Lake Abashiri and the Sea of Okhotsk coastline framed in vivid autumn forest.
Otaru Canal Winter Illumination
Historic Otaru Canal glows with thousands of warm gas lanterns and LED lights reflected in icy waters.
Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival (Sounkyo Hyobaku Matsuri)
Frozen waterfalls and dramatic gorge walls are lit up in dazzling colours deep in Daisetsuzan's icy canyon.
Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival (Shikotsu-ko Hyoto Matsuri)
Translucent blue ice sculptures built from Lake Shikotsu's ultra-clear water glow magically after dark.
Snow Crystal Museum (Yuki no Bijutsukan), Asahikawa
A fairytale castle museum dedicated to snow crystals, featuring an ice tunnel and pipe-organ concerts year-round.
Hakodate Christmas Fantasy
A giant fir tree glows on the Hakodate waterfront as fireworks and carols transform the historic bay into a winter dreamscape.
Jozankei Winter Illumination (Jozankei Two Lights)
Snow-draped hot-spring village of Jozankei glitters with 800,000 LED lights strung through its riverside forests.
Hoshino Resort Tomamu Ice Village
An entire village of hand-built ice buildings—bar, chapel, hot tub, and igloo hotel—rises each winter at Tomamu Resort.
Obihiro Winter Festival (Obihiro Fuyu Matsuri)
Tokachi's beloved winter festival fills Obihiro's Green Park with snow sculptures, light shows, and warm local food.
Abashiri Drift Ice Walk (Ryuhyo Walk)
Don a dry suit and walk across the drifting Sea of Okhotsk pack ice in a once-in-a-lifetime Arctic-edge adventure.
Aurora Icebreaker Cruise, Abashiri
Ride the Aurora icebreaker ship as it crunches through Sea of Okhotsk drift ice on a spectacular 60-minute winter voyage.
Niseko Hanazono Night Skiing & Winter Illumination
Ski floodlit powder runs under the stars at Niseko Hanazono with Mt Yotei glowing on the horizon.
Yosakoi Soran Festival (YOSAKOIソーラン祭り)
Sapporo's most energetic street festival, featuring 30,000+ dancers in vivid costumes performing Yosakoi-Soran routines.
Hakodate Port Festival (Hakodate Minato Matsuri)
Hakodate's biggest summer celebration on the waterfront, famous for the massive Ika Odori squid dance parade.
Tancho Crane Winter Feeding Grounds, Kushiro Shitsugen
Watch hundreds of endangered red-crowned cranes gather at feeding stations across the frozen Kushiro Marshland.
Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum (Okhotsk Ryuhyo-kan)
A unique museum on Mt. Tento where a sub-zero hall lets visitors touch and walk among real Sea of Okhotsk drift ice.
Shiretoko Peninsula Nature Cruise
Cruise along the UNESCO World Heritage Shiretoko coastline, spotting brown bears, Steller sea eagles, and sea lions from the water.
Tokachi Farm & Food Experience, Obihiro
Immerse yourself in Hokkaido's breadbasket on a guided Tokachi plain farm tour with hands-on cheese-making and harvest activities.
Nemuro Birdwatching: Steller's Sea Eagle & Winter Raptors
Nemuro's frozen wetlands host the world's largest concentration of Steller's sea eagles, a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife spectacle.
Otaru Port Festival Fireworks (小樽みなとまつり花火大会)
Thousands gather on Otaru's historic harbour front to watch brilliant fireworks reflect off the calm port waters.
Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks (洞爺湖ロングラン花火大会)
Japan's longest-running nightly fireworks display bursts over Lake Toya's caldera waters every single evening for six months.
Sapporo Nishi-ku Fireworks Festival (さっぽろ西区花火大会)
A beloved community fireworks festival lighting up Sapporo's western sky with colourful shells and local summer fair atmosphere.
Muroran Fireworks Festival (室蘭みなと花火大会)
Spectacular fireworks launched over Muroran's industrial harbour create a dramatic contrast of light against steel mills and night sky.
Tomakomai Port Fireworks Festival (苫小牧港まつり花火大会)
One of Hokkaido's largest port festivals bursts into colour with over 5,000 fireworks shells above Tomakomai's industrial harbour.
Furano Fireworks Festival (富良野花火大会)
Fireworks erupt above Furano's famous lavender fields and rolling farm hills in one of Hokkaido's most scenic summer spectacles.
Niseko Summer Fireworks Festival (ニセコ花火大会)
Niseko's alpine summer festival culminates in a vivid fireworks display framed by the iconic cone of Mount Yotei across the valley.
Lake Shikotsu Fireworks & Onsen Night (支笏湖花火大会)
Watch fireworks burst over Japan's second-deepest lake from an onsen ryokan terrace in a serene national park setting.
Obihiro Kirakira Fireworks Festival (帯広きらきら花火大会)
The Tokachi plain's biggest summer fireworks event illuminates Obihiro with glittering shells above the region's vast agricultural heartland.
Hokkaido Jingu Festival Fireworks (北海道神宮例大祭花火大会)
Fireworks cascade over Maruyama's forest skyline during Sapporo's most sacred Shinto festival honouring the Hokkaido Jingu shrine.
Kitami Fireworks Festival (北見花火大会)
Eastern Hokkaido's largest fireworks event launches over the Tokoro River in the peppermint-famous city of Kitami.
Noboribetsu Jigokudani Bon Festival Fireworks (登別地獄谷盆祭り花火)
Fireworks erupt above Noboribetsu's volcanic 'Hell Valley' during the Obon season, combining geothermal steam and pyrotechnics in an otherworldly spectacle.
Goryokaku Park Cherry Blossoms (五稜郭公園の桜)
Over 1,600 cherry trees bloom inside Japan's iconic star-shaped Western-style fort, best viewed from the Goryokaku Tower.
Maruyama Park Hanami (円山公園花見)
Sapporo's beloved urban park fills with cherry-blossom picnic parties each spring, just minutes from the city centre and Maruyama Zoo.
Shiroishi River Cherry Blossom Avenue (白石こころーど桜並木)
A 4.5 km cycling and walking path along the Shiroishi River is lined with hundreds of cherry trees, forming a breathtaking pink tunnel in Sapporo.
Hakodate Park Cherry Blossom Hanami (函館公園の桜)
Hakodate's oldest public park, opened in 1879, offers a charming old-fashioned hanami atmosphere beneath mature cherry trees in the historic port city.
Nakajima Park Cherry Blossom Hanami (中島公園の桜)
Sapporo's elegant Nakajima Park bursts with cherry blossoms around its scenic pond, offering refined hanami steps from Susukino entertainment district.
Nopporo Forest Park Cherry Blossoms (野幌森林公園の桜)
Japan's largest urban forest park offers serene woodland cherry blossom walks through 2,053 hectares of protected nature east of Sapporo.
Asahikawa Tokiwa Park Cherry Blossoms (旭川常磐公園の桜)
Asahikawa's central civic park becomes a beloved hanami hub when hundreds of cherry trees bloom beside the Ishikari River in central Hokkaido.
Esashi Cherry Blossom Festival (江差さくらまつり)
The historic herring-trading town of Esashi celebrates spring with cherry blossoms at Yasaka Shrine, folk performances, and Edo-period townscape strolls.
Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura Cherry Blossom Hanami (登別伊達時代村の桜)
Watch ninja shows and samurai performances beneath blooming cherry trees at Noboribetsu's immersive Edo-period theme village.
Kushiro City Chuo Park Cherry Blossoms (釧路市中央公園の桜)
Eastern Hokkaido's largest city welcomes spring late but brilliantly, with Chuo Park's cherry trees blooming in a cool, misty Pacific coast atmosphere.
Abashiri Tentozan Cherry Blossom Hanami (網走天都山の桜)
Climb Tento-zan hill in Abashiri for panoramic views of the Sea of Okhotsk framed by cherry blossoms and snow-capped Shiretoko peaks beyond.
Sounkyo Gorge Autumn Foliage (層雲峡紅葉)
Dramatic cliffs of Sounkyo Gorge blaze with crimson and gold as Daisetsuzan's first autumn colours cascade down sheer rock faces.
Jozankei Onsen Autumn Foliage (定山渓温泉紅葉)
Sapporo's beloved hot-spring valley turns fiery orange and red in October, with riverside maple groves reflecting in the Toyohira River.
Tokachidake Onsen Autumn Foliage (十勝岳温泉紅葉)
Alpine tundra colours erupt around the volcanic Tokachidake Onsen at 1,280 m, offering some of Hokkaido's earliest and most vivid high-elevation koyo.
Shikisai-no-Oka Autumn Colour (四季彩の丘秋景色)
Biei's famous flower hill transforms in autumn into sweeping terraced rows of salvia, cosmos and marigold set against a backdrop of golden larch forests.
Furano Valley Autumn Foliage (富良野渓谷の紅葉)
The broad Furano valley basin and surrounding forested hillsides ignite in October, with larch plantations turning brilliant gold across the open farmland landscape.
Daisetsuzan National Park Alpine Koyo Trail (大雪山国立公園高山紅葉トレイル)
Japan's first autumn colour arrives each year on Daisetsuzan's high plateaus, where hike-accessible alpine tundra blazes with scarlet bearberry and golden grasses.
Eniwa-dake & Tarumae-zan Autumn Hiking (恵庭岳・樽前山紅葉ハイキング)
Hike the volcanic peaks flanking Lake Shikotsu for sweeping panoramas of autumn-coloured caldera forests descending to the cobalt-blue crater lake below.
Nopporo Centennial Memorial Forest Autumn (野幌森林公園の紅葉)
Hokkaido's largest urban forest park offers 2,000 hectares of uninterrupted elm, oak and maple autumn colour just 30 minutes from central Sapporo.
Akan National Park Autumn Foliage (阿寒国立公園の紅葉)
Lake Akan's forested caldera shores and the volcanic peak of Me-Akan-dake explode with colour, reflected perfectly in the lake home to rare marimo algae balls.
Lake Mashu & Kussharo Koyo Scenic Drive (摩周湖・屈斜路湖紅葉ドライブ)
Drive the stunning Akan横断 road linking mystical Lake Mashu and vast Lake Kussharo through a corridor of blazing autumn forest in Hokkaido's wild east.
Shiretoko Goko Five Lakes Autumn Walk (知床五湖紅葉ウォーク)
Walk the elevated boardwalk through Shiretoko's UNESCO wilderness as five forest-fringed lakes mirror the blazing autumn foliage of a brown bear habitat.
Hokkaido Jingu & Maruyama Forest Autumn Foliage (北海道神宮・円山秋の紅葉)
Sapporo's sacred Hokkaido Jingu shrine and adjacent Maruyama primeval forest glow with ancient maple and oak colour in a rare urban old-growth autumn setting.
Otaru Snow Light Path Festival (小樽雪あかりの路)
Thousands of candle-lit snow lanterns and floating wax lights transform Otaru's historic canal into a romantic winter dreamscape.
Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival (層雲峡温泉氷瀑まつり)
Frozen waterfalls and dramatically lit ice pavilions fill Sounkyo Gorge for Hokkaido's most spectacular canyon winter festival.
Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival (支笏湖氷濤まつり)
Crystal-clear ice sculptures formed from the ultra-pure water of caldera lake Shikotsu glow in ethereal blue and green light after dark.
Noboribetsu Jigokudani Winter Night Walk (登別地獄谷冬夜景)
Steaming volcanic vents and sulphur-crusted craters of Hell Valley are lit at dusk, creating an eerie, otherworldly winter spectacle.
Okhotsk Drift Ice Observatory, Abashiri (オホーツク流氷観測)
Stand on the Sea of Okhotsk's frozen shore and watch vast fields of drift ice grinding ashore at the world's southernmost drift-ice coastline.
Furano Ningle Terrace Winter Illumination (ニングルテラス冬のイルミネーション)
A fairy-tale forest boardwalk of glowing handcraft cabins in the Furano ski resort woods, lit softly throughout the winter season.
Lake Toya Onsen Winter Nightly Fireworks (洞爺湖温泉冬の花火)
Every single night from October through April, fireworks burst over the volcanic caldera lake at Toya Onsen in a uniquely intimate winter display.
Tokachi Balloon Festival (十勝バルーンフェスティバル) – Winter Edition
Dozens of hot-air balloons rise over the snow-blanketed Tokachi plains at dawn in one of Japan's most colourful winter sky festivals.
Niseko Annupuri Illumination & Torchlight Descent (ニセコアンヌプリ冬イルミネーション)
Skiers and snowboarders carrying flaming torches descend Annupuri's slopes in a dramatic nighttime procession above illuminated Niseko village.