Hokkaido chart, month by month
Things to do in Sapporo in summer and winter: trips by season
Answer in a line
Things to do in Sapporo in summer include day trips north to the lavender hills, where Lavender East was open June 20 to July 20 in 2026.
Summer facts
A year of Sapporo days
Twelve months, and the trip each one suits
Choose a month for sunset, daylight, the usual warmth and what the season brings.
Sunset
Jan
Feb
- Sundown happens near 17:04
- Light stays for about 10.5 h31
- The month's character: Coldest, snow all round1
- Afternoons near 0°C, nighttime near -8°C31
The 2027 Snow Festival runs February 4 to 11.2
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
- Sundown happens near 19:13
- Light stays for about 15.1 h31
- The month's character: Above 30°C possible1
- Afternoons near 25°C, nighttime near 17°C31
Lavender East was open from June 20 to July 20 in 2026.4
Aug
Sep
Oct
- Sundown happens near 16:54
- Light stays for about 11.1 h31
- The month's character: Red and yellow leaves1
- Afternoons near 16°C, nighttime near 6°C31
Hokkaido's leaves turn a month earlier than in the rest of Japan.1
Nov
- Sundown happens near 16:12
- Light stays for about 9.8 h31
- The month's character: Snowfall begins1
- Afternoons near 8°C, nighttime near 0°C31
In Otaru the highs go below 10 degrees C in November.15
Dec
Sunset is worked out for the 15th of each month on Japan time. Day length and temperatures: NOAA averages for its Sapporo station, 1.8 km from the city center, 1971 to 2020.
A trip that is perfect in July can be pointless in February, and the reverse is true too. This guide matches Sapporo's day trips to the calendar and shows what closes, what opens and what to wear.
Editorial team, sapporodaytrip.com · Updated November 2, 2026 · Roughly 7 minutes to read
Basics at a glance
- WinterJanuary and February are the coldest months, with the whole prefecture under snow.1
- Snow festivalThe 2027 Sapporo Snow Festival runs February 4 to 11.2
- SpringSakura bloom from late April to May, about a month later than most of Japan.3
- SummerLavender East is open from June 20 to July 20 in 2026.4
- AutumnOctober brings red and yellow leaves, a month earlier than the rest of Japan.5
Winter: snow, ice and the big festival
Winter is Sapporo's loudest season, and things to do in Sapporo winter days start with snow. JNTO says that January and February are the coldest months, that the whole prefecture is under snow, and that Sapporo itself can drop to minus 7 degrees C.1 The Sapporo Snow Festival site says the first snow of the year falls in November and that from late December it deepens and lasts until March.6 This is the season to bring real boots, and to plan fewer stops with more time at each.
The Sapporo Snow Festival is the headline event. It began in 1950 with six snow sculptures made by students and now draws more than 2 million visitors a year.7 The 2027 festival, the 77th, runs February 4 to 11, 2027, eight days.2 It has an Odori site of giant snow sculptures, a Susukino site of ice sculptures and a Tsudome site with snow activities.8 Book rooms early, because the dates are fixed and the city fills up around them.
Outside the city, winter has its own day trips. Otaru holds an event with candles in the snow every February, and in recent years around 500,000 visitors have been recorded.9,10 Farm Tomita is covered with snow in winter, with snowmen, snow domes and a greenhouse open from early January to late March.11 Noboribetsu Bear Park is generally open all year including winter, and from December to March salmon hangs from its gondolas to dry into jerky.12,13
Trips by season
Which trip works when
| Trip | Winter | Summer | Beware of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noboribetsu bears | Operates every month12 | Operates every month12 | Closed April 5-23, 202717 |
| The Biei pond | Lit evenings, no blue water19 | Green forest contrast18 | Light-up may be cancelled20 |
| Tomita lavender farm | Snow garden, to late March11 | Lavender East June 20-July 204 | Dates change by year |
| Otaru | Candles every February9 | Festival on the last weekend of July14 | Herring Mansion shut in winter21 |
Dates are those the sources publish for the years named; check the official sites for later years.12,4,9,14
Spring: the thaw, and a sakura that arrives late
Spring comes slowly to Sapporo. JNTO says the first signs start in March at around 0 degrees C, the snow is usually gone by April, and the sakura bloom from late April to May, about a month later than most of Japan.3 Otaru's tourism association agrees on the timing, saying its cherry blossoms flower from late April to early May, around Golden Week.16 So a spring day trip is really a late-April or May trip, and March is still a winter month for planning purposes.
Spring is also maintenance season. Noboribetsu Bear Park closes every spring for ropeway inspection and facility maintenance, and in 2027 it is shut from April 5 to April 23 and reopens April 24.17 A day trip fixed for that window would be wasted, so check the park's page for the year you travel. The same applies to many smaller attractions in the shoulder weeks, where reduced hours are common.
The ground is the other spring fact. Melting snow means wet paths and mud, and the farm and pond sites in the hills are at their least photogenic until the green arrives. The Hokkaido tourism site says the Blue Pond looks deeper blue in spring, so the pond is an exception worth a visit.18 Pack waterproof boots and a rain layer, and plan for a day that is cool in the morning and mild by lunchtime.
Sapporo's weather, month by month
Daylight and rain in Sapporo through the year
- Jan14.7 h
- Feb13.5 h
- Mar12.2 h
- Apr10.6 h
- May9.4 h
- Jun8.7 h
- Jul8.9 h
- Aug10.0 h
- Sep11.4 h
- Oct12.9 h
- Nov14.2 h
- Dec15.0 h
A bar shows how many hours of a mid-month day are dark; a dot marks a day with at least 2.5 mm of rain. Source: NOAA station Sapporo, 1971 to 2020.31
Summer: lavender, cool air and festivals
Day trips from Sapporo in summer are the easiest of the year. JNTO says June averages about 20 degrees C, July to August daytime temperatures can exceed 30 degrees C with lower humidity than the rest of Japan, and nights are cooler.22 Otaru's association adds that its summers are refreshing, with low humidity and little rain.23 That is the weather that makes the north and the coast feel almost cool.
The hills are the summer trip. In 2026 Lavender East, a separate field 4 km from Farm Tomita, was open from June 20 to July 20, 9:30 to 16:30.4,24 In Biei, from June to October daytime highs are around 30 degrees C and lows fall below 10 degrees C, so even a hot afternoon ends with a cool evening.25 The Biei fields are private, and visitors are asked to take photographs from the paved road.26
Festivals add a date to the calendar. Otaru's summer festival is held on the last Friday, Saturday and Sunday of July, with a parade of boats in the port.14 If you choose that weekend, book a seat on the train and expect a busy canal area. A quieter alternative is a weekday earlier in the month, when the same streets are calmer and the lavender is still in color on the hills.
Which month are you here
Which trip for which month?
Start from when you are in Sapporo, not from the sight you saw first
If I am here in February
Snow Festival, then Otaru candles
The festival runs February 4 to 11 in 2027.2
If I am here in late April or May
Otaru cherry blossoms
They flower from late April to early May.16
If My trip is in July
Biei, Furano and the lavender
Lavender East is open until July 20 in 2026.4
If I am here in October
Leaf drive or a hot-spring day
Hokkaido's leaves turn a month early.5
If I am here in early April
Check closures before booking
Bear Park closes April 5 to April 23 in 2027.17
Autumn: leaves a month early
Autumn arrives first in Hokkaido. JNTO says the temperature begins to dip from mid-September, that by October Hokkaido goes through its red and yellow leaf season a month earlier than the rest of Japan, and that November brings the first snow.5 That makes October the sweet spot for a hot-spring day or a drive through the hills, with comfortable walking weather and fewer coaches than in high summer. Check the leaf forecast the week before you go.
The fields change color too. Biei's tourism association asks visitors never to set foot inside the mustard green or sunflower fields, a request that holds whenever photographers are out.27 The Blue Pond shows foliage in autumn, according to the Hokkaido tourism site.18 And from October 24 in 2025 the pond illumination began again, a first sign that the winter schedule was starting.28
November is the awkward month. In Otaru the maximum temperature goes below 10 degrees C that month and it snows.15 Leaves are mostly down, the ground is still bare in the city and the festivals have not started. If you can only travel in November, choose indoor and hot-spring days, and treat a long hill walk as a risk. A hot bath in the onsen town is a very good answer to a cold gray day.
Price a season's trip
What would a day trip cost your group?
Enter your group size to compare four trips for any season.
Line up 4 choices
What would a day trip cost your group?
Enter your group size to compare four trips for any season.
- Noboribetsu and ToyaTen-hour day · per seat, from $47
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View - Flower and pond coachEntire day away · per seat, from $48
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View - Kamui and canal tourNine-hour day · per seat, from $52
≈
View - Toya and JigokudaniEntire day away · per seat, from $54
≈
View
The lowest GetYourGuide prices appear here after conversion with the ECB reference rate, and the booking page gives the precise total.
A year of trips
The Sapporo day-trip calendar, month by month
February
Snow Festival and candles
The festival runs February 4 to 11 in 2027; Otaru lights candles every February.2,9
End of April
Sakura and the thaw
Sakura bloom from late April to May.3
From June 20
Lavender begins
Lavender East opened June 20 in 2026.4
Closing weeks of July
Otaru festival weekend
It falls on the last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.14
October
Leaves and the pond lights
Red and yellow leaves arrive early.5
November
Snowfall begins
In Otaru the highs go below 10 degrees C.15
What closes, what changes, what stays the same
Not every attraction follows the season. The Otaru Herring Mansion is closed during the winter season, so a winter day in the port should be built around the canal, the food and the candles instead.21 The Blue Pond keeps its illumination but, in winter, the blue water surface cannot be seen because of snow.19 The illumination may be cancelled in severe weather, so a trip planned only around it needs a second plan.20
Some places stay the same all year. Noboribetsu Bear Park is generally open all year including winter.12 Date Jidaimura is open 9:00 to 17:00 from March 20 to October 31 and 9:00 to 16:00 from November 1 to March 19, so it shortens by an hour in the cold months.29 The volcano country is therefore the safest choice when your season is uncertain, and the one you can book with the least worry.
Day trips from Sapporo in winter follow the same logic. Our Noboribetsu with Lake Toya day lists its stops and notes that the itinerary may change or stops be dropped because of weather or bus operating-hour limits. Read the note, especially for winter dates. A tour that changes its stops for snow is doing the sensible thing, and a flexible attitude is the best preparation for a day on Hokkaido's roads.
Video
Hokkaido in summer: Sapporo, Otaru, Cape Kamui and Hell Valley
Riri Travels on YouTube · The video only loads from YouTube after you press play.
The coldest time to be in Hokkaido is between January and February when the entire prefecture is blanketed in snow.
Checklist
Pack and plan by season
Winter3
- Sturdy boots and a windproof coat from late December
- Book rooms early for the festival dates
- Plan lit events for the early evening
Summer3
- Cap and sunblock; days can pass 30 degrees C
- Stay on the paved road in Biei's private fields
- Check lavender dates before choosing a day
Autumn and spring3
- Check Bear Park closure dates for April
- Waterproof boots while the snow melts
- Plan a hot-spring stop for cold November days
Packing and timing by season
Pack for the temperature range, not the average. In Biei from February to March highs run from 5 to minus 10 degrees C and lows fall below minus 15 degrees C, and from June to October highs are around 30 degrees C and lows below 10 degrees C.30,25 Layers beat a single heavy coat in every season, since buses and shops are well heated and the outdoors is not. A hat and gloves live in the bag from October to April.
Time your day around the light. In winter, daylight is short and the evening events start early, so a coach day that returns after dark will not match a lit pond or a candle walk. In summer, the opposite problem arises: the long day invites a very early start and a late return, and tired travelers rarely enjoy the last stop. Choose one or two stops that matter to you, and let the rest go.
Finally, remember the calendar of crowds. The snow festival, the Otaru candle event and the July weekend each pull a very large number of people into a small area. Travel on the weekday around them if you can, and book trains and tours early if you cannot. A flexible day in the middle of the week is the best insurance you can buy against both crowds and weather.
FAQ
Common questions, plain replies.
When is the Sapporo Snow Festival in 2027?
It is the 77th festival and runs eight days.2
When does the snow start and end in Sapporo?
From late December the cover deepens.6
When do the cherry blossoms bloom around Sapporo?
That is about a month later than most of Japan.3
When is Lavender East open?
When are the autumn leaves in Hokkaido?
The leaves turn a month earlier than in the rest of Japan.5
Is Bear Park open in winter?
Can I see the blue water at the Blue Pond in winter?
How cold does Sapporo get?
January and February are the coldest months.1
Sources
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) · The climate in Hokkaido: tips for what to wear ↩
- Sapporo Snow Festival (official site) · 2027 Sapporo Snow Festival outline (77th) ↩
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) · The climate in Hokkaido: tips for what to wear ↩
- Farm Tomita (official site) · About Lavender East in 2026 ↩
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) · The climate in Hokkaido: tips for what to wear ↩
- Sapporo Snow Festival (official site) · Weather and Clothing during Sapporo's Winter ↩
- HOKKAIDO LOVE! (Hokkaido official tourism site) · Sapporo Snow Festival ↩
- HOKKAIDO LOVE! (Hokkaido official tourism site) · Sapporo Snow Festival ↩
- Otaru Tourism Association · Events ↩
- Otaru Tourism Association · Events ↩
- Farm Tomita (official site) · Winter garden ↩
- Noboribetsu Bear Park (official site) · Information: hours, fees, FAQ ↩
- Noboribetsu Bear Park (official site) · Ropeway ↩
- Otaru Tourism Association · Events ↩
- Otaru Tourism Association · Climate ↩
- Otaru Tourism Association · Climate ↩
- Noboribetsu Bear Park (official site) · Information: hours, fees, FAQ ↩
- HOKKAIDO LOVE! (Hokkaido official tourism site) · Shirogane Blue Pond ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · "Shirogane Blue Pond" Illumination Returns This Year ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · "Shirogane Blue Pond" Illumination Returns This Year ↩
- Otaru Tourism Association · History ↩
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) · The climate in Hokkaido: tips for what to wear ↩
- Otaru Tourism Association · Climate ↩
- Farm Tomita (official site) · Access ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · FAQ ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Travel around the hills ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Understand Biei in 5 Minutes: autumn ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · "Shirogane Blue Pond" Illumination Returns This Year ↩
- Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura (official site) · Fees and business hours ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · FAQ ↩
- NOAA · Global Summary of the Month, Station Sapporo (NOAA GHCN JA000047412), 1971 to 2020 ↩
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