Spring Hokkaido

Hokkaido in Spring (April to June): Recommended Spots

Spring Climate in Hokkaido

Spring in Hokkaido arrives around April. There is still some snow in the northern and eastern parts of Hokkaido, but by May, the weather becomes warmer with more spring weather. By the end of May, however, the weather may suddenly turn cold and you will need a jacket, and by June, it will be early summer and the days will gradually turn hot.

Monthly Average Temperature by Region

 SapporoHakodateAsahikawaKushiroTokyo
April7.3℃7.4℃5.4℃4.4℃14.7℃
May13.4℃12.7℃12.6℃9.1℃19.8℃
June17.3℃16.6℃16.6℃11.4℃22.5℃

Spring Clothing

Hokkaido’s Spring Highlights

Cherry blossoms bloom from late April to mid-May, and moss phlox and lily of the valley are in full bloom from early May to early June. Rice planting begins in the farmlands, and Sapporo holds the Yosakoi Soran Festival, which fills the streets with excitement. The sightseeing boats that offer a close up view of the World Natural Heritage Site of Shiretoko will start operating in late April.

Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park

While being in a great location of only 40 minutes by car from the center of Sapporo, the very large site in an area of rich nature feels perfectly spacious.This spot is highly recommended for those who want to be refreshed in a place away from the bustle of big cities!

Canola flower field in Abira town

The town of Abira is rich in nature in all four seasons, and the flowers that bloom each season are magnificent. In addition to the skunk cabbage and cherry blossoms in spring, the rape blossoms, which are at their best from late May to early June, bloom all over the vast land.

Hiraoka Park

The park in a residential area. Famous for its plum blossoms (white plum, red plum), (late April to around mid-May)
Besides the plum blossoms, the point where the stream flows is recommended to see.

Mt. Yotei (Ezo Fuji)

Altitude 1,898 m, one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan.
There is a crater (chichi kama) with a diameter of 700 m and a depth of 200 m at the summit of the mountain. Its beautiful silhouette similar to Mt. Fuji is also called “Ezo Fuji”.

Shiretoko Peninsula (Goziraiwa Sightseeing)

A town of Shiretoko National Park which is world natural heritage. Use a medium or small cruise ship to enjoy the World Natural Heritage Site from Utoro Port. By going close to the shore, the brown bear encounter rate is high.

Shinsen-numa

The largest swamp in the Shinsen-numa Marsh. The beauty of the scenery is said to be the best in Niseko.
Because the promenade is maintained on the way to the swamp, you can easily enjoy the hiking.

 

The Sapporo Central Wholesale Market, Curb Market

This is an off-site market for the general public near the Central Wholesale Market, the kitchen of Sapporo. There are about 60 stores selling fresh seafood. There are also many cafeterias where you can enjoy seafood on the spot.

Urausu Shrine

Corydalis ambigua and dogtooth violets spread out like a carpet all over the shrine grounds, and it is a popular hidden spot for photographing charming wild birds, squirrels and other wildlife.

Furano and Biei District Tourism Centre

There is foreign language service.
There is accommodation, outdoor experiences, indoor experiences, reservations for sightseeing taxis, and luggage storage.

 

Shibazakura Takinoue Park

From early May to early June, you will be impressed by the pink carpet of moss blossoms that bloom all over the park. During this period, the Shiba-zakura Festival is held and helicopter sightseeing flights are also available.

YOSAKOI Soran Festival

The festival takes place at Odori Park and other locations around the city of Sapporo, where dancers in colorful costumes and holding naruko clappers dance to the melody of Soran-bushi, filling the city with the excitement of the festival.

Biratori Lily Bell Fields

The wild lily colony in Memu is about 15 hectares, the largest in Japan, and is open to the public from late May to mid-June every year. The best time to see the wild lily orchids is during the “lily orchid viewing party” in June.


Toyohira Park

At the Greenery Center, you can enjoy seasonal flowers all year round. You can also enjoy bird watching for various wild birds.

 

Jozankei Onsen Stream Carp streamer

From April to early May, about 400 carp streamers fly over the Toyohira River during the season of fresh green buds. The carp streamers are donated by families in Hokkaido.

Hekirichi Jinya Ruins

The Hokkaido Matsumae clan in the Edo Tokugawa Shogunate set a Jinya (a hall of the clan, office) in 1855 at the end of the Edo piriod. The structure is a quadrilateral. The building was lost in a fire.
One of the cherry blossoms corridor in Hokuto city.