While many associate Hokkaido with winter festivities, the island actually undergoes dramatic seasonal shifts, each bringing a variety of festivals that showcase its vibrant array of traditions. Here are some of the top seasonal events worth witnessing when your next holiday takes you to one of the best hotels in Hokkaido, Japan.
Sapporo Snow Festival
This iconic winter festival is one of the biggest highlights of Hokkaido’s peak winter season in February. It’s when thousands of massive and intricate ice sculptures fill Odori Park and Susukino, drawing in millions to visit these works of impeccable artistry.
Otaru Light Path
If you’re spending the winter in Otaru at the likes of Grand Park Otaru, you can’t miss this intimate tradition. It’s when the historic Otaru Canal takes on an ethereal glow from the thousands of candles and snow lanterns that are sent floating along its waters.
Jingu Shrine Festival
Taking place every June, this centuries-old summer tradition sees a grand procession fill the streets of Hokkaido. Over a thousand participants gather dressed in colourful Heian-period costumes, and many portable shrines are paraded through the city to the accompaniment of taiko drums and flutes.
Sapporo Autumn Fest
This Autumn festival turns Hokkaido into a culinary paradise as a way of celebrating the bounty of the season’s harvest. Odori Park once again becomes the central attraction, featuring over 300 restaurants that serve everything from fresh seafood to regional ramen and local beer.
