When walking through Sapporo in early summer, you might notice "white fluff" dancing in the air. This is poplar fluff, a familiar sight for Sapporo residents. Poplar trees bloom in spring, and from May to June, their cotton-covered seeds are carried away by the wind.

The front garden of the Akarenga Chosha on June 12, 2024. Poplar fluff is drifting everywhere.

Poplar trees have been widely planted in Hokkaido since the Meiji era because they grow quickly. In Sapporo especially, many public spaces are planted with poplars, creating the spectacle of floating fluff in early summer.

Everything that looks white on the ground is poplar fluff.

There are several spots in Sapporo where you can see the poplar fluff dance. The famous "Poplar Avenue at Hokkaido University" is a beautiful tree-lined path stretching for about 80 meters. The "Former Hokkaido Government Office Building (Akarenga Chosha)" also has a lot of poplar fluff, which accumulates in its front garden. The area around the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art is also known for its many poplar trees.

On days with heavy dispersal, it can stick to your hair and clothes.

The poplar fluff typically floats around from late May to late June. When this "white fluff" starts to dance through the city, it's a sign that summer is just around the corner in Sapporo. Why not take a stroll through early summer Sapporo while enjoying this sight?

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