Walking around Sapporo in early summer, you may notice "white fluff" floating in the air. This is "poplar fluff," familiar to Sapporo residents. Poplar trees bloom in spring, and seeds covered with fluff fly in the wind from May to June.

The front yard of the Akarenga Government Building on June 12, 2024. Poplar fluff is floating here and there.

Poplars have been widely planted in Hokkaido since the Meiji era (1868-1912) because of their fast growth. Especially in Sapporo City, poplars are planted in many public spaces, and in early summer, cotton wool can be seen dancing in the air.

All the white things on the soil are poplar cotton wool.

There are several spots in Sapporo where poplar cotton wool dances in the air. The famous "Hokkaido University Poplar Trees" is a beautiful 80-meter-long avenue of poplar trees. The former main building of the Hokkaido Government (Akarenga Government Building) is also lined with poplar trees, and the front yard of the building is covered with downy poplars. The area around the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art is also known for its many poplars.

On days when there is a lot of fluff, it can get on your hair, clothes, etc.

Usually, poplar fluff is fluttering from late May to late June. When "white fluffy" fluff dances in the city, summer is about to arrive in Sapporo. Why not stroll around Sapporo in early summer while taking in this spectacle?