September in Hokkaido is packed with events where you can fully enjoy the bountiful autumn! From events where you can taste local gourmet food such as fresh seafood to fireworks displays that light up the autumn sky, we've carefully selected 10 noteworthy events to fully enjoy Hokkaido. Why not enjoy Hokkaido as you feel the beginning of autumn?

This gourmet event is Hokkaido's signature autumn event. Stretching approximately 1km from Odori Park 4-chome to 11-chome in the center of Sapporo, the venue features over 300 booths from all over Hokkaido, offering seasonal ingredients and local delicacies. Each venue has a different theme, and gourmet food, sweets, and alcohol from all over Hokkaido are all gathered together, including the Sapporo Odori Hokkaido Market, where you can enjoy the flavors and specialties of each region of Hokkaido.

Set in Moerenuma Park in Sapporo, this fireworks display is created by Japan's top pyrotechnicians. The approximately 60-minute program is a spectacular sight, with a nonstop display of fireworks, including star mines and large fireworks, synchronized with light and sound. The unique 3D effects and spectacular performances set to famous music make this a fireworks display truly worthy of the name "art." Food and drinks will also be sold at the venue.

This is a seasonal autumn tradition in Nemuro, with many people visiting from all over the country to enjoy seasonal sanma (pacific saury). One of the highlights of the festival is the Sanma Quayside Robata Corner, where you can eat sanma grilled on the spot over charcoal. Other items on sale include sanma dishes made by the "mothers of the beach," as well as Nemuro's specialty products, crabs, and oysters. Every year, events such as sanma catching contests and stage shows are also held.

This is Kushiro's biggest event, with food and fireworks as its main focus. As the name suggests, which is a combination of "don" (firework) and "paku" (eat), there are plenty of beautiful fireworks and delicious food. The fireworks, some of the largest in Hokkaido, are launched into the air in three shaku (approx. 300cm) scale, creating a spectacular sight. In addition to food available at the "Donpaku Food Stall," there are also other food-related events, such as the "Agriculture and Rural Fair in KUSHIRO," where you can sample Konsen milk, buy agricultural and livestock products, and even try your hand at milking!

This is the first fireworks festival of the year in Japan, and it's one of the largest. In addition to the spectacular fireworks that will light up the night sky with around 35,000 shots, there will be plenty of content to enjoy for both adults and children, including live music performances by popular artists, a comedy stage, a food area with around 80 stores from both within and outside Hokkaido, and Manten Amusement Park with its interactive attractions. The venue, Danpara Park, is in a great location with a panoramic view of Muroran Port, so you can enjoy the beautiful night view along with the fireworks.

This traditional festival colors autumn in Iwamizawa. The spectacular mochi pounding using one of the world's largest mortars, measuring 2.2 meters in diameter and weighing 5.5 tons, is a truly impressive sight. A limited number of freshly pounded mochi are served to visitors as sweet soup. Other events include mochi throwing, mochi pounding experiences, Japanese drumming performances, and dance performances. The venue is lined with food stalls and food trucks, allowing you to enjoy local delicacies.

This event allows you to fully enjoy Matsumae-produced bluefin tuna. There are plenty of tuna-related events unique to Matsumae, including the popular bluefin tuna sale, a spectacular live cutting show, and a super spicy tuna bowl eating contest. You can also sample tuna-related gourmet food and Matsumae town specialties at the venue, and there will also be stage performances such as dancing and taiko drumming.

This is a major event that brings together the cuisine of northern Hokkaido, a representative autumn event in Asahikawa. During the event, the area from JR Asahikawa Station to Heiwadori Shopping Park is transformed into a "Gourmet Market." Specialties and gourmet foods from all over northern Hokkaido are lined up at the venue.

This festival is a specialty of Shintoku Town, also known as "Japan's No. 1 Soba Town." At the "Soba Food Stall Village" lined up at the venue, famous soba shops and soba-making groups from the town show off their skills, allowing you to taste and compare the four types of soba noodles that each shop boasts: "freshly picked," "freshly ground," "freshly made," and "freshly boiled." Each menu offers a wide variety of unique dishes, including tempura, eel, and cheese. In addition to soba, local products such as "charcoal-grilled Shintoku chicken" and "grilled shiitake mushrooms" will also be available, as well as desserts such as soba crepes and soft-serve ice cream.

This autumn, Fukagawa will be hosting an interactive festival that will captivate everyone, from children to adults. There are plenty of hands-on programs to enjoy both indoors and outdoors, from crafting experiences like cloisonné, bracelets, and soap carving, to bonfires, firewood chopping, excavation, and even climbing in the gymnasium. There will also be pizza and crepe trucks, as well as displays of police cars and fire engines.

*All information is current as of the time of publication in August 2025. *All published information may be subject to change, so please check the official website for details.