November in Hokkaido marks the transition from autumn to winter. This season brings a variety of events, including illuminations that herald the coming of winter, gourmet festivals to enjoy seasonal flavors, and art events to cap off the autumn arts season. We've carefully selected 10 notable events happening across Hokkaido. Why not head out and feel the beginning of winter?

This annual event colors Sapporo's winter. The Christmas market, which appears for about a month in Odori Park's 2-chome section, features authentic German mulled wine, sausages, and other Christmas dishes, as well as Christmas goods like original mugs. The venue, enveloped in illuminations, creates a romantic atmosphere that pairs perfectly with the snowy landscape.

Celebrating its 45th year, this is a classic winter event in Sapporo. Five venues, including Odori Park, Ekimae-dori, and Akapla, will be enveloped in fantastical light. The Odori venue will feature glowing objects with different motifs for each section, such as snowflakes, stars, wings, and lilacs. At the Minami 1-jo Dori and Kita 3-jo Hiroba venues, trees will be decorated with illuminations, and at the Sapporo Station South Exit Square, you can enjoy a show of light and sound. Together with the concurrently held Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo, it beautifully adorns the Sapporo winter.

Sapporo Factory's giant Christmas tree heralds the start of winter in Sapporo. A Sakhalin fir tree, approximately 15 meters tall, stands majestically in the open-atrium, glittering with multicolored illuminations and vibrant ornaments. At the lighting ceremony on November 1st, children will press the switch in time with the countdown, kicking off the Christmas season at Sapporo Factory. During the event period, you can enjoy a fantastical show of light and music every hour.

This is a regular autumn event where you can fully enjoy Akkeshi's famous oysters. Fresh seafood such as oysters, clams, scallops, surf clams, and saury are lined up, and the barbecue corner where you can grill and eat what you've purchased on the spot is also popular. In addition, unique Akkeshi experiences like an oyster-grabbing event and a clam-grabbing event for elementary school students and younger are usually held.

This specialized animation film festival gains attention for being held at an airport. At the theater venue, in addition to screenings of competition works and talks by distinguished guests, special programs are held daily. There are plenty of must-see projects for fans, such as a feature on Studio MADHOUSE, and screenings and discussions by Academy Award-winning director Gints Zilbalodis and others. Also, the "NEW CHITOSE Anime Park" will be held at Portom Hall on the 2nd floor of the international terminal. You can enjoy a variety of events, including family-friendly screenings, animation production experiences, talks by popular voice actors, and the "Airport Concert" music live show.

The "Asahikawa Machiakari Illumination," long beloved as an illumination event that colors Asahikawa's winter, will be held with a new name. Under the new concept of "Showcasing Asahikawa's Pride and Future with Light," various areas, including the one in front of the station, will be fantastically lit up with various lights, illuminating the snow-covered cityscape. The new name will be announced at the lighting ceremony on November 22nd.

A gourmet event that brings together all the "delicious things" of autumn from Otaru and Yoichi. In addition to 16 stalls offering gourmet dishes and drinks made with local ingredients, there will be limited-quantity featured items like "Hiragai Curry" demonstrated by Chef Shimokuni and "Otaru Shako (mantis shrimp) Soup" taught by local fishermen's wives. The venue will be packed with activities for all ages, from children to adults, including jazz live performances, the World Apple Peeling Championship, and a festival game corner.

This is a regular autumn art event where the center of Sapporo is completely immersed in art. A wide range of art genres, including theater, music, and fine arts, will be showcased at various locations throughout the city for one month. Highlights include the "Sapporo Theater Festival," where more than 20 groups will perform original works, the "Art Street," which turns the underground pedestrian space into a gallery, and the "Sapporo Music Showcase," featuring live performances by local musicians.

This gourmet event is held at "Fujimaru Park," a place that opened in Obihiro this July, gathering food and items from all over the Tokachi region. Limited to three groups per day, you can savor an authentic motsunabe (offal hot pot) made with plump Tokachi-produced Kuroge Wagyu beef offal and local vegetables. Gathering around a warm pot with family and friends under the chilly autumn sky is a special experience. Another charm is that you can enjoy it with side dishes, drinks, and desserts from the Fujimaru SHOP.

A gourmet event where you can eat, drink, and walk around the city of Abashiri. Participating restaurants in the city offer a set of an original appetizer served on a scallop shell plate and one drink. With a ticket booklet of three, you can hop between multiple establishments. Ticket purchasers also receive an original tenugui (hand towel). Why not leisurely enjoy an autumn night in Abashiri while savoring a dish made with local ingredients and a drink?

※All information is current as of the article's publication in October 2025.
※All information is subject to change. Please check official websites for the latest details.