1 The 2026 Sapporo Lilac Festival: A Celebration of Flowers, Music, and Food in Sapporo's Spring (Sapporo City)

This event brings a splash of spring color to Sapporo's Odori Park. The Odori Park venue, spanning from 5-chome to 7-chome, has a different theme for each block. You'll find everything from corners for shopping for flowers, tea, and goods, to terraces where you can enjoy cafes, sweets, and craft beer with music, and a wine garden featuring Hokkaido wines and gourmet food. There are also plenty of stage performances, including live music and a brass band festival. At the Kawashimo Park venue, about 200 varieties of lilacs are in full bloom, offering pleasant strolls, quiz rallies, and workshops.

2 Takikawa Canola Flower Festival: A Breathtaking View of Hillsides Covered in Yellow Blossoms (Takikawa City)

This event is held when the canola flower fields blanketing the hills of Takikawa City are in full bloom. Boasting one of the largest cultivation areas in Japan, the landscape transforms into a stunning yellow carpet. At a special venue open only on weekends, you can admire the flowers up close. We also recommend viewing the fields via a guided taxi or rental cycle. Additionally, a gourmet food festival will be held at Michi-no-Eki (Roadside Station) Takikawa, where you can enjoy local delicacies and limited-edition sweets.

3 The 78th Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival: Enjoy Illuminations and Food Stalls at a Historic Sakura Spot (Matsumae Town)

This is a traditional spring festival held in Matsumae, one of Hokkaido's premier cherry blossom viewing spots. With approximately 10,000 cherry trees of various species, it's a fantastic place to enjoy a long flower-viewing season. At night, the trees are lit up, creating a magical atmosphere different from the daytime. During the festival, food stalls line the area, offering delights like yakitori, grilled seafood, and festival games. There are also stamp rallies where you can get a "Sakura Calendar" and various stage events.

4 The 77th Morimachi Cherry Blossom Festival: A Packed Spring Festival with Everything from a T-Rex Race to Stage Events (Mori Town)

This popular spring event in Mori Town attracts visitors from near and far. During the festival, in addition to the cherry blossom illuminations, a variety of stage events are held, including singing performances, taiko drumming, and magic shows. A special highlight is the unique "T-Rex Race," where participants run in Tyrannosaurus costumes, filling the venue with laughter and excitement. With an inflatable playground and hands-on booths, it's a festival where families with children can have fun all day long.

5 The 42nd Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival: Be Enveloped in the Sweet Scent of Moss Phlox (Ozora Town)

This event is held at Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park, a popular spot where moss phlox covers a small hill. The pink flowers spread across approximately 100,000 square meters, creating a beautiful carpet-like vista. During the event period, there are performance stages, live music, and food and drink sales. You can also take a leisurely tour of the park on a sightseeing cart, and the view from the observatory is not to be missed. With facilities like go-karts and a fishing pond, it's perfect for a family outing.

6 Spring Crab Battle in Abashiri: A Festival to Lavishly Enjoy Post-Drift Ice Hairy Crabs... with Crabs Flying Overhead!? (Abashiri City)

This is a gourmet event where you can fully enjoy the spring delicacy of the Okhotsk region: "Ryuhyo-ake Kegani" (hairy crab after the drift ice leaves). The main attraction is the famous "Kani-maki," where crabs are thrown into the air for participants to catch. Participation is by a same-day lottery with tickets, but you can also reserve tickets, making it accessible for those traveling from afar. In addition, various food and drinks are sold at the venue each year, including boiled crab and other seafood dishes.

7 Nanohana Sanpo 2026: A Scenic Early Summer Stroll Through Canola Flower Fields (Abira Town)

This popular early summer event takes place in the canola flower fields spread across the hills of Abira Town. There are plenty of hands-on activities, such as the "Nanohana Drive," a tour of the fields in a covered wagon pulled by a tractor, and the "Nanohana Sanpo Michi," a walking path through fields that are usually inaccessible. A limited-time "Nanohana Café" and information center will also be set up at the local roadside station, where you can enjoy canola-themed gourmet food and a town-wide stamp rally.

8 After Sweets Expo Asahikawa 2026: The Excitement of the National Sweets Expo Returns (Asahikawa City)

Carrying on the excitement of last year's highly successful "Asahikawa Sweets Expo 2025," this is a major sweets event in Asahikawa. It will feature the "Mogu-Mogu Market," with famous confections from all over Japan, and a sweets buffet with an all-you-can-eat selection of about 25 types of cakes and Japanese sweets. There are also plenty of participatory activities, such as the "Sweets Koshien," a collaboration between high school students and local shops, and sweet-making workshops. With food, stage performances, and exhibits to enjoy, it's a special three days wrapped in sweet happiness.

9 The 77th Akkeshi Cherry Blossom and Oyster Festival: Enjoy Full-Bloom Sakura and Seafood at the Same Time (Akkeshi Town)

This is a cherry blossom festival where you can enjoy both the sakura and gourmet food of Akkeshi Town. Under the fully bloomed cherry trees, you can savor the town's famous oysters and clams, grilled over charcoal. The festival features famous activities like grabbing large oysters with one hand and a clam-scooping event for children. There are also plenty of stage events, including live music and performances. It's an event where you can fully enjoy the spring flavors and lively atmosphere of Akkeshi.

10 Mashike Spring Flavor Festival 2026: A Spring Feast of Seasonal Seafood and Local Gourmet (Mashike Town)

A festival where you can fully enjoy the spring flavors of Mashike Town. The venue will be lined with stalls offering unique local seafood products, as well as grilled and fried foods, allowing you to taste Mashike's seasonal gourmet. The lively atmosphere is another charm, with stage events such as live music and a Mikagura (sacred music and dance) procession. At the concurrently held Sake Brewery Festival, you can also enjoy limited-edition sake and servings of amazake (sweet, non-alcoholic sake).

11 Yubetsu Tulip Fair: 700,000 Tulips of 200 Varieties in Full Bloom (Yubetsu Town)

This is one of Hokkaido's premier flower events, featuring 700,000 tulips of about 200 varieties in full bloom. The vast park is filled with colorful tulips, creating a breathtaking spectacle when they are at their peak. There are various ways to enjoy the fair, such as touring the park on an electric bus or participating in a bulb-digging experience. Events and performances commemorating the 40th anniversary will also be held, adding even more to see and do. With many photo-worthy spots, it's a popular spring destination for everyone from families to couples.

12 The 45th Kushiro Town Cherry Blossom Festival: Savor Food and Fun with Japan's Latest-Blooming Sakura (Kushiro Town)

This spring event in Kushiro Town allows you to enjoy kitchen cars and food stalls while viewing what are known as Japan's latest-blooming cherry blossoms. A wide variety of flavors will be available, including yakitori, zangi (Hokkaido-style fried chicken), seafood, and sweets. The venue will have a lively atmosphere with a kids' land featuring inflatable play equipment and a full lineup of stage events including comedy, music, and local folk arts. There are also participatory activities like mochi-maki (rice cake throwing) and candy giveaways, making it a spring flower-viewing event the whole family can enjoy.

13 The 46th Hiroo Azalea Festival: A Breathtaking Early Summer Scene Surrounded by Crimson Azaleas (Hiroo Town)

This early summer event in Hiroo is held when the approximately 12,000 Ezo-yama-tsutsuji azaleas that color Daimaruyama Forest Park are in full bloom. Amidst the park's vibrant crimson scenery, stage events for children are held, bustling with families. A charcoal barbecue corner will also be available, making it a great place to relax and enjoy the flavors of Hiroo in a natural setting.

14 Spring Mikasa Railway Village Festival: An SL Experience, Fair Stalls, and Fun for the Whole Family (Mikasa City)

A festival packed with hands-on events for the whole family to enjoy. There's a wide range of fun for all ages, including stage shows, bingo tournaments, and festival game booths. For railway enthusiasts, there are plenty of exciting activities like sitting in the driver's seat of a steam locomotive and trying to blow its whistle. Additionally, there will be displays of police cars, fire trucks, and model trains, a stamp rally, and a lineup of kitchen cars and food stalls, making it a highly recommended event for a spring outing.

15 The 41st Nishin Ban-ya Matsuri (Herring Mansion Festival): A Gourmet Event Famous for its Free Sanpeijiru Soup (Obira Town)

This historic event in Obira Town is held in front of the Former Hanada Family Herring Mansion, a National Important Cultural Property. Set against the backdrop of the mansion that preserves the memory of the town's prosperous herring fishing era, you can feel the local culture and spirit. The famous Sanpeijiru (a traditional fish soup) is served for free, and there are also corners selling local gourmet food and handmade specialty products. The festival features a diverse range of stage performances, including taiko drumming, brass bands, dance, and Matsumae Kagura. With a lottery and mochi-maki, the entire venue is filled with a lively atmosphere.