The Hokudaisai, celebrating its 68th year, is an annual event that brightens up the early summer in Sapporo. Held at Hokkaido University's Sapporo Campus from Friday, June 5th to Sunday, June 7th, the festival features nearly 300 participating groups with food stalls and a wide variety of activities. It attracts not only Hokkaido University students but also many people from all over Sapporo. This article will give you a detailed look at the charms and highlights of this year's Hokudaisai.

International students serving delicious dishes from their home countries

Hokudaisai is a grand festival composed of 10 individual festivals from various faculties and departments of Hokkaido University: Yuryosai, Humanities and Social Sciences Festival, Science Festival, Engineering Festival, Medical Exhibition, Dentistry Festival, Pharmaceutical Sciences Festival, Veterinary Medicine Festival, Agriculture Festival, and the International Food Festival. From the Yuryosai, where first-year students and club organizations take center stage with their stalls, to the specialized festivals showcasing research presentations and projects unique to each faculty, and the International Food Festival (IFF) where you can enjoy authentic cuisine made by international students, a diverse range of events comes together on the vast 1.78 million square meter Sapporo Campus.

In 2025, Hokudaisai attracted a record-breaking 144,000 visitors. This year's theme is "Seifu" (星譜), which translates to "Star Score." The character for "star" (星) is a symbol of Hokkaido University and represents the brilliance of each student. The character for "score" (譜) signifies both a historical record (系譜) and a musical score (楽譜). The theme embodies the determination to create a magnificent harmony, where individual lights resonate with each other under the northern sky to form the grand symphony of Hokudaisai.

Scenes from the 2025 festival

During the festival, the main street of the Hokkaido University campus is packed with food stalls, and facilities throughout the campus are open to the public. There's also a stamp rally held across the entire venue. Collect 6 or more stamps and go to the prize exchange booth (located along the main street in front of the Faculty of Engineering fountain) to receive a prize.

Hokudaisai Stamp Rally

■Event Dates & Times
Friday, June 5: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Saturday, June 6: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday, June 7: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Hokudaisai is also known for its stage events featuring fantastic guests each year. On Sunday, June 7th, at 1:00 PM, there will be a talk session with Honobu Yonezawa and Kaho Miyake.

Also on Sunday, June 7th, at 3:30 PM, Naoki Matayoshi of the comedy duo Peace, who is also active as an author, will give a lecture titled "What I Want to Tell Those Who Are Struggling." A variety of guests will be coming to Hokudaisai.

Main Hokudaisai Guest Events

1. A Dialogue: "Living with Books Now"

■Date & Time: Sunday, June 7, Starts 1:00 PM / Ends 2:00 PM
■Venue: Hokkaido University, Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education, Building S, Room S2
*First-come, first-served ticket sales have already ended. For details, please visit this dedicated page.

2. Naoki Matayoshi's Message for Those Who Are Struggling

■Date & Time: Sunday, June 7, Starts 3:30 PM
■Venue: Hokkaido University, Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education, Building S, Room S2
*First-come, first-served ticket sales have already ended. For details, please visit this dedicated page.

3. Lecture by Taku Sukagawa

■Date & Time: Friday, June 5, Doors open 6:30 PM / Starts 7:00 PM / Ends 8:30 PM
■Venue: Hokkaido University, Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education, Building S, Room S2
*For participation details, please visit this dedicated page.

To attend Hokudaisai, please note that private cars and taxis are not allowed to enter the campus, so using public transportation is recommended. Additionally, bringing alcohol and smoking are prohibited. Please follow the rules to enjoy the festival safely.

For detailed information and a list of all activities at Hokudaisai, please check the official website. Hokudaisai is a major event that brings many people together, serving as a place of exchange between Hokkaido University and the local community. Be sure to check out the efforts of the students who are studying every day to take flight from this great northern land.

*Images provided by the Hokudaisai Executive Committee

The 68th Hokudaisai (Hokkaido University Festival)

Dates: Friday, June 5 - Sunday, June 7, 2026
*June 5 (Fri) 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM / June 6 (Sat) 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM / June 7 (Sun) 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Click here for details and map information for the 68th Hokudaisai