1 Takino Fireworks 2026: A Breathtaking Festival of Music, Experiences, and Gourmet Food

*Photo from a previous event.

This highly popular outdoor event, blending nature and entertainment, returns to Takino Suzuran Hillside National Government Park in Sapporo's Minami Ward. At night, a spectacular 30-minute non-stop fireworks show, computer-controlled to synchronize perfectly with music, will light up the sky.

Firework-making workshops and dancer performances.

This year, the daytime activities leading up to the fireworks are bigger and better than ever. The lineup is packed with fun programs, including an authentic firework-making workshop, a dance contest where teenage dancers will showcase their passionate performances, a DJ experience using professional equipment, and a children's fair.

Sweets will also be available at the concurrent Hokkaido Meat Festival. *Photos from a previous event.

The wildly popular gourmet event, the Hokkaido Meat Festival, will be held at the same time. Featuring 14 diverse vendors, it will offer juicy meat dishes from all over Hokkaido, as well as ramen, craft beer, and sweets, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Street performances and a DJ experience will also be available.

2 Sapporo Yakitori Terrace 2026: Savor and Compare Yakitori from Across Japan in a Retro Showa-Era Setting

This highly anticipated outdoor gourmet event brings together specialty yakitori from all over Japan. After drawing about 23,000 visitors in its inaugural year, this popular event is back and even bigger, with eight vendors participating this year. You can indulge in a luxurious taste comparison of unique skewers, each with different ingredients and grilling methods depending on the region. Enjoy familiar local flavors like Muroran yakitori with its pork and sweet-savory sauce and Bibai's motsu-kushi (offal skewers), alongside Nagano's garlic soy sauce yakitori, Kagawa's hearty honetsukidori (bone-in chicken), and Okinawa's Agu pork.

The venue is enveloped in a warm, nostalgic, retro Showa-era atmosphere. The popular "snack bar" booth from last year has evolved into a two-part experience. During the day, it operates as a craft gin stand featuring local Hokkaido brands. From the evening, it transforms into a classic snack bar where you can enjoy lively conversation with the resident "mama-san." Additionally, there will be booths offering dishes perfect for finishing your meal, like aromatic dashi-flavored soba noodles and oden, as well as a wide range of beverages from cold beer to soft drinks for children.

3 The 21st Hokkaido Ajikikou: A Culinary Journey from Soul Food to the Latest Sweets

Image courtesy of Marui Imai Sapporo Main Store

This hugely popular event at the Marui Imai Sapporo Main Store brings together the rich blessings and supreme gourmet foods from all over Hokkaido. From long-beloved local soul food to the latest trendy sweets, all of Hokkaido's best flavors are gathered here. At the venue, you'll find must-try classic favorites, worth waiting in line for, available with live cooking demonstrations, such as the "Yakitori Bento" from Hakodate's Hasegawa Store and the "Sweet Potato" from Obihiro's Cranberry.

A wide array of items from seafood bowls and side dishes to trendy sweets / Image courtesy of Marui Imai Sapporo Main Store

Furthermore, there are many can't-miss special features, including limited-edition menus from famous shops making their first appearance and hearty bento boxes for just 999 yen. A lineup of exquisite dishes from various stores awaits, such as luxurious seafood bowls topped with tokishirazu (summer-caught salmon) and Matsukawa flounder, and Mont Blanc parfaits made with Hokkaido melon. The event is divided into two parts, with some vendors changing between the periods, so you can discover new tastes no matter how many times you visit.

Hearty bento boxes for just 999 yen are also available / Image courtesy of Marui Imai Sapporo Main Store