| Dates | Last weekend of August |
| Contact | phone 0143-84-3311 |
| Notes | Free parking available Demon floats Taiko performance Demon costume parade Fireworks To stay overnight at Noboribetsu onsen , book early. |
| Location / Getting There | 15 minute bus ride from JR Noboribetsu station 1 hour 30 minute drive from Sapporo |
“Yukijin” masked demon
The town of Noboribetsu is famous for its hot spring waters. These waters spring from a rocky, barren, volcanic valley known as “Hell Valley” (Jigokudani) located just north of the onsens. This valley is said to be the gateway to hell and is inhabited by demons. Every summer the door to “hell” is opened with the Jigoku Festival. This festival was first held in 1964 and has continued annually ever since. This lively event, has a fantastic atmosphere and runs over the last weekend of August. At the Jigoku Festival witness the numerous demon floats, dances, the taiko drum performance, the fireworks and the array of costumes worn by locals and tourists alike. The festival sees Enma or Yama (the King of Hell), a giant blue and red ogre, and “yukijin”, masked demons who are the protective guardians of the hot springs, emerge to prowl the streets of Noboribetsu for one weekend.
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The iconic center piece of this festival is the giant Demon Mikoshi Gokuraku (shrine) which is a giant demon face upon which stands the demon king. As it proceeds down the street, smoke pours from its mouth and the eyes light up, as it spews forth golden ribbons. A truly impressive sight! Ogre shrines of ‘Enma’ precede the demon shrine and are carried by school kids. Masked ogres dance in groups in honour of the demon king’s visit and local folks perform for the crowds. A colorful fireworks show on the final night, bids the demon king’s farewell until the following year.
The locals really get involved with this festival. There is a huge dance parade in the evening, not only for the locals but for the spectators to join in as well! If you can’t make it, you can still have a demonic encounter at the Demon’s Fireworks ceremony, which is held at Jigokudani Observatory every Thursday and Friday from 20:30. Masked demons carry handheld fireworks – 10-metre high erupting columns of fire reminiscent of Hell Valley’s erupting steam vents and geysers – along the town’s demon footpath.
To get to the festival, you can take the JR train to Noboribetsu. From there it’s a short bus ride to Noboribetsu hot spring. It’s about a 15 minute ride and costs ￥340. Buses run every 15 to 20 minutes, starting at 6:10 and run until 21:15. Trains from Sapporo to Noboribetsu take just over an hour and cost ￥4160 for a round trip. Trains from Sapporo run from 6:36 to 22:00. Trains from Noboribetsu to Sapporo run from 7:26 to 21:47. If you have access to transport, then it’s about a one and a half hour drive. Free parking is available.
| Dates | 1st weekend of September |
| Contact | phone 0134-26-6160 mobile 080-4505-2424 |
| Notes | Free parking available (from 5pm) Fire works start around 7pm Food, live music, & taiko drums |
| Location / Getting There | Access by bus, take the train to Otaru station, then take the Otaru Aquarium bus. A taxi will cost around ￥3000 from Otaru station |
Otaru has many festivals over the year, and the Otaru Shukutsu Festival is one of the last festivals to see fireworks for the summer. The festival starts off at 5pm and attracts many of the locals and there is a lot to see.There is a “mikoshi” (portable shrine), taiko drum performance, live music, plus there are plenty of food stalls and of course, the fireworks which start at 7pm! All of this takes place below a meiji period house/museum, the ‘Otaru Nishin Goten’, which makes a fantastic backdrop for this festival!
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At the start of the festival a portable shrine (mikoshi) is carried in by a large group of participants. These group of shrine bearers get together every year, and are from Sapporo and a few outlying towns. Chanting and singing to the rhythm the shrine is slowly brought into the festival. Once the shrine is in the festival it is placed in front of a dozen Taiko performers hitting the drums in time with the chanting. The drums with the shrine gives this festival a great Japanese atmosphere!
Fireworks over Otaru Nishin Goten
There are many food stalls, and as Shukutsu is a local fishing town there is a lot of grilled seafood to treat your taste buds! Shellfish, sea snails, squid, octopus, and fish are all on the menu. After an evening meal you can settle in and await the fireworks. Many people set up early for a good viewing spot for the fireworks but there is plenty of space! The Shukutsu fireworks are set off along the stone beach along the harbor, just below the Otaru Nishin Goten and lighthouse. At 7:00pm the fireworks begin and light up the sky so make sure you’re there before then! Enjoy!
| Dates | 2nd weekend in July |
| Contact | 011-391-2160 ichi@yakimono21.org |
| Location / Getting There | 3 minute walk from JR Ebetsu Station. |
Just one of many stores
The Ebetsu “Yakimonoichi” Ceramic Art Fair is an annual festival held in the heart of Ebetsu. Ebetsu is a town on the outskirts of Sapporo (about a 20 minute drive) and is famous for its brick making. The ceramic art fair sees hundred of artists and craftspeople congregate to sell their wares over the summer weekend. Stalls and tents are set up throughout the streets, where customers can peruse at their leisure looking for a bargain out of the thousands of hand crafted items.
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The festival is relatively easy to find. Take the JR train to Ebetsu station. You will be able to see the fair from the station, just follow the crowds! If you are driving, there is only parking near the city hall which is a 10 minute walk away. The artists range from amateur to professional and there are thousands of ceramic items to choose from, whether it be some kitchenware or a small trinket to decorate the home. Prices, of course, vary depending on the artist. Don’t be afraid to barter a better price, as it’s all part of the fun!
The main event of the festival is the domino topple. About 2000 red bricks are set up on one of the streets and toppled over domino style! The festival ranges over half a dozen streets, so there are a lot of shops to see. In the summer heat there are plenty of places to sit and rest. As with all the festivals there are food stalls and vans set up to serve tasty lunches. Local food and more exotic curries are available. The Ebetsu Yakimonoichi Festival is a great place to buy some hand crafted ceramics, walk around, or to grab a beer and sit in the summer sun!
| Dates | June 7th - June 11th |
| Contact | http://www.yosakoi-soran.jp 011-231-4351（YOSAKOI Soran Festival Organizing Committee) |
| Location / Getting There | Odori park, and surrounding areas throughout downtown Sapporo Take the subway to Odori station |
The Yosakoi Soran Festival is an energetic dancing event based on the Yosakoi Festival of Kochi Prefecture which was first held back in 1954. The style of dance is highly energetic, combining traditional Japanese dance movements with modern music. Yosakoi is performed all over Japan at festivals. Sapporo’s Yosakoi Soran Festival was first launched in 1992. The dances feature naruko clappers, colorful costumes and Hokkaido’s ‘Soran Bushi’ folk songs. From its origins of 10 teams with 1,000 dancers, it has bloomed into a major international event attracting some 30,000 dancers from within Japan and from abroad. Every year brings up to 20 million visitors. It runs for 4 days with the top teams performing in Odori park for the final.
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Tireless performance
The teams are made up of men and women from all ages and all walks of life; students, homemakers, and workers. The teams perform all over Sapporo from afternoon to the evening. There is a great energy at these performances and the performers put a lot of effort in. They are always smiling and happy to pose for photographs. The best teams are selected to perform on stage in Odori park on the final day, where the event is televised. Many of the roads are blocked off to traffic so its very easy to walk aorund and view the various teams.
Performers with naruko
The energetic choreography, vibrant costumes and make-up are part of the festival’s attractions. The costumes are made up of ‘Happi Coats’ and yukatas (light cotton kimonos) and are based on historical attire, popular fashion, or ethnic fashions. All members of the teams wear similar costumes and look fantastic together. Many teams carry and use the ‘naruko’ (small wooden clappers) and each member has one. The use of naruko is required in yosakoi dance but over the years, many teams use other hand held instruments or props, such as drums, flags, batons, wagasas (Japanese style umbrellas), and floats. The head of each team usually has two singers or presenters that sing to a loud backing track, and there are typically one or two flag bearers at the rear of each team that wave giant flags to the music. Yosakoi is a colorful spectacle, and is a big event on the Hokkaido calender!
| Where | Hokkaido Shrine Nakajima Park |
| Dates | June 14th - June 17th |
| Contact | http://www.hokkaidojingu.or.jp 011-611-0261. |
| Location / Getting There | Hokkaido Shrine - take the subway to Maruyama station, it's a 10 minute walk to Hokkaido Shrine. The shrine is located in Maruyama park. Nakajima park - take the subway to Nakajima park station. Festival is located there. |
The Hokkaido Shrine Festival, also called the Sapporo Festival, has a history going back over a century. It is also one of the biggest festivals in Hokkaido. The festival runs from the 14th to the 16th of June. Stalls, entertainment and other attractions are set up through Nakajima park for those 3 days. Traditional dedication ceremonies are held at the shrine in Maruyama park, where many festival stalls are also set up. On the final day on the 16th, a huge parade sets out from Hokkaido Shrine and makes its way into the centre of Sapporo. The procession involves thousands of people dressed in colorful Heian period costumes. They wind their way through the city, so it is not hard to miss. Just follow the sound of the taiko drums. This really is a must see, a great Japanese experience!
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Nakaijima park is a popular place to head to for this festival. Many people dress up in their yukatas (light cotton kimonos) and head to the park. The festival here opens midday and closes by 10pm. There a rows and rows of stalls, selling local food, beer, drinks, sweets and even goldfish. Try your luck at the many game stalls set up, and try and win a toy or trinket. At the centre of the park, are a couple of fun ghost houses that you can enter. There is also a death defying motorbike event which is pretty interesting. Watch as a motorcyclist rides the walls of small circular room, blindfolded. There are also some jumping castles for the kids, and a magic house. Be warned though! In the evening, there are thousands upon thousands of people, and walking through the stalls can take a lot of time! It can get very crowded!
The highlight of the 3 day festival comes on the last day. Thousands of people in full costume leave in a long procession from Hokkaido Shrine. With drums, piccolos, and other instruments, this parade heads into the centre of Sapporo and makes its way back. The floats and portable shrines leave from Hokkaido shrine at around 8 am. It is a full day affair. The procession usually arrives into central Sapporo around early afternoon. Along with the procession there are 4 large mikoshi portable shrines that are carried by hundreds of locals, and 8 floats. The costumes are Heian period (794 to 1185 ad) and are very colorful and beautiful. Thousands of onlookers line the street and there are plenty of cameras around to capture this great spectacle. Definitely, mark this one down on your schedule if you are in and around Sapporo!
| Dates | Early May - Mid May |
| Contact | 0146-42-1000 (Shinhidaka Tourist Association) |
| Getting there | 15 minutes by taxi from JR Shizunai Station 3 hour drive from Sapporo |
| Notes | Best to get there by car |
| Location | Shizunaitahara to Shizunaimisono, Shinhidaka-cho, Hidaka-gun, Hokkaido 056-0144 |
Shizunai Road is the home to around 3,000 cherry blossom trees, including the vivid Sargant cherry tree. The road looks absolutely fantastic during the cherry blossom season and is one of the top cherry blossom viewing spots in Hokkaido! The road is 7km long and 36 meters wide and the cherry blossoms stretch as far as the eye can see. Every year over 200,000 visitors drive down to view this amazing sight. The Shizunai Cherry Blossom Festival is held here every year!
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You will need a car to get there, or to hire a taxi from the train station which is about a 15 minute drive. If you have a car, then there is plenty of space to park the car along the road underneath the cherry blossom trees and take a nice walk along the path. The mountains are a great backdrop to the cherry blossom trees. The festival is located halfway along the stretch of road.
Shizunai Festival
Shizunai Festival is a wide farm area with stalls and food stands with seating, surrounded by huge cherry blossom trees. The festival is lined with sakura trees and there is photo opportunity set up to get some couple shots done. The food sold is an assortment of various festival fare. Of course, the usual BBQ’d chicken, corn, sausages and grill. There are also stalls selling seafood, noodles, curries, kebabs, and crepes and donuts for those with a sweet tooth. There is plenty of seating on the tables to sit down and take in the views. Though, if you have the time, why not take a blanket, and enjoy a picnic with family & friends under one of the thousands of large cherry trees! Simply take your pick! For other places to see cherry blossoms, check out our top 10 sakura viewing spots.
