| Dates | First weekend of August (3 days) |
| Opening Hours | 18:00 - 22:00 |
| Contact | 011-518-2005 |
| Location / Getting There | In Sapporo, get off at Susukino subway station and the festival is directly in front, on the main straight. 〒064-0804 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Minami 4 Jōnishi, 4 Chome |
Shrines carried down the main street
During the summer at the start of August, the annual Susukino Festival can be seen. Starting in the late afternoon and continuing through until late evening, the festival runs for three days. The streets are closed off for parades, and for (of course) eating and drinking. On the first day of the festival you can see the Taiko drums which gets the festival underway. The second day you can enjoy local and international dance performances that move down the main street and really livens things up.
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Beer flowing and BBQ sizzling
The final day sees a fitting end to the festival with portable shrines (Mikoshi) being carried down the main street by hundreds of locals. The traditional music and the chanting is a true spectacle and is a great opportunity to get some great photos. While all this is going on, the local bars and restaurants open up stall on the side streets. It is here you can enjoy some beer and some grilled food cooked up by the local owners. It does get crowded here and along the main street, so an early start is advised!
| Dates | Last weekend of May |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 14:00 |
| Contact | 0164-53-3332 (Mashike Town Office Commerce and Industry Tourism Division) |
| Location / Getting There | 1 minute walk from Mashike bus station. 2 hour 15 minute drive from Sapporo. Mashike station Ekimae Street Surroundings (Masuke Machi Bentencho 1) |
Get your shrimp!
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Inside the fishing museum
Many of the public arrive early and get shrimp in take away packs so get in quick. The festival finishes surprisingly early at 14:00. There are lots of stalls selling different kinds of food, especially seafood. You can buy shrimp, octopus and shell fish for a cheap price. Goes well with the beer! The festival also focuses on local sake and the breweries in the area. They have a sake tasting area as well as sake competition which can be seen on a large stage. There are local performers and attraction throughout the streets, so make sure to bring a camera.
Mashike town
There are three ways to get to Mashike. The most convenient and probably the cheapest would be to get a hire car from Sapporo. If you don’t have a lot of time, it is an easy drive up in the morning and head back in the evening. It’s a great drive and you can stop off along the way and see Shiragane Waterfall, and the Yuhinooka Rest Stop. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Sapporo Station to Rumoi (2 hrs & 50 min) and then take a taxi (20 km) to Mashike. This will put you back about ¥10,000 return. Via train from Sapporo, take the ‘Lilac Limited Express’ or the ‘Kamui Limited Express’ to Fukugawa (1 hour 5 min). Trains run every 4 hours to Owada (50min) and then a taxi to Mashike (25km). Total cost via this route is about ¥12,000 there and back.
| Dates | Early May to early June |
| Opening Hours | 7:00 am to 6:00 pm (no illumination) |
| Entry fee | ¥500 Adults ¥250 Children |
| Contact | 0158-29-2730 http://takinoue.com/ |
| Notes | Parking available Best viewing time - Mid may Helicopter tour available |
| Location / Getting There | 3 and a half hour drive from Sapporo. 2 hour drive from Asahikawa Takinoue Park, Motomachi, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5604 |
Moss pink
From the start of May to the start of June, the small town of Takinoue displays its most famous sightseeing spot, the Takinoue Park Shibazakura. Shibazakura, also known as ‘moss pink’, or ‘creeping phlox’ is an evergreen mat that blooms five-petaled flowers in rose, mauve, blue, white, or pink during the spring. This festival began in 1956 and Takinoue, at 100,000 square meters, is literally covered from top to bottom with millions of these beautiful flowers, making the park an extraordinary place to visit in the spring! The best time to visit being in mid May.
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Phlox House
There are many paths in which to wander around the hillside and get some photos. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, then why not view the whole park from the air? At ¥5000 per adult, you can take a six minute helicopter ride that will take you over Takinoue Park. The flowers and festival lasts for a month in which there are stage events and stalls. Also located at the park is the ‘Phlox House’ where you can buy some souvenirs, have a coffee, take a rest, or try a ‘Shibazakura ice cream’. Restrooms are also located here.
Takinoue is a small town, which means there is no train station unfortunately. For those without their own transport, to get to Takinoue it is advised to rent a car from Sapporo or take the train to Asahikawa and rent a car from there. For car rentals in Asahikawa, you can check the Asahikawa rental site by clicking here . It will take some time to drive there and it is recommended to stay at least one day in Takinoue, as there are other things to see!
| Dates | June 21 - 24 |
| Opening Hours | All day |
| Entry fee | Free |
| Contact | 011-211-6406 |
| Location / Getting There | 5 minute walk from Sapporo station or Odori subway station Sapporo-shi Chuo-ku North 2 West 4 chome & North 3 West 4-chome |
Nice colors
From June until August, the countryside throughout Hokkaido comes alive with myriads of color. The flower season is a must see in while in Hokkaido during these months. If you can’t get out into the countryside then there are plenty of opportunities to see the flowers in Sapporo city! There are plenty of events that are held during the summer, and the Sapporo Flower Carpet has added its name to the list. This event coincides with the flower festival which is held in Odori park around the same time.
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View down to the old government building
The Sapporo Flower Carpet is a relatively short event, only lasting for three days. It is set up on the paved brick road running in front of the Former Hokkaido Government Building . The outside event is free to enter and runs for about 30 meters up the road. It is on, not only during the day but at night as well, and is illuminated by hundreds of electric candles creating a very beautiful ambiance. A good time to get some photos. Running, in mid June and with easy access near Sapporo station, it’s an event that’s easy to check out!
| Dates | November 24 - December 25 |
| Opening Hours | 16:30 - 22:00 |
| Contact | 011-281-6400 (Sapporo White Illumination Executive Committee) |
| Location / Getting There | Odori Park (1~4-chome) Ekimae dori (Kita 4-jo ~ Minami 4-jo) |
Winter designs
Sapporo White Illumination is an event held every winter which sees Odori park and the main street through Sapporo draped with hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights. Sapporo was the first city in Japan to start this tradition in 1981, since then other cities throughout Japan have followed suit with their own illumination events. Some 520, 000 lights are draped through trees and objects set up through Odori park creating a beautiful landscape of color in the evenings. A beautiful area to wander around in the snow and get some great photos!
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Illumination tunnel
The Odori Park venue goes for 7 blocks, which spreads from the TV tower all the way west through Odori park. The German Christmas Market festival, which is also in Odori park, runs concurrently with the Sapporo White Illumination, so there is quite a lot to see, especially around Christmas! There are spots for photo opportunities in the park. Each year sees new additions to the event to check out. During the chilly evenings, there are stalls set up to grab something hot to drink, or eat. So, rug up, grab your family or friends and enjoy the Sapporo White Illumination display!
| Dates | First Sunday of October |
| Starting time | All events 9:00 - 13:40 Half marathon 9:30 |
| Entry price | ￥1020 to ￥3600 (depending on event & age) Half marathon ￥5140 (adults) Half marathon ￥1640 (high school students) |
| Contact | http://satumara.shsf.jp/ |
| Location / Getting There | Start & finish is at Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena (inside Makomanai Park in Minami-ku, Sapporo) Course runs along Toyohira river and Odori park |
First held in 1958, the Sapporo Marathon originally started out as a full marathon. From 1986, the race was turned into the half marathon, where it remains as one of the most famous sporting events in Sapporo. There are around 15,000 participants. The half marathon starts and finishes in Makomanai park and follows the banks of Toyohira river. The race winds its way to Odori park where the runners then make their journey back.
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Along with the half marathon course, there is a 10km course, a 5km, 3km, and a 2km course. The shorter courses are all held within Makomanai park. The 2km and 3km race is a “fun pair” race, matching adults with children (pre-elementary school age), so there are many grandparents who take part to run alongside their grandchildren. The half marathon and 10 km run are both official courses sanctioned by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations.
