Season guide · Sapporo · Japan
Sapporo in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Slow thaw and slush in March and April, then cherry blossom in early May and lilacs late in the month. Expect highs up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F), with about 30 rainy days across March–May.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- -3°C (27°F) to 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 30
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 4°C (39°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 13 | 11.8 h | 2/5 |
| April | 12°C (54°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 9 | 13.3 h | 2/5 |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 8 | 14.6 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 11°C (52°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 30 of the year's roughly 143 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- April: Golden Week holidays begin (late April)
- May: Cherry blossom at Maruyama Park (usually early May)
- May: Sapporo Lilac Festival in Odori Park (usually late May)
Good choices for spring
Museum · Higashi-ku
Sapporo Beer Museum
A red-brick former sugar factory and brewery tells the story of beer brewing in Hokkaido from 1876, when a government brewery opened in Sapporo.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
- Rainy day
Theme park · Nishi-ku
Shiroi Koibito Park
Reserve a slot for the biscuit-making workshop if you are travelling with children; it fills at weekends and in holidays.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Food
Museum · Atsubetsu-ku
Historical Village of Hokkaido
More than 50 buildings from the 1860s to the early 20th century — farmhouses, a herring fishermen's lodge, shops and a post office — have been relocated to this open-air museum in Nopporo Forest Park.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Kids
Street · Susukino
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
Use it as your covered route between Odori and Susukino on snowy evenings.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Free
- Food
Gallery · Minami-ku
Sapporo Art Park
In wooded hills in the south of the city, this cultural complex has a sculpture garden with dozens of works by Japanese and international artists set along forest paths, plus a contemporary art museum and craft workshops.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in spring
- Otaru (About 35–45 minutes by JR rapid train) — A former herring and trading port with a preserved stone-warehouse canal, glass workshops, a large music-box museum and a street of sushi restaurants.
- Jozankei Onsen (About 1 hour by bus) — Riverside hot-spring town in a forested gorge with public foot baths, day-use baths at ryokan and walks to the Futami suspension bridge.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Sapporo?
It is a trade-off: Slow thaw and slush in March and April, then cherry blossom in early May and lilacs late in the month. The best months overall are February and June–September.
+What is the weather like in Sapporo in spring?
Highs of up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F), with about 30 rainy days over the season.