Things To Do in Spring Sapporo

If you are planning to visit Sapporo, spring is the best time to visit because it is also the most comfortable season!
In Sapporo in spring, flowers such as cherry blossoms and plum blossoms bloom as the snow melts, and there are many activities that allow you to feel nature.

In addition, there are plenty of gourmet specialties that you can enjoy together with the pleasant air in Sapporo, which has no rainy season!

In this issue, we will introduce recommended activities in Sapporo in spring and information on gourmet foods to enjoy together.

What to wear and bring in Spring Sapporo

The average temperature in Sapporo in April is around 7 degrees Celsius.
Daytime temperatures often rise to around 10 degrees Celsius, but morning and evening temperatures can be cold, so a cardigan or light coat is recommended.

Around Golden Week (GW), temperatures will rise even higher, and it will finally be time to enjoy cherry blossom viewing and other activities.

However, there is a possibility that snow may still remain in the first half of April, so check the weather forecast and wear boots or non-slip shoes if there is snow.

If there is still snow on the ground, check the weather forecast, and if there is snow, wear boots or non-slip shoes.

If your neck is cold, your body temperature will also be cold.
In April, the wind in Sapporo is often still cold, so be sure to take care of your neck with a thin scarf.

Activities in Spring Sapporo

If you come to Sapporo, “Hokkaido Jingu Shrine with kimono” is recommended

Hokkaido Jingu Shrine was founded in 1869 as the guardian deity of Hokkaido’s pioneer settlers, and is regarded as Sapporo’s chief Shinto shrine.

The shrine is accessible on foot from Maruyama Koen Station, three stops from Odori Station on the Tozai Subway Line, which is in the center of Sapporo, and is visited by many people throughout the year.

We recommend visiting Hokkaido Jingu Shrine in spring when the weather is warmer and you can wear kimono!

Basho trip also offers a plan that allows you to enjoy wearing kimono and take photos in Sapporo, so we recommend you to take advantage of this opportunity!

How about capturing wonderful photos under the warm sunlight?
Also, on the grounds of the Hokkaido Shrine, there is a famous Hokkaido confectioner, Rokkatei, and on the first day of every month, they serve their famous ” Hankan-sama ” sweets to everyone for free! (Normally 100 yen including tax).
Furthermore, tea is always available for free, so it is nice to take a breather while eating sweets.

If you visit Sapporo in spring, you must go to Maruyama Park to see cherry blossoms!

Right next to the Hokkaido Shrine is a large park called Maruyama Park.
This park is a popular Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot that is always crowded with locals during hanami season!

Did you know that there is a unique way to enjoy Hanami in Sapporo?

In fact, cherry blossom viewing in Sapporo is not just about watching the cherry blossoms and drinking sake, but also about eating Genghis Khan while watching the cherry blossoms!
During the cherry blossom viewing season, fire permits are granted, so everyone eats Genghis Khan and drinks the most delicious Sapporo Beer from daytime!

It’s great that the whole town gets excited about Hanami with Genghis Khan.

If you are going to visit Sapporo in spring, why not enjoy Hanami with Genghis Khan, which is a must for locals, together?

Maruyama Zoo, the best zoo in Sapporo!

Many people may think of Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa when they hear of zoos in Hokkaido.
But did you know that there is actually a zoo in Sapporo?

That is Maruyama Zoo, which has long been loved by locals in Sapporo.
Located near the Hokkaido Shrine and Maruyama Park introduced so far, the zoo opened in 1951 and was the 10th zoo completed in Japan.

It is the oldest zoo in Hokkaido, and its location, relatively close to downtown Sapporo, has earned it the nickname “an urban oasis.”

The attraction of Maruyama Zoo is its close proximity to animals.
Most of the animals can be seen at close range, with only a sheet of glass separating them from each other, allowing visitors to see them in a realistic, almost wild-like setting.

Admission to the Maruyama Zoo is 600 yen for adults over high school age, but free for junior high school students and younger, which is great for families!

Since the zoo is located close to Maruyama Park and Hokkaido Shrine, which we have already introduced, it is possible to visit the entire zoo in a single day.

Enjoy the great nature of Sapporo at the National Takino Suzuran Hillside Park

Want to enjoy more of Hokkaido’s natural beauty?
If so, we recommend the National Takino Suzuran Hillside Park, which is located slightly outside of Sapporo City.

It is located 18 kilometers south of downtown Sapporo and can be reached in about 40 minutes by car.

In spring, tulips and other flowers bloom all over this park, and many tourists can be seen enjoying the beautiful flowers.

It also features a large site, covering a whopping 400 hectares, equivalent to about 85 Tokyo Domes!
It is truly Hokkaido, and it is huge.

Here, visitors can not only enjoy more than 800 varieties of flowers and grasses blooming like a colorful carpet, but also see various types of quaint waterfalls, including “Ashiribetsu Falls,” which was selected as one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan.
Visitors can enjoy the sight and sound of falling water while the pleasant spring breeze blows.

In this park, visitors can rent bicycles and enjoy a variety of activities such as fishing, playing in the water, and park golf.

Gourmet food in the park is also recommended, and you may want to have lunch at a log house-style facility set up on the premises.

The park is also home to Takino Ramen, a local B-class gourmet dish that can only be tasted here, and from spring, when the weather gets warmer, a Yakiniku Garden will be set up where you can enjoy Hokkaido’s famous Genghis Khan in the midst of nature.
The park is recommended for those who want to enjoy themselves in a gourmet environment.

Admission is 450 yen for adults over 15 years old, and free for children under 15 years old.

Road bike to experience Sapporo’s spring

For those who want to get a little more physical, we recommend a tour where you can enjoy the great outdoors while riding a road bike.
This cycling plan allows you to enjoy road biking while viewing the vast agricultural landscape.

In addition to spectacular scenery, the tour will take you on a 15 to 30 km, full-day tour of fashionable cafes and restaurants, thoroughbred farms, and famous beer commercial filming locations.
This is a highly recommended tour for beginners as well, as the course is adjusted according to your level and condition.

If you are driving in Sapporo, go to Nakayama Pass for “Age-imo (Fried Potatoes)”

Quoted：素敵に一人旅

Many visitors to Sapporo probably rent a car and drive to see the sights.
For such people, we recommend “Boyo Nakayama,” a roadside station located on Nakayama Pass, a mountain pass connecting Minami Ward in Sapporo City and Kimobetsu Town.

It takes about one hour by car from the center of Sapporo, and many touring enthusiasts visit this place to enjoy nature while driving at their leisure.

Here, you can eat “Age-imo,” a specialty of Nakayama Pass.
Literally, it is a simple gourmet dish of potatoes deep-fried in oil, with three sweet potatoes stuck in it.

Hokkaido is known for its delicious vegetables nurtured in its rich nature.
In addition to the gourmet food, the roadside station also has an observation deck on the second floor, which offers a spectacular view of Mount Yotei when the weather is nice.

Tables and chairs are available outside the roadside station, so you can enjoy the spring breeze while taking pictures with delicious roadside station food.

Spring Sapporo Activity and Food Summary

Spring in Sapporo is a very comfortable season with relatively fine weather and temperatures that are neither too hot nor too cold.

Outside activities are good, and if you visit during Golden Week, which is also the cherry blossom blooming season in Hokkaido, you can have Genghis Khan outside and enjoy Hokkaido’s gourmet food.
By all means, use this article as a guide to enjoy Sapporo in spring!

For Hokkaido activity experiences visit Basho Trip