Best time to visit Hokkaido

Our verdict

The best time to visit Hokkaido is April-June

Hokkaido is a place lots of people visit almost all year round, but if you’re looking for the best time to go, April-June is definitely the time you should visit. This is based on a number of factors such as the weather, cost of flights and accommodation, peak travel periods and more.

In summer, the average maximum temperature in Sapporo climbs to around 24℃ (75℉), but temperatures can sometimes reach as high as 26℃ (79℉) on the hottest days of the year. The coldest it usually gets in winter-time in Sapporo is around -12℃ (10℉). Temperatures can often differ in other locations in Hokkaido, so be sure to continue reading if you plan on visiting elsewhere.

If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Hokkaido, or you’re just afraid of the dark, the days in August are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset. You don’t want to get wet on your holiday, do you? Well if you’re trying to avoid the rain, then steer clear of Hokkaido in August. Head there in April instead if you want to increase your chances of not being rained on.

Keep reading to read all the info you need (and none of the stuff you don’t) about the best times to go to Hokkaido. By the time you get to the bottom, you’ll have found out all there is to know about when to go, and you’ll be ready to start booking your flights! Who knows, we might even have some surprises waiting for you when you get there!

Warmest month

August

Least rainfall

April

Most daylight

August

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Hokkaido seasons

Before you plan your trip, it’s important to know when the seasons are as they may be different to yours depending on where you’re travelling from. Hokkaido is in the Northern hemisphere, so the seasons fall on:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Best time to visit the top destinations in Hokkaido

We’ve put together a breakdown of the average minimum and maximum temperatures by month, as well as the best times to visit for each. To learn more about these destinations including detailed climate breakdowns and much more, click or tap the city/destination name below.

CityBest time to visitJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
SapporoApril-May
-4℃
-10℃
-3℃
-10℃
1℃
-6℃
8℃
1℃
16℃
7℃
19℃
11℃
24℃
15℃
24℃
16℃
20℃
12℃
13℃
6℃
6℃
-0℃
-1℃
-7℃
HakodateNovember
0℃
-3℃
0℃
-4℃
4℃
-0℃
8℃
4℃
14℃
9℃
17℃
13℃
21℃
18℃
23℃
20℃
21℃
17℃
15℃
11℃
9℃
5℃
3℃
-1℃
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Top FAQs

Hokkaido is in Asia.
You can check out the full list of awesome destinations and hidden gems to explore in Hokkaido here.
The warmest month of the year in Sapporo, one of the most popular places to visit in Hokkaido, is August.
The driest month of the year in Sapporo, Hokkaido, is usually around April each year.

Hokkaido map