Enjoy cherry blossom festivals and delicious food! 10 recommended events in Hokkaido [April 2025]｜Domingo

In April, Hokkaido will host a variety of spring-like events, including festivals to enjoy flowers such as cherry blossoms and azaleas, as well as food and fashion events. Here are 10 recommended events for April.

1

A cherry blossom festival filled with history and atmosphere: the 77th Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival (Matsumae Town)

Image source: Hokkaido Matsumae Tourism and Products Association

This spring event is held in Matsumae Town, one of Hokkaido’s most famous cherry blossom viewing spots. Approximately 10,000 cherry trees of 250 different varieties bloom one after another, allowing you to enjoy cherry blossom viewing for about a month. The area is lit up at night, creating a fantastical view that is different from the daytime. A variety of events are planned during the event, including food stalls and local performing arts and performance shows on stage.

2

Enjoy early spring at Hokkaido’s most famous cherry blossom spot: the 62nd Shizunai Cherry Blossom Festival (Shinhidaka Town)

Image source: Shinhidaka Town

This cherry blossom festival is held in Shinhidaka Town, another famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Hokkaido. The magnificent cherry blossom lined road stretches for about 7km in a straight line, creating a spectacular pink tunnel-like view that attracts many tourists. In addition to being able to enjoy the spectacular scenery, which has been selected as one of the “100 Best Roads in Japan,” “100 Best Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots,” and “Hokkaido Heritage,” various events such as outdoor stalls are held every year.

3

A beautiful tunnel of cherry blossoms welcomes visitors at the 58th Yushun no Sato Urakawa Cherry Blossom Festival (Urakawa Town)

Image source: Hokkaido Tourism Organization

A traditional festival that colors the spring of Hidaka and Urakawa Town. The cherry blossom tunnel of “Yushun Sakura Road”, where more than 1,000 Siberian cherry trees are in full bloom over a distance of about 3 km, is a spectacular sight. In addition, the cherry blossom tunnel will be lit up, and the “Urakawa Ghost Cherry Blossom”, one of the largest in Hokkaido, will be open to the public.

4

“SAPPORO COLLECTION 2025 SPRING/SUMMER” (Sapporo City) presents trends perfect for the upcoming season

Image source: Sapporo Collection Executive Committee

Affectionately known as “Satsukore,” this is one of Hokkaido’s largest fashion and culture events. This time, the event will have the same theme as “Okinawa Collection 2025” to be held in Okinawa, “Venus,” and will feature a special stage that combines the nature, culture, and sensibilities of the north and south. Popular models and artists, as well as models and influencers from Hokkaido, will gather to share the latest trends.

5

Enjoy the flavors of Kuriyama Town’s familiar long-established stores at the “Kuriyama Long-Established Stores Festival 2025” (Kuriyama Town)

Image source: Kuriyama Town

This is a representative event of Kuriyama Town, beloved as “Hokkaido’s earliest spring festival.” Kobayashi Sake Brewery, founded in 1878, hosts the “Kita no Nishiki Sake Brewery Festival,” where you can tour the brewery and purchase limited edition sake, while Tanida Confectionery, founded in 1913, holds the “Kibi Dango Festival,” where you can see the manufacturing process of kibi dango, which is made with natural ingredients, and purchase the product. In addition, the “Furusato Countryside Festival,” which brings together popular gourmet foods from one neighboring city and four towns, is also held at the same time. It is crowded with many people every year.

6

Talk show to learn about the sound and music of movies “Movie Night Spring Special Edition ” (Sapporo)

Image source: Movie Night

“Movie Night” is a place where movie lovers gather to enjoy a relaxed discussion of movies over a beer. Welcoming film sound engineer Izumi Matsuno as a special guest, we will focus on the “sound” and “music” of movies. How movie sound is made, how it is recorded, and other topics will be discussed on the day – it’s a surprise. Enjoy a rare evening where you can learn about the world of movie sound production.

7

Enjoy azaleas and local flavors at the 67th Honbetsu Sankei Azalea Festival (Hombetsu Town)

Image source: Honbetsu Town

A festival to enjoy with the Siberian purple azalea and Siberian wild cherry blossoms in full bloom at Honbetsu Park. A variety of events will be held, including the festival’s specialty “Jumbo Yoshitsune Nabe” made in a large pot with locally produced ingredients, a bingo tournament, and a stage show to liven up the venue. Enjoy the arrival of spring with your family and friends surrounded by azaleas and cherry blossoms.

8

Experience harvesting precious birch sap at the 27th Bifuka Birch Sap Spring Festival 2025 (Bifuka Town)

Image source: Bifuka Town

This event allows you to experience harvesting birch sap, which can only be collected during the limited period of snowmelt. The event begins with the “Kamuinomi” ceremony, in which the Ainu people offer prayers to the gods. In addition to the sap harvesting experience, there are plenty of other programs to enjoy nature, such as snowshoe walks and an early spring kite flying competition. Sap coffee and sap tea are offered, and local specialty products are sold, allowing you to fully enjoy the spring bounty of Bifuka Town.

9

Freely compare teas from around the world at “World Tea Festival – Free Tasting Event Lupicia Grand Marche Sapporo” (Sapporo City)

Image source: Lupicia Co., Ltd.

A luxurious tasting event where you can enjoy teas from around the world to your heart’s content. You can freely taste more than 65 types of tea, including black tea, green tea, oolong tea, flavored tea, and herbal tea. In addition, there are booths where you can enjoy sweets and food unique to Lupicia, a must-see for tea lovers. Why not enjoy the world of fragrant tea to your heart’s content?

10

A huge gathering of nostalgic antiques at the 13th Annual Extra-Large Antique Market (Sapporo City)

Image source: NPO Concarinho

The antique market is known as a spring tradition in Kotoni, Sapporo. More than 20 antique stores from inside and outside Hokkaido gather, and nostalgic items from the Taisho and Showa eras are lined up. These one-of-a-kind items that have been passed down through time bring warmth and healing to the modern day. The market is open until 9pm on the first and second days, so you can stop by on your way home from work.

■Date and time: April 4th (Fri) to 6th (Sun)

・First Night Market: Friday, April 4th, 17:00-21:00

Chunichi City: Saturday, April 5th, 12:00-21:00

Final show: Sunday, April 6th, 10:00-17:00

■ Admission: Free

■ Venue: Concarinho, a lifestyle support cultural facility (1F The Tower Place, 2-10 Hachiken 1-jo Nishi 1-chome, Nishi-ku, Sapporo)

For details and maps of the 13th Annual Extra-Large Antique Market, click here.

*All information posted is current as of March 2025.

*All published information may be subject to change, so please check the official website for details.