The YOSAKOI Soran Festival is a harbinger of early summer in Sapporo, inspired by the powerful Yosakoi dance witnessed by Hokkaido University students in Kochi. They brought a similar event to Sapporo, mixing the Yosakoi Festival with Hokkaido's folk song Soran Bushi in 1992.

Starting with just ten teams, the festival has grown into a major event with about 30,000 participants from Japan and abroad, thanks to the dancers' dynamic performances and unique costumes.

Odori Park, the main venue, hosts performances by all teams. Experience the unique energy that envelops Sapporo for five days in early summer.

During early summer, Sapporo city comes alive with various exciting events, including the Hokkaido Shrine Festival that takes place every year from June 14 to 16.

The festival, also known as Sapporo Matsuri, has been celebrated for over a century.

The highlight of the festival is the Mikoshi Togyo parade on June 16, where citizens dressed in Heian-period costumes march through the city with four mikoshi (portable shrines) and eight floats, leaving onlookers captivated with their stunning appearance.

Visitors can also enjoy traditional dedicatory performances and sample various local delicacies at the food stalls located within the shrine precinct and Nakajima Park, creating a festive atmosphere. Take this opportunity to experience Japan's rich traditions and culture at the Hokkaido Shrine Festival.

The Shiraoi Beef Festival is an annual food event that attracts around 50,000 visitors. It is held on the first weekend of June at Porotominato, located north of Shiraoi Station.

The festival is famous for serving delicious Shiraoi beef, including 100% Shiraoi-produced Kuroge Wagyu beef hamburgers and festival-exclusive Shiraoi burgers, among other food items. With approximately 1,200 charcoal grills, the festival area is filled with mouthwatering smoke and aromas.

The highlight of the festival is the limited sale of the Whole Roasted Kuroge Wagyu Beef. If you attend the festival, you can indulge in the tastes of Shiraoi to your heart's content.

The Dosin-UHB Fireworks Festival, also known as the Toyohira River Fireworks Festival, is held every late July in central Sapporo.

The event features about 4,000 fireworks launches that include wide starmines and creative fireworks displays. The program is divided into three parts, with the grand finale being the most breathtaking. The successive fireworks displays in the final part will draw cheers from the crowd.

You can watch the event from different locations around the city, including the riverbank, in front of Nakajima Park's observatory, Horohira Bridge, and the Ferris wheel at Norbesa commercial building. Choose your favorite spot and enjoy the stunning spectacle.

The Sapporo Summer Festival is a major summer event in Sapporo, held annually from late July to early August, starting with the Sapporo Odori Beer Garden. Sapporo's climate is ideal for brewing beer, and the Sapporo Brewery was established during the pioneer era. The beer garden, held in six blocks of Odori Park, is one of the largest in Japan, bustling with people.

In mid-August, Hokkai Bon Odori takes place at Odori Park West 2 Block. Bon Odori, a ritual to honor ancestors, features dancing in a circle around a yagura tower with Japanese drums. Dancing in yukatas to the Hokkai Bon Uta and drums, you'll feel the essence of Japan. Various events also take place in the Tanukikoji and Susukino areas. Enjoy Sapporo's brief summer with the locals.

The Otaru Ushio Festival takes place over three days in late July at Otaru Port's #3 Pier. It has been held annually since 1967 and has become a well-established event among the locals. The festival offers a chance to experience the essence of Hokkaido and Otaru.

Some of the highlights of the festival include the Otaru Ushio Ondo and Ushio Odori Uta, which are parades that pass through the streets. Teams from local businesses and organizations participate in these events, and anyone can join in. On the final day of the festival, there is the Ushio Citizen Regatta boat race, as well as a parade of fishing and houseboats in Otaru Harbor.

This is the main event of the festival and is capped off by a fireworks display.

If you're visiting Sapporo, the festival is only a 50-minute drive away, and it's definitely worth checking out.

From late June to early August, the Furano area, about a 2-hour and 10-minute drive from Sapporo, bursts into color. The Nakafurano Lavender Festival in July turns the hillsides purple with lavender, filling the town with a perfume-like fragrance.

The Kitahoshiyama Lavender Garden is a wonderful place to visit, especially for its beautiful views. You can enjoy the pastoral landscape from the summit by taking a 5-minute tourist lift ride. At night, you can watch a spectacular fireworks display that is themed around lavender, which will paint the sky with beautiful colors. This promises to be an unforgettable experience. You can visit the garden as if you're going on a picnic.

The Rising Sun Rock Festival is one of the biggest outdoor music festivals in Japan, held every August. The festival's name represents the experience of welcoming the sunrise (Rising Sun) after a night-long celebration.

Multiple stages are set up in an industrial area near Ishikari Bay New Port Tarukawa Pier, featuring a diverse lineup of artists. The 2023 festival attracted 64,000 attendees with around 70 artists performing, creating a frenzy among the audience.

A shuttle bus service operates from Asabu Station to the venue. The 2024 festival is scheduled for August 16 and 17. Ticket information will be announced in February, and sales will start in March in stages. Please check the official website for details.

In Japan, the period of mid-August is known as Obon. It is believed that during this time, the spirits of the deceased return to their former homes. The Bon Odori is a ritual that is performed to welcome these spirits with joy. The grand Bon Odori dance festival is held in Mikasa City, which is the birthplace of the Hokkai Bon Uta.

Central Park in Mikasa City sets up a special tower for Bon Odori, where people dance in circles from August 13 to 15. Anyone can join in and the simple choreography can be learned within minutes. An evening fireworks festival is also held on the final day at 7 PM.

The festival offers a quintessential Hokkaido summer experience and is just a 30-minute drive from Sapporo.

Noboribetsu Onsen, about a 1-hour and 50-minute drive from Sapporo on the expressway, is home to an active volcanic valley known as "Hell Valley (Jigokudani)." The Noboribetsu Jigokudani Festival, inspired by this hellish landscape, is held annually on the last Saturday and Sunday of August.

Legend has it that "the gates of Hell's cauldron open, and Enma, the King of Hell, visits the hot spring town with his demons."

The festival features Noboribetsu drums, demon mikoshi (portable shrines) carried by local junior high students, and demon dances, with Enma also parading through Paradise Street. The demon mikoshi tumult is a highlight, with about 100 young people bravely carrying a nearly one-ton red demon mikoshi. The finale, Jigokudani Burst Fireworks, fills the valley with a spectacular display of fireworks.

The Hakodate Port Festival is one of Hokkaido's oldest events. It was first held in 1935 to comfort and rebuild after the Great Hakodate Fire, and has over 80 years of history. The festival has five parts, starting with a fireworks show that lights up the night sky from Green Island in Hakodate Harbor. With few high-rise buildings in the city, the fireworks can be viewed from various locations, including Mount Hakodate, offering a breathtaking view.

Wasshoi Hakodate is the main event of the festival, and sees about 20,000 citizens in various costumes dancing through the streets to the Hakodate Port Dance and Hakodate Squid Dance, which everyone is said to know. It is easy to learn the dances, so practicing from the official website and joining in is recommended.

Travel to Hakodate takes about 4 hours by express train or 4.5 hours via the expressway from Sapporo. The festival concludes with an awards ceremony on the final day. Everyone is welcome to participate, so enjoy!

In Hokkaido, the saying goes, "Once Obon passes, autumn arrives quickly," highlighting the brief warm season. That's why the locals fully immerse themselves in enjoying festivals. Beyond those introduced, there are various events, including small community festivals and food-centric celebrations. Visit these festivals to experience the beauty of Hokkaido.

(Note: The information in this article is as of February 2024. Please check the official websites for the latest information.)