Hokkaido, where Sapporo is located, is a popular tourist destination during the winter. It is also famous for the lavender flowers that bloom in Furano during June and July. However, many people come to Sapporo to witness the snowy scenery during winter. Therefore, March and April are not recommended as travel destinations. Because of the Sapporo weather where the snow is melting. Despite this, many people are interested in traveling during this time of year because of the cheap air tickets.
As I am currently traveling in Sapporo in mid-March, I would like to share the weather conditions here. Over the course of five days, from March 15th to 20th, I will share all the weather conditions that I have experienced while traveling in Hokkaido, including Nobori Betsu, Hakodate, Biei, and Otaru.
Sapporo Weather
From the airplane, Sapporo looked snowless. After arriving at Sapporo Station from New Chitose Airport, I checked the sidewalks and found that most of the roads had no snow. Only a small part of the road had a few muddy spots where the snow had not been cleared.
It was chilly in the evening, and people on the streets wore padded jackets or light coats. The temperature difference between day and night was significant. There were days when I had to put on my down jacket while walking around downtown Sapporo in the evening.
On March 20, the last day of my trip, the weather was warm, but in Nakajima Park, there were still many places where the snow had not yet melted. For those who want to see snow, we recommend a visit to Nakajima Park.
Nobori Betsu
From Sapporo, I took the JR train with a rail pass and moved to Nobori Betsu. As I moved to Noboribetsu, saw a lot of unmelted snow, probably because it was a mountain. The wind was blowing quite a bit, so I took out my padding and put it on when I went to Hell Valley(Jigokudani).
The next day, I took the JR from Noboribetsu to Hakodate. It was a snowy day. There was no wind around Nobori Betsu, so it wasn’t very cold, and since I was going to move right away by train, I put the padding in my suitcase and went to the train station wearing a jacket.
Hakodate
We arrived in Hakodate on March 17 and found that there was little snow. As the city is located south of Sapporo, it is difficult to find snow on the streets. Despite the windy and chilly weather, I went sightseeing, taking care to keep warm with padding. The wind was particularly strong near the sea. Although it sometimes snows, the snow melted as soon as it hit the ground and did not accumulate.
The next day, March 18, the weather was completely different from the previous day, and the sun was bright and warm. So, I traveled wearing a light jacket. This day really felt like spring weather.
Biei
On March 19, I took a day trip to Biei from Sapporo using the JR Rail Pass. Instead of the basic sightseeing course, I focused on Biei Village and White Beard Falls.I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to see snow-covered fields. However, that worry was quickly dispelled.
Both Asaikawa Station and Biei Station were neatly cleared of snow on foot and roads, but snow was piled up everywhere.
It’s not recommended to travel by rental car, especially in the middle of winter when there is a high risk of accidents. Although March is still snowy, roads and sidewalks are cleared, and there is no need to worry about further snow accumulation. It’s a good time to explore Biei by rental car.
Otaru
The weather in Otaru on March 20th was similar to Sapporo. It felt cold when the wind blew in a little chilly weather, but it wasn’t the weather that required wearing padding.
Conclusion
Spring is coming to Hokkaido, and soon the snow in the mountains will melt, making the weather milder. You’ll be able to travel around Sapporo without padding. However, it’s still important to bring warm clothes in March. Sometimes it’s warm because the weather is not as cold as expected, but it’s still better to be prepared. Light clothes may not be enough, so consider bringing padding, even though it can be bulky.
It’s been warm lately, and Sapporo has melted a lot of snow. However, the snow hasn’t melted yet in Biei, which is north. But due to the warm weather, the snow is likely to melt soon. If you’re planning a trip to Hokkaido soon, visit Biei as soon as possible to see Hokkaido’s snowy scenery.
I hope you check the weather and prepare for a pleasant trip to Sapporo and Hokkaido.
