| Sapporo
Year-Round: Attractions and Events in Four Seasons
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New Year Celebrations
Colorful winter kimonos can be seen among the crowds as families
and friends flock to their local shrines at beginning of the
New Year.
[From
January 1 ~]
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Snow Festival
Huge replicas of world famous architecture made from snow, as
well as delicately crafted ice sculptures, can be seen at this
internationally famous festival.
[1st
week in February] |
Ski Jump
Sapporo plays host to world cup ski jumping, where the knowledgeable
crowd greets visiting competitors with as much enthusiasm as
the local Olympic heroes.
[Early
March] |
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Hanami
Hanami, quite literally "looking at the flowers"
signals the start of the outdoor season in Hokkaido and day-long
"Genghis Khan" barbecues are popular under
the plum and cherry blossoms in the city parks.
[Early
May]
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Lilac Festival
Late May sees the blooming of Sapporo's official tree, the lilac,
and Odori Park awakes from the long winter with a variety of
lilac-related attractions.
[Late
May]
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Yosakoi
Soran
This relatively new carnival now plays a major role in Sapporo's
social calendar.
[Mid-June] |
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Firework Displays
The latest pyrotechnology is on show in a series of firework
displays sponsored by local newspaper companies, along the
Toyohira Riverbanks in late July and early August.
[Late
July ~ early August]
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Bon Odori
Traditional dancing, drums, and yukata , the summer
kimono, make for a truly Japanese atmosphere. Join
in or just watch this week-long nightly ritual to welcome
back the spirits of the deceased.
[Mid-August]
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| Beer Festival
Odori Park is transformed into a beer drinker's paradise for
two weeks in summer as major domestic breweries, foreign makers,
and local micro-breweries set up beer gardens in central Sapporo.
[Mid-July
~ early August] |
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Pacific Music
Festival
Founded in 1990 by the late Leonard Bernstein, this international
classical music festival, designed to foster the talents and
development of young musicians, takes place at various locations
in Sapporo every summer.
[Early
July ~ early August] |
| Hokkaido Marathon
A major event on the sporting calendar as internationally
renowned athletes and local runners take to the streets of
Sapporo in this annual event.
[Late
August] |
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Shichi-go-san
The climate here makes Shichi-go-san in Sapporo a little
earlier than other parts of Japan, as seven, five, and three-year
old children in charming kimonos are taken to the shrine
for this traditional ceremony.
[October
15]
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Kanpukai
Traditionally known as momiji gari in other parts of
Japan, Kanpukai is the Hokkaido word for the customary
trip into the countryside to see the beautiful autumn leaves
that are so abundant around Sapporo.
[Late
October ~ early November]
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| Regional Product
Fair
Regional cities, towns, and villages from throughout Hokkaido
gather in Odori Park each September to promote and sell their
local delicacies.
[Early
September] |
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Salmon Return
Upstream
As the autumn leaves turn brown and start to fall, salmon
can be seen in the Toyohira River as they pass through Sapporo
city-center on their way to the spawning grounds upstream.
[Mid-September
~ late November] |
Chrysanthemum
Festival
Over 800 examples of Japan's national flower the chrysanthemum,
are displayed at selected sites in Sapporo's underground shopping
malls.
[Late
October ~ early November] |
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| White Illumination
Sapporo's main street and central Odori Park are transformed
into a kaleidoscope of light, as trees are decorated with
millions of tiny light bulbs and light sculptures are erected
along the park, providing a romantic backdrop for the strolling
couples.
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[Mid-November
~ early January (Odori Park),
Mid-November ~ mid-February (Eki Mae Street)]
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German Christmas
Market in Sapporo
[Mid-December] |
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Toshinose
The Japanese prepare for a fresh start in the New Year by firstly
clearing out the old. This involves physically cleaning the year's
accumulated grime and also "forgetting" all the bad things
at bonenkai parties.
[December] |
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