A festival to enjoy lilac fragrance, music, and spring in Sapporo
Sapporo Lilac Festival
The 2026 edition of Sapporo Lilac Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/20 〜 2026/05/31Ended
- Season / frequency
- Around mid-May each year / Every year
- Location
- Odori Park, Kawashimo Park
- Area
- Hokkaido・Sapporo City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free admission (varies by event)
- Age restrictions
- Events for all ages
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This annual spring event lets visitors enjoy flowers, music, cultural experiences, and Hokkaido flavors at Odori Park and Kawashimo Park, during the season when Sapporo’s city tree, the lilac, is in full bloom.
About Sapporo Lilac Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: K. Takeda File:Sapporo Lilac Festival.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Sapporo Lilac Festival is a spring event where visitors can enjoy culture, music, and food in Sapporo during the season when lilacs are in full bloom.
Flower viewing and a variety of events take place at Odori Park and Kawashimo Park.
Lilacs are beloved by Sapporo residents and were selected as “Sapporo’s city tree” in 1960.
It has become an established festival marking the end of the long winter and the arrival of the season for spending time outdoors.
Source: さっぽろライラックまつり｜開催概要
Festival highlights
At the Odori venue, enjoy a music festival, wine garden, and stamp rally while admiring around 400 lilac trees.
In 2026, there were also outdoor tea ceremonies, calligraphy experiences, sketching, a handmade market, and ikebana displays.
At the Kawashimo venue, guided tours and concerts are held in a lilac forest where more than 200 varieties bloom.
Highlights include the chance to enjoy the fragrance of the flowers alongside Hokkaido wines and sweets, music, and cultural experiences.
Source: 2026さっぽろライラックまつり開催のお知らせ | 投稿 | イベント | ようこそさっぽろ
A festival to enjoy lilac fragrance, music, and spring in Sapporo
What to expect
Stroll around the venues and admire the lilacs, then enjoy music stages and concerts, a wine garden, and food stalls.
The Odori venue offers cultural experiences such as tea, calligraphy, sketching, and handmade crafts, while at the Kawashimo venue you can join guided tours, quiz rallies, and craft workshops.
Kawashimo Park also hosts lilac seedling giveaways and sales, as well as performances by schools and community groups.
The festival offers a mix of experiences: creating, learning, listening, and sampling, as well as simply viewing the flowers.
Source: ライラックまつりin川下公園のご案内 | 川下公園
How to take part
General visitors can enjoy strolling around the venues, music, flower viewing, and food stalls.
The Lilac guided tour at the Kawashimo venue does not require a reservation. Participants meet in front of the Relax Plaza main entrance before the tour begins.
There are also activities visitors can take part in, such as a quiz rally, workshops, and a festival fair.
Free saplings are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. In 2026, they were given to the first 150 people from 9 a.m. on May 30.
No advance application is specified as necessary for general admission or viewing the flowers.
The guided tour at the Kawashimo venue does not require a reservation. Participants meet before each tour begins.
Free saplings are distributed by numbered ticket to the first 150 people from 9 a.m. on May 30.
Some activities, such as crafts and food events, may require separate on-site registration or have separate fees, so check the details for each activity you want to join.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The Odori venue is at Odori Park, West 5-chome to 7-chome (Odori Nishi 5-chome to 7-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo), and the Kawashimo venue is at Kawashimo Park (2651-3 Kawashimo and surrounding area, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo).
- Train and bus
The Odori venue is right outside Odori Station on the Namboku, Tozai, and Toho subway lines.
For the Kawashimo venue, take the Chuo Bus Shiro 24 Kawashimo Line from Shiroishi Station on the Tozai Line to Kawashimo Koen-mae, then walk 1 minute.
From Sapporo Station, take the Chuo Bus 55 Shiroishi Main Line to Shiroishi High School Main Gate, then walk 5 minutes.
- By car
Kawashimo Park can be reached by car.
Visitors are advised to use public transportation to reach the Odori venue.
- Parking
Kawashimo Park has parking lots by the picnic area, by the baseball field, and in front of the Relax Plaza.
There is no parking at the Odori venue.
Source: さっぽろライラックまつり｜イベント｜【公式】北海道の観光・旅行情報サイト HOKKAIDO LOVE!
Address Odori venue: Odori Nishi 5-chome to 7-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo / Kawashimo venue: 2651-3 Kawashimo and surrounding area, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the Odori venue was held from May 20 to May 31, and events at 5-chome ran from May 20 to May 24.
The Kawashimo venue runs for 2 days, May 30 and May 31.
The festival is usually held around mid-May, when the lilacs are in full bloom.
The schedules and programs differ between the Odori and Kawashimo venues, so it’s a good idea to check the dates for the venue you plan to visit before setting out.
Source: さっぽろライラックまつり - Wikipedia
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Hokkaido / Sapporo City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The dates and event programs differ between the Odori and Kawashimo venues.
Free seedling distribution at the Kawashimo venue is held only on Saturday mornings and is limited to the first 150 people, so those interested should arrive around the distribution start time.
Some events may be changed or canceled in case of rain.
Food and drink events such as the wine garden may have separate charges, even though admission to the festival as a whole is free.
Source: さっぽろライラックまつり｜アクセス
Nearby attractions
The Odori venue is located in Odori Park, making it a central place to enjoy the festival’s flowers and music.
Nearby attractions include Odori Park, the Former Hokkaido Government Office (Red Brick Office), the Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens, and Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade.
Kitakaro Sapporo Main Store, Akarenga Terrace, and Odori Bisse are also introduced as nearby spots in Sapporo.
If you plan to combine visits, check each facility’s operating status and opening hours separately.
大通公園
北海道札幌市中央区にある公園
写真：redlegsfan21 / CC BY-SA 2.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
さっぽろ羊ヶ丘展望台
北海道札幌市豊平区羊ケ丘にある観光名所
写真：ykso / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
モエレ沼公園
札幌市東区にある公園
写真：もんもん at Japanese Wikipedia / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
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北海道博物館
札幌市厚別区にある道立博物館
写真：禁樹なずな / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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北海道神宮
北海道札幌市中央区にある神社
写真：Daigaku2051 / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
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北海道立真駒内公園
札幌市南区にある道立公園
写真：ja:利用者:もんもん / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
北海道開拓の村
北海道札幌市厚別区にある野外博物館
写真：t-konno / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
大倉山ジャンプ競技場
札幌市中央区にあるジャンプ競技場・展望台
写真：Hwoarang17 / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
札幌宮の森美術館
札幌市中央区にあった美術館
写真：Guillaumb / CC BY 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
札幌市アイヌ文化交流センター
博物館相当施設
写真：禁樹なずな / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
札幌芸術の森
札幌市南区にある複合文化施設・公園
写真：札幌芸術の森美術館 / CC0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
サッポロビール博物館
札幌市東区にあるビールの博物館
写真：The original uploader was K. Takeda at Japanese Wikipedia . / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Sapporo Lilac Festival
The Sapporo Lilac Festival began in 1959, following a call from cultural figures to “hold a culturally inspiring event during the season when the lilacs are in full bloom.”
The first festival was held at Odori Park’s 4-chome, and the following year, in 1960, the lilac was selected as Sapporo’s city tree.
Sapporo’s lilacs are said to date back to 1889, when Sarah Clara Smith brought them from the United States.
Kawashimo Park was added as a venue from the 50th festival, and the event is now held at two venues.
Official information
Official information is available on the Sapporo Lilac Festival website run by the Sapporo Tourist Association.
You can check event details for the Odori and Kawashimo venues, venue guides, access, and various events.
Details of events at Kawashimo Park, including seedling giveaways, guided tours, concerts, and workshops, are also posted in notices from the Kawashimo Park Management Office.
Source: さっぽろライラックまつり｜公式ホームページ
Sapporo Lilac Festival at a Glance
The Sapporo Lilac Festival is a spring festival celebrating flowers, music, cultural experiences, and Hokkaido flavors, centered on the lilac, Sapporo’s city tree.
Odori Park hosts a variety of events in the city center, while at Kawashimo Park you can join guided walks through the lilac forest, make crafts, and enjoy performances.
In 2026, it was held from May 20 to May 31, and the Kawashimo venue was scheduled for May 30 and 31.
Check the dates for each venue and be aware that events may change in case of rain.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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