Fun Things to Do in Sapporo in Fall (September/October/November): Events, Festivals & More!

Getting Around Sapporo and Hokkaido

Choosing the right transportation can make exploring Sapporo and Hokkaido much easier and more affordable.

For Long Distances: The JR Hokkaido Rail Pass
For longer journeys, the JR Hokkaido Rail Pass is a great option. Available in 5- and 7-day versions, it offers unlimited travel on JR Hokkaido trains, including Limited Express services. If you’re planning trips to destinations like Hakodate, the pass can quickly pay for itself.

For Rural Exploring: Renting a Car
For exploring beyond the city, renting a car is often the best choice. Popular spots such as Hakkenzan Orchard, Moerenuma Park, and Jozankei Onsen are easier to reach by car than by public transportation.

For Central Sapporo: Stick to Public Transit
If you’re staying in central Sapporo around Odori Park, Tanukikoji Shopping Street, and Susukino, public transit is usually the better option. The subway system is fast, convenient, and often more practical than driving and paying for city-center parking.

1. September Events in Sapporo

Theme Parks & Leisure Events

Shiroi Koibito Park Nya Halloween 2026

Shiroi Koiibito via PR Times

From September 3, Shiroi Koibito Park switches over to Halloween with seasonal decorations, sweets, photo spots, and special events running through the end of October. The popular pumpkin carriage photo spot returns for 2026, while this year’s Halloween menu includes Ghost Chocolate Fondue made with Shiroi Koibito white chocolate, an Eyeball Squash topped with a gummy eye, and the Black Cat’s Sweet Temptation parfait with black Shiroi Koibito soft serve, raspberry sauce, and chestnut whipped cream.

The park has also confirmed the return of its mission style horror event, Black Feathers Lead the Way: Fear Hide and Seek 2026, which takes place after dark and has regularly filled to capacity in previous years. A Halloween costume photo contest and a costume admission campaign are also included in the 2026 lineup, with further details still to be announced, so stay tuned!

Jozankei Nature Luminarie 2026

Image credit: Jozankei Nature Luminarie (Image from previous event)

Jozankei Nature Luminarie is a long-running premium night event held in the Jozankei hot spring area from June 1 to October 31, and September is a good month for travelers staying in Jozankei, as the lighting starts earlier than in midsummer.

The event uses the rich natural walking path from Futami Park to Futami Suspension Bridge as its stage, with the creative group NAKED producing projection mapping, illumination, sound, and light effects. Its most strategically distinctive feature is that admission is limited to guests staying in the Jozankei area.

By turning a nighttime illuminated walk into an incentive to stay overnight, it is designed to support the local economy through tourism. Entry is limited to guests staying at participating Jozankei accommodations, so bring your accommodation ticket or confirmation with you when heading to the entrance. If you’re not sure where to stay, don’t worry–we’ve recommended a couple spots just below!

Takino Suzuran Hillside Park Cosmos Festa 2026

Takino Suzuran Hillside Park’s Country Garden shifts from summer flowers into its autumn color season with Cosmos Festa. The open hillsides make this one of Sapporo’s best flower outings in September, especially for families who want a spacious park day with playgrounds, walking paths, and seasonal flower beds all in the same place.

The 2026 festival runs for the second half of September, when the cosmos are scheduled to be the main flower display. The park’s autumn events are weather dependent, so check the official event page before visiting if you are timing your trip around peak bloom.

Hakkenzan Orchard Camping, BBQ, & BIG FUN Garden Party

BIG FUN returns to Hakkenzan Orchard on September 6, bringing its annual outdoor music party back to the orchards and open fields at the foot of Mt. Hakkenzan. The surrounding area has plenty to keep visitors busy during a September outing, including seasonal fruit and vegetable harvesting, a fishing pond, craft activities, and nearby horseback riding facilities.

Hakkenzan is also home to a campground, and its barbecue house serves charcoal grilled jingisukan and barbecue with views of the mountain. This month also falls within the orchard’s autumn activity season, when plums and vegetable harvesting are among the seasonal experiences available (harvest conditions may vary). Visitors staying longer can also use the orchard for camping, with the Mt. Hakkenzan trailhead located nearby.

Traditional Japanese Festivals and Events

Historical Village of Hokkaido Autumn Festival

The Historical Village of Hokkaido marks September with an autumn festival inside its open air museum of relocated Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa buildings. The program includes a display connected to autumn festivals through the month, then expands over the holiday period with performances, festival stalls, food programs, and hands on activities.

September 20 is the main day for shrine style performances, including a miko dance, children’s mikoshi, and Nopporo Daikagura. From September 20 to 23, visitors can also try kagura costume experiences, watch street performances, buy seasonal produce, and sample harvested crops while walking through the old townscape.

Sapporo Autumn Fest 2026

Sapporo Autumn Fest fills roughly one kilometer of Odori Park with food from across Hokkaido from September 11 through October 3. First launched in 2008, the event now uses seven areas of the park, brings together around 300 shops and vendors, and attracts more than two million visitors each year. Local specialties, seasonal ingredients, drinks, and dishes from restaurants and municipalities around Hokkaido make it one of Sapporo’s biggest annual food events.

Each block has its own focus in 2026. Odori 6 chome hosts FOOD JAM, including a farmers market selling vegetables and agricultural products and a stage with music, talk shows, and performances. The 8 chome Hokkaido Market focuses on regional flavors from across the prefecture, while 10 chome is devoted to Hokkaido meat. At 11 chome, Sapporo Chefs Kitchen returns alongside the new Beer City Sapporo CHEF’S & BEER TERRACE, featuring Sapporo’s beer culture, Hokkaido craft breweries, German beer from Munich, and dishes prepared by local French and Italian chefs.

Hitsujigaoka Autumn Taste Festival 2026

Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill holds its Autumn Taste Festival during the September holiday period, bringing Hokkaido seafood and seasonal food to the hilltop area known for the Clark statue and wide city views. The 2026 program lists grilled Nemuro saury and Hokkaido scallops as the main draw. However, note that visitors still need regular entry to the observation hill, so plan time for photos, the sheep pasture, museum displays, and the food stalls together!

61st Ishikari Salmon Festival

The Ishikari Salmon Festival is one of the largest autumn food festivals in the Sapporo area, held in the historic Bentencho district near the mouth of the Ishikari River. Salmon is the center of the event, with fresh salmon sales, local food, stage programs, and the festival’s famous salmon grab activity drawing large crowds each year. The festival is also a good reason to try Ishikari nabe, the miso based salmon hot pot associated with the region. It is outside central Sapporo, but close enough for a day trip and well worth the time!

Sports, Spectator, & Outdoors

Hokkaido Artistic Fireworks 2026

Image credit: Hokkaido Artistic Fireworks

Hokkaido Artistic Fireworks returns to Moerenuma Park on September 5 for its 14th edition grand scale fireworks performance, synchronized to music. Gates open at 4 PM, with the main performance running from 7:30 PM to around 8:30 PM.

The major addition for 2026 is a special work produced by former figure skater Mao Asada together with fireworks choreographer Ryo Oya. The approximately four minute piece uses the music from Asada’s 2013–2014 free skating program, with elements of her original performance reinterpreted through the movement, color, and timing of the fireworks. Asada herself is also scheduled to appear at the venue and speak on stage about the production and its creation.

(And while you’re at the venue, you may also want to catch one of the park’s famous Isamu Noguchi Sea Fountain shows! The Sea Fountain is a great water sculpture in the heart of the park, designed within Isamu Noguchi’s master plan of making the entire park a single sculpture).

Hokkaido Ballpark F VILLAGE Super Mario: Run to the Goal in Hokkaido 2026

Super Mario: RUN TO THE GOAL in Hokkaido 2026 brings the Super Mario themed FUN RUN to Japan for the first time on September 13. The event takes place at Daiwa House PREMIST DOME and uses an approximately 2.5 kilometer course filled with Super Mario decorations, music, and photo spots. Participants receive a set of original running goods and can take the course at their own pace, whether running with friends or making their way around with family.

There is plenty going on for visitors who do not enter the run as well. General admission gives access to the event area, where Mario characters are scheduled to appear alongside photo spots, an Enjoy Corner with Super Mario games, original merchandise, food stalls, and a Nintendo Switch 2 game demo area. The related Sapporo Walk Rally also runs around the city through September 12, making it possible to extend the Mario theme beyond the dome itself.

Hokkaido Ballpark F VILLAGE Craft Gyoza Fes HOKKAIDO 2026

Craft Gyoza Fes brings around 20 kinds of specialty gyoza to ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO during Silver Week, gathering makers whose menus go well beyond standard pan fried dumplings. Expect options such as beef tongue and lemon gyoza, cheese based gyoza, mentaiko flavored gyoza, and other festival items that are easy to share while walking around the ballpark area.

The event is held at a special venue in front of ES CON FIELD’s glass wall. Admission to the gyoza area is free, with food and drinks sold separately by cashless payment only. Several event days overlap with Fighters home games, so check the baseball schedule if you want to pair the food festival with a game!

Hokkaido Sapporo September Sports Matches

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters September Home Games
September is the final full month of the regular baseball season, and ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO remains one of the easiest sports venues for visitors to enjoy, even for those who are not huge sports fans! The stadium sits inside F Village, where food, shopping, kid friendly areas, and outdoor spaces make the visit more than just a game.

The Fighters’ September schedule includes multiple home series, including Silver Week dates that overlap with the Craft Gyoza Fes held at the ballpark’s special venue (introduced above). Check the official schedule before booking, as times vary between day games and night games.

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo September Home Matches
Consadole Sapporo’s September home schedule gives football fans two chances to see the club in the city area before the colder part of the season. The September 6 match is held at Sapporo Atsubetsu Park Stadium, while the September 19 fixture moves indoors to Daiwa House Premist Dome. Ticket prices and seat types vary by match, so choose your date first and then check the club’s ticket page.

Espolada Hokkaido vs Vasagey Oita September Home Games
Espolada Hokkaido brings F.League futsal to Kita Gas Arena Sapporo 46 in September with a home match against Vasagey Oita. Futsal is played indoors on a smaller court than outdoor football, so the pace is fast and the action stays close to the seats throughout the match.
The 2026 fixture is scheduled for a noon kickoff, making it a nice, quick sports event before an evening meal or Autumn Fest stop in central Sapporo. Check the club or F.League schedule for ticket details before attending.

Exhibitions and Museums

Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art Exhibitions

Image credit: おスシティー (C)Tatsuya Tanaka

MINIATURE LIFE Exhibition 2: Tatsuya Tanaka, The World of Mitate
Opening September 12, MINIATURE LIFE EXHIBITION 2 introduces the playful work of miniature photographer and mitate artist Tatsuya Tanaka through around 180 photographs and three dimensional pieces. Tanaka combines tiny diorama figures with familiar everyday objects, transforming food, stationery, household items, and other ordinary materials into miniature scenes through creative changes of scale and meaning.

Tanaka has published a new miniature work online every day since 2011, building an international following for the humor and visual surprises in his miniature worlds. The Sapporo exhibition runs through November 8, giving fall visitors nearly two months to explore the collection.

Kinbi Collection: My Ways of Making
Also opening September 12, My Ways of Making explores the creative process behind a work of art, looking at how artists choose materials, tools, methods, and individual approaches to making. The exhibition brings works by artists with disabilities working in Hokkaido together with pieces from the museum’s own collection, connecting them through the different ways each artist creates.

The exhibition is accompanied by Art Gallery Hokkaido: Fukui Sawato’s Journey, Views Beyond, featuring works from the Otaru City Museum of Art collection, and The National Museum of Art Collection Plus: Glass, Dawn of a Dream. A free With Kids ’26 creative corner is also available in the second floor lobby for children who want to try making art themselves.

Sapporo Factory Hall Exhibitions

Image credit: © Fear Exhibition Taipei Executive Committee

Fear Exhibition
Fear Exhibition comes to the end of its Sapporo run on September 23 after drawing major crowds at earlier stops, including around 130,000 visitors in Tokyo and more than 71,000 in Osaka. Horror writer Nashi, horror production company Yami, and TV Tokyo producer Tokio Omori, known for projects including Ishinaga Kikue wo Sagashiteimasuand Iinuma Ikka ni Shazai Shimasu, joined forces to build an exhibition around the feeling of fear itself.

The displays focus on different sources of unease, including sharp points, enclosed spaces, and the sensation of being watched, using objects and staged exhibits to make visitors confront why certain sights or situations can provoke an irrational physical response. With the Sapporo edition wrapping up this month, September is the final chance to experience the exhibition in Sapporo before it moves on to its next venues.

Image credit: Mitsuaki Iwago

Mitsuaki Iwago’s World Cats Travelogue: Under the Skies of Europe
Animal photographer Mitsuaki Iwago brings the world of the long running NHK program Iwagō Mitsuaki no Sekai Neko Aruki to Sapporo Factory Gallery from September 12. This edition focuses on Europe, capturing cats living among historic streets, local communities, and landscapes across the continent. Photographs from locations including Athens, Rovinj, Hintisberg, and Barcelona appear in the exhibition, along with scenes pairing cats with UNESCO World Heritage landscapes.

Opening weekend also brings Iwago himself to Sapporo Factory. He is scheduled to give a talk on September 12 at 1 PM, followed by a signing session for visitors purchasing eligible books at the exhibition. A separate talk is also scheduled for the evening of September 11, making opening weekend especially worthwhile for fans of his photography and the television series.

Sapporo Art Park: Bloom and Beast Exhibit & Outdoor Museum Walk

Sapporo Art Museum’s Bloom and Beast: Color and Form exhibition closes at the end of September, making this the final month to see it during a fall trip. The exhibition brings together works that use flowers, animals, color, and shape as their main visual language.

The museum is also inside Sapporo Art Park, so you may want to plan enough time for both the indoor exhibition and the outdoor Sapporo Art Park Open-Air Museum, set within 40 hectares of primeval forest in Minami Ward, and open year-round for its outdoor art walk. Plus, September weather is rather comfortable for walking compared to the hotter summer season, making this one of the best time for a full Art Park visit!

Sapporo Beer Museum Premium Guided Tours

Image credit: Sapporo Beer Museum

Following its major renewal for Sapporo Beer’s 150th anniversary, the Sapporo Beer Museum now offers a new self guided experience and the SAPPORO BEER MUSEUM Guide Tour. Self guided visitors can use the Locatone audio experience The Story of SAPPORO BEER: Compass Chasing the Star at 15 points around the museum, with audio available in Japanese, English, Korean, and both traditional and simplified Chinese. The guided tour goes deeper into the history of Sapporo Beer before finishing in the new Premium Lounge, where guests can sample the tour exclusive recreated Fukkoku Sapporo Seibakushu alongside another beer.

September also brings a new special program on September 17, Black Label THE PERFECT TOUR. After learning about the history of Sapporo Draft Beer Black Label inside the museum, participants connect online with researchers at Sapporo Beer’s raw materials research institute in Kamifurano. Live images of the barley and hop fields introduce this year’s growing conditions and the company’s research work, followed by a tasting of one Black Label and one Fukkoku Sapporo Seibakushu.

2. October Events in Sapporo

Theme Parks & Leisure Events

Shiroi Koibito Park Nya Halloween 2026

By October, Nya Halloween is in full swing across Shiroi Koibito Park, with the pumpkin carriage photo spot, Halloween decorations, seasonal sweets, and the park’s special event lineup continuing through October 31. The garden itself also takes on a distinctly autumn look at this time of year, with Halloween decorations appearing among the changing foliage and the rose garden’s third bloom generally arriving around mid October.

Visitors can also look out for Black Feathers Lead the Way: Fear Hide and Seek 2026, the park’s mission based nighttime horror event, along with the costume photo contest and costume admission campaign announced for this year. Full schedules for those individual Halloween programs are being released separately, so check the official event page as your visit approaches.

Jozankei Nature Luminarie 2026 (Final Month)

October is the last month of Jozankei Nature Luminarie, and the timing overlaps with the hot spring town’s autumn foliage season. During the day, visitors can walk or ride through the gorge area for fall color, then return after dark for the illuminated riverside route from Futami Park to Futami Suspension Bridge, with the creative group NAKED producing projection mapping, illumination, sound, and light effects.

The event is only open to guests staying overnight in Jozankei, so it works best for travelers planning one night at a ryokan or hot spring hotel. (Don’t forget to bring your accommodation ticket or confirmation with you when heading to the event!) The lighting runs from 6 PM in October, which makes it easy to enjoy after dinner or before returning to your accommodation.

If you’re not sure where to stay, don’t worry–we’ve recommended a couple spots just below!

Historical Village of Hokkaido: Autumn Village and Evening Building Light Up

Historical Village of Hokkaido opens some of its old buildings after regular hours for an autumn light up in the Nopporo Forest Park area. The relocated wooden buildings, old shops, farmhouses, and public facilities take on a different look after sunset, especially with autumn leaves around the grounds.

The event is scheduled for the Sports Day weekend, with entry extended until the evening. The 2026 program also plans food trucks and a Japanese sweets theme, so visitors can see the buildings, walk the grounds, and stop for food during the evening hours.

Autumn Picole Wine and Hokkaido Gourmet Fair

Autumn Picole brings wine, drinks, and Hokkaido gourmet food to the plaza below Sapporo TV Tower. The spring edition is already a regular central Sapporo food event, and the autumn version gives visitors another chance to enjoy local wine and dishes in a covered venue that works even when the weather turns cool. The official Sapporo Autumn Fest sponsor page lists the fall dates, with full vendor details expected closer to the event.

Satoland New Rice and New Soba Fair

Sapporo Satoland’s New Rice and New Soba Fair focuses on two autumn staples: freshly harvested Hokkaido rice and soba made with Hokkaido buckwheat flour. The event is held inside Satoland’s exchange hall, with planned tastings, dishes using new rice, and soba making demonstrations.

This event a good choice for food-loving travelers who want to support the local agriculture while also enjoying their trip. Satoland is outside the middle of the city, so allow time for the trip, and check the latest Satoland notices before going.

Traditional Japanese Festivals and Events

Takino Autumn Leaves Festival 2026

Takino Suzuran Hillside Park moves into its foliage season with the Takino Autumn Leaves Festival, covering the park’s color change from early October into November. The Country Garden, waterfalls, forest zones, and large lawns make it a good choice for travelers who want a full day in the outdoors. The 2026 program includes autumn themed activities such as the Giant Leaf Challenge and scheduled marché dates on October 17 and 18. Since Takino is a large national park, wear comfortable shoes and allow travel time from central Sapporo.

Sapporo Autumn Fest 2026 (Final Days)

Sapporo Autumn Fest continues through October 3, giving visitors in town at the beginning of the month three final days to explore its seven food areas across Odori Park. The event brings together around 300 vendors across roughly one kilometer, with regional Hokkaido specialties, local produce, meat, drinks, restaurant dishes, and food from municipalities around the prefecture.

The 2026 lineup includes the farmers market and stage programs at 6 chome, regional foods at the 8 chome Hokkaido Market, Hokkaido meat at 10 chome, and the new Beer City Sapporo CHEF’S & BEER TERRACE at 11 chome. The latter combines dishes from Sapporo chefs with local beer culture, including established breweries, Hokkaido craft beer, specialty beer shops, and German beer from Sapporo’s sister city of Munich.

Hokkaido Autumn Great Harvest Festival

The Hokkaido Autumn Great Harvest Festival will be held from October 2 to 4 in the forecourt of the Hokkaido Government Red Brick Office, celebrating the prefecture’s autumn harvest and the people who produce its food. The official 2026 event plan calls for around 42 sales, food, and promotional booths, with farmers, forestry and fisheries groups, businesses, and municipalities from around Hokkaido participating. Visitors can expect direct sales of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, regional dishes, promotional displays, and hands on activities connected with Hokkaido’s farming and rural communities.

Stage programs are also planned for October 3 and 4, with the official event brief calling for activities such as talks involving producers, agricultural promotions, and participatory programs. A venue wide activity is planned to encourage visitors to explore the different booths as well. The prefecture is aiming for approximately 53,000 visitors across the three day event.

Sports, Spectator, & Outdoors

Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort Autumn Festival and Foliage Gondola

efore ski season begins, Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort opens its gondola for autumn foliage rides up to an elevation of about 1,100 meters. On clear days, the mountaintop view stretches toward Ishikari Bay, while the base area holds an autumn festival with food stalls, kitchen cars, and local seasonal dishes.

The resort sits about 30 minutes by car from Jozankei Onsen, so it works well as part of a hot spring and foliage day trip. The gondola operates for a limited October period, and weather can affect views, so choose the clearest day in your itinerary if possible.

51st Sapporo Marathon

The Sapporo Marathon returns to the Makomanai area in early October, with races based around Makomanai Sekisui Heim Stadium and the Toyohira River course. The event is a fixture of Sapporo’s autumn running season, and visitors can watch runners from the stadium area or along accessible parts of the riverside route.

Race day begins in the morning, with the 10 km, half marathon, and shorter categories scheduled in separate blocks. Participation requires advance entry, while roadside viewing is free. Expect traffic and access changes around the course on the day.

Hokkaido Sapporo October Sports Matches

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo October Home Matches
Consadole’s October schedule includes two Sapporo area home fixtures, with one indoor match at Daiwa House Premist Dome and one outdoor match at Sapporo Atsubetsu Park Stadium. The mix of venues lets travelers choose between a dome stadium experience and a smaller outdoor ground. The October 17 match is against Blaublitz Akita, followed by a Halloween day match against Shonan Bellmare on October 31. Check the club’s ticket page for seat availability and any match day promotions.

Levanga Hokkaido vs Sendai 89ERS
Levanga Hokkaido opens its October home schedule with a two game series against the Sendai 89ERS at Hokkai Kitayell. B.League games are easy indoor spectator events for travelers, with music, arena announcements, mascot appearances, and close views of the court.
Both games tip off at 2:05 PM, so they fit naturally into an afternoon plan in Sapporo. Hokkai Kitayell is near Toyohira Park Station, making access straightforward from central Sapporo.

Espolada Hokkaido vs Bardral Urayasu
Espolada Hokkaido hosts Bardral Urayasu in a late October F.League Division 1 match at Hokkai Kitayell. The indoor setting and compact match length make futsal a manageable spectator event for visitors who want live sports without giving up a full day. The game is officially listed in Sapporo’s supported sports event calendar. Check the club or F.League schedule before going for ticket sales, entry rules, and any changes to kickoff time.

SAPPORO TV Tower Autumn Stair-Climbing Event

Image credit: SAPPORO TV Tower

SAPPORO TV Tower brings back its popular outdoor stair climb for fall with new colorful foliage decorations, running on weekends and holidays from September 5 through November 1. Participants start at ground level and climb all 456 outdoor steps to the observation deck around 90 meters above the city, trading the elevator for a much more active route to the top.

Anyone who completes the climb receives an original TV Tower achievement certificate and can show it back at the first floor reception for a garapon lottery draw. The stamp card introduced earlier in the year also returns for fall, with one stamp awarded per climb and an original TV Tower gift available after collecting three. The event is weather dependent and may be canceled during rain or strong winds.

Exhibitions and Museums


Fullmetal Alchemist x Daemons of the Shadow Realm Exhibition

(Past event image) Fullmetal Alchemist x Daemons of the Shadow Realm Exhibition via PR Times

2026 is a major anniversary year for Hiromu Arakawa fans, marking 25 years since Fullmetal Alchemist began serialization and five years since Daemons of the Shadow Realm. To celebrate, this large scale exhibition brings both series together under one roof, with more than 300 original manga pages, rough sketches, drawing reference materials, and other works that offer a close look at Arakawa’s artwork and creative process.

The displays cover memorable characters and scenes from both stories, alongside large physical installations. Fullmetal Alchemist fans can see a recreation of the Gate of Truth, while the Daemons of the Shadow Realm section includes an area introducing the different Daemons through the series’ blacklist concept and a large Gabriel display made for photo opportunities. Visitors can also see a special Q&A with Arakawa and browse exhibition merchandise using newly drawn artwork, including the official exhibition book.

The Sapporo stop runs at Daimaru Sapporo from October 14 through November 1, giving Hokkaido fans a chance to see the exhibition shortly after its Tokyo debut. Some opening day and weekend morning periods use timed entry, so fans planning to visit during the busiest dates will want to secure the appropriate ticket in advance.

Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art Exhibitions

MINIATURE LIFE Exhibition 2: Tatsuya Tanaka, The World of Mitate
October gives visitors a full month to explore Tatsuya Tanaka’s miniature worlds at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art. Around 180 photographs and three dimensional works show how Tanaka combines tiny figures with familiar objects and reimagines them as landscapes, buildings, vehicles, food scenes, and other miniature environments. His work relies heavily on visual humor and recognizable everyday objects, making much of the exhibition accessible even without extensive Japanese language ability.

The exhibition continues through November 8. The museum is closed on most Mondays, with October 12 open for the public holiday and October 13 closed instead.

Kinbi Collection: My Ways of Making
My Ways of Making continues throughout October, bringing together works by artists with disabilities working in Hokkaido and pieces from the museum collection. The exhibition focuses on the physical process of creation, including the materials, tools, repeated actions, techniques, and personal methods that lead each artist toward a finished work.

Visitors can also see the concurrently presented Art Gallery Hokkaido: Fukui Sawato’s Journey, Views Beyond and The National Museum of Art Collection Plus: Glass, Dawn of a Dream. The three displays give October visitors several collection based exhibitions to explore in Gallery A during the same museum visit.

Sapporo International Short Film Festival 2026

Sapporo International Short Film Festival brings domestic and international short films to the city for a compact three day theater program. The festival has long been one of Sapporo’s key film events, and the 2026 edition is scheduled for Concarino in Kotoni after the closing of Satsugeki.
The short format makes it easy for travelers to fit screenings into a wider itinerary. Programs and ticket details are released by the festival, so check the official page once the lineup is announced.

Sapporo Art Park: 5 Stars of Ukiyo-e Artists & Outdoor Museum Walk

Sapporo Art Museum’s autumn and winter special exhibition presents works connected with five major ukiyo-e artists: Utamaro, Sharaku, Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Kuniyoshi. The exhibition gives visitors a clear route through some of the most famous names in Japanese print culture, from beauties and actors to landscapes and imaginative scenes.

The show opens October 10 and continues into January, making October a good time to see it before winter travel crowds. The museum is inside Sapporo Art Park, so visitors can combine the exhibition with the Sapporo Art Park Open-Air Museum, set within 40 hectares of primeval forest in Minami Ward, and currently open for its outdoor art walk.

The Paintings You Must Not See Exhibition

Image credit: Nothing New Ltd.

After attracting more than 50,000 visitors across Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, The Paintings You Must Not See Exhibition arrives in Sapporo for an extended run from October into November. The experience was created by members of the team behind The Exhibition Visible to Those Who Can See together with film label NOTHING NEW, combining paintings with unsettling stories that gradually change how visitors interpret what they see.

The fictional premise presents the works as a hidden collection left behind by a deceased collector and now being shown to the public according to his will. Each apparently ordinary painting carries a story explaining why it supposedly should not be viewed, turning the act of reading the background information into part of the experience. All of the works previously shown in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya are being brought together for the Hokkaido edition.

An optional audio guide narrated by voice actor Hiro Shimono accompanies the exhibition, adding spoken material to the display captions and supervisory commentary as visitors move through the darkened venue.

3. November Events in Sapporo

Theme Parks & Leisure Events

Sapporo White Illumination 2026

Sapporo White Illumination begins on November 20, turning the central city into one of Hokkaido’s best known early winter night events. Light displays appear around Odori Park, Sapporo Ekimae-dori, Minami 1-jo-dori, Akapla, and the Sapporo Station South Exit area, so visitors can see several venues while walking through the city center.

The Odori Park lights coincide with the opening of the Munich Christmas Market, making late November a natural time to shift from autumn sightseeing into Sapporo’s winter season. Detailed 2026 lighting times and venue designs are still being updated by the organizer, so check the official page before going.

Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo

The Munich Christmas Market opens in Odori Park around the same time as Sapporo White Illumination, bringing German style Christmas stalls, hot drinks, ornaments, food, and seasonal goods into central Sapporo. The event reflects Sapporo’s sister city relationship with Munich and has become one of the city’s signature early winter events.

Although it technically begins before winter, late November visitors can already enjoy the combination of market stalls and illuminations. It is especially convenient for travelers staying near Odori or Sapporo Station because the venue is in the middle of the main sightseeing area.

Oimo Tengoku in Satoland

Sapporo Satoland’s Oimo Tengoku focuses on sweet potatoes from Hokkaido, a crop that has been gaining more attention in recent years. The event is scheduled with food, quizzes, guessing games, and collaborations with local businesses, universities, restaurants, and processors.

The event takes place in the Satoland Exchange Hall, making it a simple indoor food and agriculture outing for early November. Since the official city event calendar confirms the 2026 dates, check Satoland’s own notice closer to the event for stall lists and exact program times.

Traditional Japanese Festivals and Events

Sapporo Chrysanthemum Festival

Sapporo Chrysanthemum Festival is a long running autumn flower event held indoors in the city center, with carefully cultivated chrysanthemums, bonsai displays, and large floral arrangements shown in public underground spaces. Because the venues are underground around Sapporo Station and Odori, the festival works well even in poor weather. Visitors can stop by while shopping, transferring by subway, or walking between central sights.

Hokkaido Shrine Niinamesai

Niinamesai is the late autumn harvest thanksgiving rite held annually at shrines across Japan, and Hokkaido Shrine observes it on November 23. The ceremony gives thanks for the year’s harvest and offers newly harvested grain to the deities, marking the shift from the agricultural year into winter. For travelers, this is a quieter and more formal shrine event than a street festival, but Hokkaido Shrine is one of Sapporo’s most important shrines and is easy to combine with other nearby attractions.

Visit respectfully, and check the shrine calendar for any public viewing details before attending.

Sports, Spectator, & Outdoors

Sapporo Art Stage: SAPPORO MUSIC SHOWCASE 2026

Sapporo Art Stage is a citywide autumn arts event that brings theater, music, visual art, school art, and public programs into central Sapporo, and SAPPORO MUSIC SHOWCASE is one of the live performance programs inside Sapporo Art Stage, using the Kita 3-jo Crossing Plaza in the underground walkway as a central city stage.

The 2026 edition is scheduled over two days and introduces musicians, featuring the theme “Sapporo music you should know,” and includes Chikaho events such as the traveling Think School exhibition, Borderless Art Exhibition, and Sapporo Music Showcase.

Because the performances are held in Chikaho, this is an easy indoor spectator event to add between shopping, illumination viewing, or a museum visit. The venue is close to Sapporo Station and Odori, so it also works well for travelers without a car.

Hokkaido Sapporo November Sports Matches

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo November Home Matches
Consadole’s November home schedule keeps football in Sapporo into the colder part of the year, with one outdoor match at Atsubetsu and one indoor evening match at Daiwa House Premist Dome. The home matches are against Sagan Tosu and Fujieda MYFC. Since late November weather can be cold, check the venue carefully and dress warmly for the Atsubetsu match. Ticket prices and seat types vary by match, so choose your date first and then check the club’s ticket page.

Espolada Hokkaido vs Tachikawa Athletic FC
Espolada Hokkaido hosts Tachikawa Athletic FC at the end of November in a F.League Division 1 futsal match. The game is scheduled at Kita Gas Arena Sapporo 46, an indoor venue that is easy to reach from central Sapporo. The 1 PM kickoff makes it a convenient daytime sports event before dinner or illumination viewing. Check ticket details and any schedule updates through the league or club before going.

Exhibitions and Museums

Fullmetal Alchemist x Daemons of the Shadow Realm Exhibition

(Past event image) Fullmetal Alchemist x Daemons of the Shadow Realm Exhibition via PR Times

November 1 is the final day of the Sapporo run, giving visitors in town at the beginning of the month one last chance to see Hiromu Arakawa’s two series brought together for their respective 25th and fifth anniversaries. The exhibition includes more than 300 original manga pages, rough sketches, and drawing reference materials, together with major installations such as the Gate of Truth and displays dedicated to the Daemons of Daemons of the Shadow Realm.

The merchandise area also carries exhibition exclusive goods and the official exhibition book featuring newly drawn artwork by Arakawa. Since the Sapporo edition closes after November 1 before the exhibition continues on to Ishikawa later in the month, fans whose trip overlaps with the final day will want to prioritize this one early in their itinerary.

Sapporo Art Park: 5 Stars of Ukiyo-e Artists & Outdoor Museum Walk

5 Stars of Ukiyo-e Artists continues through November at Sapporo Art Museum, presenting works connected with five major ukiyo-e artists: Utamaro, Sharaku, Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Kuniyoshi. The exhibition gives visitors a clear route through some of the most famous names in Japanese print culture, from beauties and actors to landscapes and imaginative scenes.

The museum is inside Sapporo Art Park, so visitors can combine the exhibition with the Sapporo Art Park Open-Air Museum, set within 40 hectares of primeval forest in Minami Ward, and open year-round for its outdoor art walk.

The Paintings You Must Not See Exhibition

Image credit: Nothing New Ltd.

The Paintings You Must Not See Exhibition continues through November 23, giving autumn visitors several more weeks to explore the fictional collection of supposedly forbidden paintings. The Sapporo edition gathers all of the works previously shown in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, each accompanied by a story that reveals why the painting is said to be dangerous to view and changes the way its details are perceived.

The exhibition is designed around the gradual overlap between artwork and narrative, with voice actor Hiro Shimono’s audio guide adding another layer to the experience for visitors who choose to use it. November is the final month of the Hokkaido run, with the exhibition closing on the November 23 public holiday.

Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art Exhibitions

MINIATURE LIFE Exhibition 2: Tatsuya Tanaka, The World of Mitate
November 8 is the final day of MINIATURE LIFE EXHIBITION 2, leaving just over a week for November visitors to see Tatsuya Tanaka’s collection of around 180 photographs and three dimensional works. Tiny figures appear among everyday objects that have been transformed through mitate, the imaginative reinterpretation that forms the basis of Tanaka’s miniature scenes.

The final week also overlaps with the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art’s Art Week from November 1 to 7, giving visitors several museum programs to check during the closing days of the exhibition. Since the final week may be busier, consider booking or buying tickets in advance if available. Also note that it is closed on some Mondays and holiday substitute days, so check the official calendar before visiting.

Kinbi Collection: My Ways of Making
My Ways of Making remains open throughout November and continues until December 20. The exhibition connects works by artists with disabilities active in Hokkaido with pieces from the museum collection through their individual approaches to creation, drawing attention to materials, tools, techniques, and the personal processes behind the finished art.

November also brings one particularly useful opportunity for visitors: admission to the collection exhibition is free for everyone during Art Week from November 1 through 7. The exhibition then continues under its regular admission system for the remainder of the month.

Make the Most of Your Autumn in Sapporo!

From September food festivals and fireworks to October foliage, Halloween events, and harvest celebrations, then illuminations and major exhibitions in November, Sapporo stays busy throughout the fall. The season brings some of the city’s biggest annual events together with limited exhibitions, outdoor activities, and plenty of Hokkaido food, so check the dates that overlap with your trip and make the most of your autumn visit!