Fun Things to Do in Hakodate in Spring (March/April/May): Events, Festivals & More

1. Hakodate Events in March

Theme Parks & Leisure Events

Mt. Hakodate Ropeway Spring Smile Day

Hakodate Ropeway (Source: kkday)

Mt. Hakodate Ropeway, one of the city’s classic sightseeing attractions, will hold its annual Spring Smile Day on March 21 and 22. During the event, round-trip fares are offered at a special discounted price of 500 yen, giving locals and visitors an easy reason to head up the mountain as spring begins to arrive. From the summit, visitors can take in views of Hakodate Port as the ice loosens and of Mt. Komagatake still capped with snow in the distance.

Goryokaku Tower Earth Hour 2026 and Environmental Awareness Light-Up

Goryokaku Tower joins global environmental awareness efforts in March through a pair of symbolic light-up and blackout programs. On March 28, the tower will participate in WWF’s Earth Hour 2026 by turning off its illumination for one hour from 8:30 PM. On March 9 and 10, it will also join the “Light Up in Green” campaign for glaucoma awareness. These events show how one of Hakodate’s best-known landmarks functions not only as a tourist attraction, but also as a platform for civic and environmental messaging.

Hokkaido Shinkansen 10th Anniversary Event at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station

On March 21 and 22, a large-scale anniversary event will be held in front of Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hokkaido Shinkansen. Planned highlights include a demonstration flight by F-15 fighter jets from the Air Self-Defense Force and ceremonial performances by the Northern Army Band. Talks by well-known railway personalities are also expected, giving the event added appeal for train fans and families.

Hakodate Park Monkey Hot Spring (Spring Viewing)

Hakodate Park’s popular Monkey Mountain Hot Spring continues to be open through the Golden Week period in May. In late March, the sight of Japanese macaques soaking in the hot spring remains a seasonal attraction. As one of Japan’s oldest Western-style parks with a historical urban setting for animal observation, it offers an easy spring outing that combines local history with a fun wildlife experience.

Traditional Japanese Festivals and Events

Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples Cord Weaving Workshop

A cord-weaving workshop will be held on March 13 as part of the museum’s efforts to preserve and share everyday techniques used by northern indigenous peoples. Braided cords historically served as both practical tools and decorative elements, and their geometric patterns often held specific meanings. By learning directly from specialists, participants gain access to a form of cultural knowledge that would be difficult to grasp through exhibition panels alone.

Hakodate Museum of Literature Ishikawa Takuboku Manuscript Exhibition

Hakodate Museum of Literature continues its Ishikawa Takuboku-related exhibition programming in March with a focus on letters dating from March 1911 onward. Because Takuboku had deep ties to Hakodate and wrote movingly about the city, the display offers more than literary history alone. It gives visitors insight into his emotional world and the intellectual climate of modern Japan.

Sports and Spectator Events

All Hokkaido Public Sports Festival

On March 22, Hakodate Keirin will host the All Hokkaido Public Sports Festival, a collaborative event involving multiple forms of public competition, including horse racing and auto racing. Food trucks themed around Hokkaido cuisine and stage programming are planned to bring in families and younger audiences. In conjunction with the GIII final race days, it will also include a mini garapon lottery (March 21–22).

Mt. Hakodate Hiking and Walking Season Begins

In late March, the atmosphere around Mt. Hakodate begins to shift toward spring hiking and trail use. Even though some snow may remain on the trails, the Spring Smile Day period encourages residents to start thinking about walking, hiking, and trail running again. With 13 hiking courses on the mountain, this seasonal transition is significant for local outdoor recreation.

Donan Isaribi Railway 10th Anniversary Walking-Related Programs

From March 20 to 22, anniversary-related programs tied to Donan Isaribi Railway and JR Hokkaido will be held around Kikonai Station and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station. These events also help promote the idea of enjoying the railway corridor through walking and exploration. By linking transportation, local scenery, and healthy activity, the programs encourage people to engage with the region in a slower and more physical way.

Exhibitions and Museums

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse Hakodate Stamp Market

From March 20 to 22, the bay area’s Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse will host the Hakodate Stamp Market. Focused on stationery, stamps, and paper goods, the event brings together fans of analog design culture from across Japan. The contrast between the historic warehouse architecture and the contemporary craft-oriented market gives the event a distinctly Hakodate feel. It is a niche but lively early-spring event that adds fresh energy to the waterfront district.

Hakodate Airport HAKODATE LOVE ART Vol. 4: Sky Museum

From March 8 to April 13, Hakodate Airport will host the fourth edition of HAKODATE LOVE ART, turning the arrival area into a temporary “sky museum.” The exhibition features artists with ties to the area and helps present Hakodate as a place of culture from the moment visitors land, making the airport part of the city’s art experience.

Hakodate Museum of Literature Special Exhibition: The Brilliance of the Museum Collection

Running from January 31 to March 22, this special exhibition presents selected highlights from the museum’s large collection of literary materials. The show offers visitors the chance to encounter rare items across genres and authors, making it broader in scope than a single-writer exhibition. Curator-led gallery tours held on Saturdays from February through March add additional depth to the experience. For literature-minded travelers, it is one of the city’s most rewarding indoor spring visits.

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse Kanemori POPUP Marche

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse (Source: klook)

On March 20 and 21, Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse will also host the Kanemori POPUP Marche. This event centers on handmade works, including leather goods, resin clay accessories, and plush creations, along with workshops and other experiential booths. The market captures the feeling of spring as a time when local creators and shoppers reconnect after the quieter winter months.

2. Hakodate Events in April

Theme Parks & Leisure Events

Goryokaku Tower Golden Week Early Morning Opening

From April 29, when cherry blossom season overlaps with the Golden Week holiday period, Goryokaku Tower will begin special early morning opening from 8:00 AM. The measure is intended to ease congestion and allow visitors to enjoy the iconic pink star shape of Goryokaku’s 1,500 cherry trees in the clear light of morning. Seen from above, the geometry of the fort becomes especially striking at peak bloom.

Donan Shikinomori Park Heath Garden: Flowers and Nature Observation

At Hokkaido Prefectural Donan Shikinomori Park, the “Hill of Flowers” zone begins to show early spring blooms such as heath from early April. The park’s expansive grounds also make it a good place to observe the increased activity of wild birds and other signs of seasonal change. It shows another side of spring in southern Hokkaido, centered on slower travel and open-air observation.

Traditional Japanese Festivals and Events

78th Matsumae Sakura Festival

Held in nearby Matsumae from April 18 to May 10, the Matsumae Sakura Festival is one of southern Hokkaido’s most important spring traditions. Around 10,000 cherry trees of 250 varieties bloom in succession over roughly a month, with cultural programs such as performances of the nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property Matsumae Kagura and warrior parades. The illuminated view of Matsumae Castle and the surrounding cherry blossoms is one of the region’s most memorable spring scenes.

Hakodate Sakura Festival at Goryokaku Park

(Photo: kkday)

Hakodate’s Sakura Festival at Goryokaku Park begins in late April as the cherry trees come into bloom. The former fort, once a place of military history, becomes a large public gathering space filled with blossoms, lanterns, and the atmosphere of spring celebration. The festival is especially associated with Hakodate-style flower viewing, including the city’s well-known custom of enjoying jingisukan during hanami. This blend of history, food culture, and seasonal beauty gives the event a very local character.

Hakodate Sakura Festival at Hakodate Park

Hakodate Park’s version of the Sakura Festival also begins in late April and is known for its layered blossom scenery shaped by the park’s sloping terrain. As the lanterns are lit and food stalls appear, the park fills with visitors enjoying the season from daytime into evening. Because Hakodate Park was originally created through citizen donations in the Meiji era, the event also carries a strong feeling of civic history. Even now, joining the celebration feels like participating in one of the city’s long-standing shared spring rituals.

Former Soma Residence Free Special Open Day for Local Residents

On April 11, the Former Residence will offer a special free open day for local residents. The program reflects a broader effort to present cultural property not as something distant, but as a shared regional asset. With children elementary-school age and younger admitted free on all open days, the site also emphasizes intergenerational learning and future inheritance. For Hakodate residents, it is a rare opportunity to engage closely with Meiji-period architecture and elite domestic culture.

Exhibitions and Museums

Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples Monthly Tour

Join a guided cultural tour at the Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples exploring the basics of Ainu culture. Held on April 26 at 10:30 AM, this one-hour session is led by museum staff and introduces key aspects of Ainu history and traditions through exhibits and commentary. Advance registration is required; see the official website for details.

Golden Kamuy Special Collaboration: Hakodate Dyed in Gold

From April 28 to July 26, Hakodate will host a large-scale collaboration event tied to the anime, Golden Kamuy. Because the story is connected to Hakodate, the city is a natural stage for tourism centered on historic sites such as Goryokaku. The event is likely to attract younger visitors and fans from across Japan and abroad, adding a pop-cultural layer to traditional sightseeing.

Shiroi Koibito Hakodate Bay Museum Grand Opening

On April 10, the Shiroi Koibito Hakodate Bay Museum will open in the renovated historic building known as Kokian beside Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse. The museum combines Hakodate’s architectural heritage with Hokkaido’s well-known confectionery culture, creating a new tourism hub with a strong local identity.

2nd Hakodate Mineral Marche

From April 10 to 12, Kanemori Hall will host the 2nd Hakodate Mineral Marche. With more than 100,000 gemstones, minerals, and fossils gathered in one venue, the event appeals to both family visitors and serious collectors. Admission is free, which helps broaden access and encourages casual attendance in the bay area.

Hakodate Museum of Literature Special Exhibition: Takuboku’s Surviving Diaries

Beginning on April 11, Hakodate Museum of Literature will hold a special exhibition commemorating the 140th anniversary of Ishikawa Takuboku’s birth. Centered on the poet’s surviving diaries, the exhibition offers a close look at his words, thoughts, and intellectual development.

3. Hakodate Events in May

Theme Parks & Leisure Events

Mt. Hakodate Forest Bathing and Early Summer Nature Observation

By May, snow has disappeared from Mt. Hakodate’s walking trails and spring wildflowers such as shiraneaoi and enreiso begin to bloom. This is the season when the mountain shifts from a sightseeing viewpoint to a richer nature destination for forest walks and plant observation. Birdsong and fresh greenery create a completely different mood from the winter night-view season. For visitors who want a softer, slower outdoor experience, May is one of the best times to explore the mountain on foot.

Hakodate Civic Hall Major Artist Concerts (TUBE / aiko)

In May 2026, Hakodate Civic Hall is scheduled to host national tour performances by major artists including TUBE and aiko. Large-scale concerts at this point in the calendar help sustain visitor activity after Golden Week while also providing major entertainment options for residents. As one of Hakodate’s long-standing cultural venues, the hall continues to play an important role in the city’s arts and events infrastructure.

Traditional Japanese Festivals and Events

57th Hakodate Goryokaku Festival: Restoration Procession and Music Parade

Held on the third weekend of May, the Hakodate Goryokaku Festival is one of the city’s defining historical events. Its best-known highlight is the Sunday “Restoration Procession,” in which citizens dressed as figures such as Enomoto Takeaki, Hijikata Toshizo, and Kuroda Kiyotaka parade through the city. Accompanied by music and ceremonial atmosphere, the festival transforms the memory of the Boshin War and the Battle of Hakodate into a public historical performance.

There’s even a contest held on the first day (May 16) that invites participants from across Japan to embody Shinsengumi vice commander Hijikata Toshizo. Contestants are judged not simply on costume, but on how convincingly they recreate the figure through performance, delivery, and presence.

40th Minamikayabe Hirome Boat Festival

On May 31, the Minamikayabe district of Hakodate will hold the 40th Hirome Boat Festival at Osatsube Fishing Port. The event gives thanks for kelp, historically known as hirome, and prays for a rich fishing season in one of Japan’s leading kombu-producing regions. One of the main attractions is the spirited boat-rowing competition by local fishermen. Surrounded by fishing flags and capped with fireworks at night, the festival expresses the strength of the area’s maritime culture.

Yukura Shrine Annual Festival and Matsumae Kagura Offering

At Yukura Shrine, guardian shrine of the Yunokawa Onsen area, spring festival observances include sacred performances such as Matsumae Kagura and Urayasu no Mai. With a history of more than 360 years, the shrine remains deeply tied to the wellbeing and prosperity of the surrounding community. For visitors, the event offers a chance to encounter Hakodate’s religious traditions in a more intimate setting than the city’s larger public festivals.

Sports and Spectator Events

Hakodate Music Association Spring Regular Concert

On May 25, Hakodate City Arts Hall will host the Hakodate Music Association Spring Regular Concert. The performance showcases the work of musicians based in southern Hokkaido and reflects the depth of the region’s classical music culture. Programs are expected to include piano, vocal music, and chamber ensemble performances.

Exhibitions and Museums

Goryokaku Tower Soketsu Ueki Gallery Spring Exhibition

Until May 22, the Soketsu Ueki Gallery inside Goryokaku Tower will present its spring exhibition of sketches, drafts, and wildflower studies. The featured works by Hakodate-born artist Soketsu Ueki are known for their quiet individuality and strong local resonance. Especially in the case of the wildflower sketches, the exhibition connects naturally with the season outside.

Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples: Ainu Embroidery Class

From May 22 to 24, the Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples will hold beginner and experienced courses in Ainu-pattern embroidery. The class involves careful handwork and focused bodily movement, while also introducing participants to the visual language and cultural depth of Ainu design.

Hakodate Museum of Literature: Guideposts of Literature Lecture on Carl Raymond

On May 30, Hakodate Museum of Literature will host a lecture in its “Guideposts of Literature” series. The featured subject is Carl Raymond, the German-born ham and sausage craftsman who had a major influence on Hakodate’s food culture. By linking literature, food, and local history, the lecture highlights the city’s multicultural heritage in an especially accessible way.

Hakodate Performing Arts Center: Kids Festival 2026 & Kids Announcer Experience

On the substitute holiday of May 6, Hakodate City Arts Hall will host Kids Festival 2026. This is a composite event for children that combines cultural arts and physical expression through a variety of workshops and experiences.

Part of this event is the Kids Announcer Experience workshop, which lets children try professional-style communication and presentation techniques, helping develop confidence and expressive ability.

Hokkaido Hakodate Museum of Art Permanent and Memorial Room Displays

The Hokkaido Hakodate Museum of Art, located beside Goryokaku Park, continues its permanent exhibition activities through spring. Displays such as “Art of Southern Hokkaido” and the memorial room focused on Otei help visitors engage with the region’s artistic identity through locally connected works. New exhibition themes are also expected to roll out from May as part of the new museum year. For travelers exploring the Goryokaku area, the museum offers a quieter cultural counterbalance to the busier scenes outside.