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Aerial view of cherry blossoms in full bloom around the star-shaped Goryokaku Fort in Hakodate

Photo: Hokkaido-Goryokaku Fort in Cherry blossom-xl.jpg by Goryokaku-Tower (CC BY 4.0, cropped), via Wikimedia Commons.

Hakodate in April: weather, what to wear and what's on

In April, Hakodate averages a high of 12.0°C (54°F) and a low of 2.8°C (37°F), with 71.9 mm of rain or snow on about 9.5 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

Hakodate weather in April

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Hakodate station (35 m above sea level).

High
12.0°C (54°F)
Low
2.8°C (37°F)
Precipitation
71.9 mm
Wet days
9.5 days
Sunshine
186 hours
Snow on ground
0.7 days
  • Highs rise 6.2°C from March and climb another 5.0°C into May.
  • That is 1.5°C below Hakodate's yearly average high of 13.5°C.
  • Of our 34 places with temperature records, Hakodate is the 3rd coldest in April: 1.0°C cooler than Nasu and 0.3°C warmer than Sapporo.
  • April is Hakodate's 3rd driest month (71.9 mm).
  • Of our 35 places, Hakodate has the 4th lowest precipitation in April: 9.1 mm less than Karuizawa and 3.2 mm more than Aomori.
  • Rain or snow of 1 mm or more falls on 9.5 days, and 10 mm or more on 2.2 days.
  • The temperature drops below 0°C on 5.2 nights.
  • 2 cm of snow falls in an average April; snow lies on the ground on 0.7 days.
  • The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 17.9 days, and 3.7 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.
Average temperature
7.3°C (45°F)
Humidity
67%
Deepest snow (average of each year's deepest)
1 cm

Early, mid and late April

Hakodate in April by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
DaysHighLowPrecipitation
1–10 April10.1°C1.2°C16.7 mm
11–20 April11.8°C2.7°C25.9 mm
21–30 April14.0°C4.6°C29.2 mm

By the last ten days of April the average high in Hakodate is 3.9°C higher than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 21–30 April is the wettest (29.2 mm) and 1–10 April the driest (16.7 mm).

What to wear in Hakodate in April

Chilly: highs around 12.0°C

  • A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater.
  • Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 5.2 nights.
  • Layers you can take off: afternoons are 9.2°C warmer than early mornings on average.
  • A folding umbrella: rain or snow falls on 9.5 days.

Shoes

  • Shoes with good grip: snow or sleet falls on 6.4 days.

Pack

  • Folding umbrella
  • Gloves and a warm hat

Flowers and autumn colour in Hakodate in April

Plum blossom

The JMA's sample plum tree in Hakodate opens around 26 April in an average year (1991–2020). In 2026: 14 April.

Cherry blossom

The JMA's sample cherry tree in Hakodate opens around 28 April and is in full bloom around 2 May in an average year (1991–2020). In 2026 it opened on 18 April and was in full bloom on 20 April.

Dates are for one sample tree at or near the JMA observatory, not for every park in the city.

Holidays and crowds in April

National holidays in April 2027:

  • Thu 29 April — Showa Day

In April 2025, hotels and inns across Hokkaido were 46.3% full on average (the quietest month of the year). Foreign guests spent 647,740 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 55.2% in March and 55.1% in May.

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Hakodate in April?

The average high is 12.0°C (54°F) and the average low 2.8°C (37°F). 71.9 mm of rain or snow falls on about 9.5 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Hakodate in April?

A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater. Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 5.2 nights. Layers you can take off: afternoons are 9.2°C warmer than early mornings on average. A folding umbrella: rain or snow falls on 9.5 days.

Does it snow in Hakodate in April?

Sometimes. Snow or sleet falls on 6.4 days in an average April, but snow rarely stays on the ground (JMA, 1991–2020).

Is Hakodate busy in April?

In April 2025, hotels and inns across Hokkaido were 46.3% full on average (the quietest month of the year). Foreign guests spent 647,740 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for April in Hakodate?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Hakodate in April is 23.6°C (74°F), on 27 April 2024. The lowest is −8.6°C (17°F), on 6 April 1883.

What events are on in Hakodate in April?

Cherry Blossom Viewing at Goryokaku Park and Hakodate Park: Late April to early May (2026: 21 April to 6 May). Giant carp streamers on Goryokaku Tower: From 29 April to 5 May (Golden Week). Hakodate Seibu District Bar-gai: April.

When do plum trees bloom in Hakodate?

The JMA's sample plum tree in Hakodate opens around 26 April in an average year (1991–2020). In 2026: 14 April.

April records in Hakodate

The extremes the JMA has measured in April at its Hakodate station.

Hottest April day
23.6°C (74°F) on 27 April 2024 (records since 1873)
Coldest April night
−8.6°C (17°F) on 6 April 1883 (records since 1873)
Wettest April day
71.3 mm on 6 April 1890 (records since 1873)
Deepest April snow
28 cm on 7 April 1949 (records since 1873)
Most snow in one April day
26 cm on 3 April 1979 (records since 1953)

What's on in Hakodate in April

Events in Hakodate in April: dates from each organizer's official page
EventWhenWhere and what
Cherry Blossom Viewing at Goryokaku Park and Hakodate Park五稜郭公園・函館公園のお花見Late April to early May (2026: 21 April to 6 May)Goryokaku Park and Hakodate Park, Hakodate. About 1,500 cherry trees at Goryokaku Park and about 420 at Hakodate Park. Food stalls (23) open at Hakodate Park. Free. No reservation. Official page
Giant carp streamers on Goryokaku Tower五稜郭タワー 大型こいのぼりFrom 29 April to 5 May (Golden Week)Goryokaku Tower, Goryokaku, Hakodate. Red and black carp streamers about 12 metres long are flown from the tower body, about 70 metres above ground. Displayed 9:00 to 17:00. Official page
Hakodate Seibu District Bar-gai函館西部地区バル街AprilSeibu (west) district of Hakodate. A food and drink event listed on the official annual events page under April and under September. Official page

Hakodate before and after April

Hakodate: March, April and May (JMA, 1991–2020)
MonthHighLowPrecipitationWet days
March5.8°C (−6.2°C)−2.2°C (−5.0°C)64.1 mm (−7.8 mm)12.4 days (+2.9 days)
April12.0°C2.8°C71.9 mm9.5 days
May17.0°C (+5.0°C)8.0°C (+5.2°C)88.9 mm (+17.0 mm)9.5 days (same)

Other places in April

April: Hakodate against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
PlaceHighAgainst HakodateWet daysAgainst Hakodate
Aomori13.7°C+1.7°C10.6 days+1.1 days
Sapporo11.7°C−0.3°C9.6 days+0.1 days
Sendai15.5°C+3.5°C7.7 days−1.8 days
Niigata16.1°C+4.1°C11.5 days+2.0 days
NasuNasu Kogen13.0°C+1.0°C11.3 days+1.8 days

Read more

Sources for this page

Show all 13
  1. Normals for 1991–2020: Hakodate (函館), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  2. Normals for 1991–2020: Hakodate (函館), rain days, temperature days and snow (詳細)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  3. Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Hakodate (函館) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  4. Records for April: Hakodate (函館) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  5. Plum blossom opening dates, 2025–2026 (うめの開花日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  6. Yearly records of flowering and leaf colour since 1953 (生物季節観測累年値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  7. Cherry blossom opening dates, 2021–2026 (さくらの開花日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  8. Cherry blossom full-bloom dates, 2021–2026 (さくらの満開日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  9. National holidays (国民の祝日について)Cabinet Office
  10. Overnight Travel Statistics Survey, 2025 final figures (宿泊旅行統計調査 2025年 年の確定値)Japan Tourism Agency
  11. Cherry Blossom Viewing at Goryokaku Park and Hakodate Park (五稜郭公園・函館公園のお花見)Hakodate City official tourism portal (hakobura)
  12. Giant carp streamers on Goryokaku Tower (五稜郭タワー 大型こいのぼり)Goryokaku Tower Co., Ltd.
  13. Hakodate Seibu District Bar-gai (函館西部地区バル街)Hakodate City official tourism portal (hakobura)