Sapporo in May: weather, what to wear and events

Sapporo weather in May

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Sapporo station (17 m above sea level).

High: 17.9°C (64°F)
Low: 9.0°C (48°F)
Precipitation: 55.5 mm
Wet days: 8.5 days
Sunshine: 200 hours

Highs rise 6.2°C from April and climb another 3.9°C into June.

That is 4.8°C above Sapporo's yearly average high of 13.1°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Sapporo is the coldest in May, 2.7°C cooler than Kawaguchiko.

May is Sapporo's 2nd driest month (55.5 mm).

Of our 15 places, Sapporo gets the least precipitation in May: 67.7 mm less than Kawaguchiko.

Rain of 1 mm or more falls on 8.5 days, and 10 mm or more on 1.8 days.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 17.0 days, and 3.5 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

By the JMA's cloud records, 1.6 days are clear and 13.6 are overcast.

On 15 May 2027 the sun rises at 4:12 and sets at 18:51 in Sapporo, giving 14 hours 39 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 13.0°C (55°F)
Humidity: 65%
Days of 25°C or more: 2.1 days

Early, mid and late May

Sapporo in May by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 May	16.1°C	7.3°C	22.9 mm
11–20 May	17.7°C	8.8°C	16.9 mm
21–31 May	19.8°C	10.7°C	15.7 mm

By the last ten days of May the average high in Sapporo is 3.7°C higher than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 1–10 May is the wettest (22.9 mm) and 21–31 May the driest (15.7 mm).

What to wear in Sapporo in May

Cool: highs around 17.9°C

Long sleeves with a light jacket or sweater.
A folding umbrella: rain falls on 8.5 days.

Pack

Folding umbrella

Our clothing rules

Flowers and autumn colour in Sapporo in May

Cherry blossom

The JMA's sample cherry tree in Sapporo opens around 1 May and is in full bloom around 6 May in an average year (1991–2020). In 2026 it opened on 18 April and was in full bloom on 24 April.

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

May records in Sapporo

The extremes the JMA has measured in May at its Sapporo station.

Hottest May day: 34.2°C (94°F) on 27 May 2019 (records since 1877)
Coldest May night: −4.2°C (24°F) on 6 May 1893 (records since 1877)
Wettest May day: 70.2 mm on 4 May 1912 (records since 1877)

Holidays and crowds in May

National holidays in May 2027:

Mon 3 May — Constitution Memorial Day
Tue 4 May — Greenery Day
Wed 5 May — Children's Day

Sat 1 May to Wed 5 May: 5 days off in a row

In May 2025, hotels and inns across Hokkaido were 55.1% full on average (10th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 710,590 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 46.3% in April and 64.7% in June.

What's on in Sapporo in May

Events in Sapporo in May: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Sapporo Lilac Festivalさっぽろライラックまつり	Late May (20 to 31 May in 2026)	Odori Park blocks 5 to 7 and Kawashimo Park (Shiroishi Ward). About 400 lilac trees bloom in Odori Park, where a lilac music festival, a wine garden and a stamp rally are held. Kawashimo Park has guided lilac tours and a park concert. In 2026 the Odori block 5 site ran from 20 to 24 May, blocks 6 and 7 ran from 20 to 31 May, and Kawashimo Park ran on 30 and 31 May. Official page
Cherry blossoms in Sapporo (Maruyama Park and Nakajima Park)札幌の桜（円山公園・中島公園）	Late April to early May	Maruyama Park (Miyagaoka 3, Chuo-ku) and Nakajima Park (Nakajima Park 1, Chuo-ku). Cherry trees in Hokkaido bloom later than in Honshu and usually reach their viewing season around Golden Week. Maruyama Park and Nakajima Park are listed as viewing spots, both for late April to early May. The page notes that nights are often cold even when days are warm, so warm clothing is advised for evening viewing. Official page
Jozankei Onsen Stream Carp Streamers定山渓温泉渓流鯉のぼり	Early April to early May (10 April to 10 May in 2026; early April to early May in 2027)	Jozankei Onsen town centre, Jozan Gensen Park, Futami Park, Taro no Yu, Mikaeri-zaka, Yukemuri-zaka and Jozankei Shrine, among other places. About 400 carp streamers are hung across the gorge of Jozankei Onsen in Sapporo. Organised by the Jozankei Tourism Association. Official page
Hiraoka Plum Festivalひらおか梅まつり	Late April to 10 May (25 April to 10 May in 2026)	Hiraoka Park, Kiyota-ku, Sapporo. A plum festival at Hiraoka Park. A temporary shop, Hiraoka Umehonpo, sells plum soft serve ice cream and souvenirs during the festival. The dates are planned and may change with temperature, weather and how the plum trees are flowering. The temporary shop pre-opens on 23 April. Official page

Sapporo before and after May

Sapporo: April, May and June (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
April	11.7°C (−6.2°C)	3.4°C (−5.6°C)	54.6 mm (−0.9 mm)	9.6 days (+1.1 days)
May	17.9°C	9.0°C	55.5 mm	8.5 days
June	21.8°C (+3.9°C)	13.4°C (+4.4°C)	60.4 mm (+4.9 mm)	7.5 days (−1.0 days)

Other places in May

May: Sapporo against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Sapporo	Wet days	Against Sapporo
Tokyo	23.6°C	+5.7°C	10.1 days	+1.6 days
Kyoto	25.1°C	+7.2°C	9.7 days	+1.2 days
Osaka	24.9°C	+7.0°C	9.5 days	+1.0 days
OkinawaNaha	27.0°C	+9.1°C	11.4 days	+2.9 days
Fukuoka	24.4°C	+6.5°C	8.6 days	+0.1 days

All 15 places in May

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Sapporo in May?

The average high is 17.9°C (64°F) and the average low 9.0°C (48°F). 55.5 mm of rain falls on about 8.5 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Sapporo in May?

Long sleeves with a light jacket or sweater. A folding umbrella: rain falls on 8.5 days.

Is Sapporo busy in May?

In May 2025, hotels and inns across Hokkaido were 55.1% full on average (10th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 710,590 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for May in Sapporo?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Sapporo in May is 34.2°C (94°F), on 27 May 2019. The lowest is −4.2°C (24°F), on 6 May 1893.

What events are on in Sapporo in May?

Sapporo Lilac Festival: Late May (20 to 31 May in 2026). Cherry blossoms in Sapporo (Maruyama Park and Nakajima Park): Late April to early May. Jozankei Onsen Stream Carp Streamers: Early April to early May (10 April to 10 May in 2026; early April to early May in 2027). Hiraoka Plum Festival: Late April to 10 May (25 April to 10 May in 2026).

When do the cherry blossoms open in Sapporo?