September Hokkaido Travel Guide (2025 Definitive Edition) | Hokkaido Lab | Hokkaido Lab - A Hokkaido Travel Guide to Enjoy Gourmet Food, Nature, and Culture - Hokkaido Lab - A Hokkaido Travel Guide to Enjoy Gourmet Food, Nature, and Culture

September Hokkaido Travel Guide (2026 Definitive Edition) | Hokkaido Lab

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: Last updated: September 25, 2026

If you're planning a trip to Hokkaido in September, why not enjoy autumn a little early? The leaves are starting to change color in the Daisetsuzan Mountains, and Pacific saury and autumn salmon are in season, so you can fully enjoy both sightseeing and delicious food!

Table of contents

Hokkaido Travel: October Weather and Clothing

Hokkaido Travel: Recommended Sightseeing Spots and Seasonal Delights in October

Tips for choosing a Hokkaido travel tour in October

Local experiences and activities to enjoy in Hokkaido in October

Helpful column for your Hokkaido trip in October

　Hokkaido's seasonal delights by month

Hokkaido Travel: October Weather and Clothing

What's the weather like in Hokkaido in October?

While Honshu is still experiencing intense summer heat and it feels like summer is in full swing even in September, it's already autumn in Hokkaido! The average daily temperature is around 20℃.

In the latter half of September 2016, Hokkaido recorded record low temperatures, with some days dropping to as low as 0.5℃.

Furthermore, if you divide September into the first and second halves, there is a significant difference, with temperatures dropping to the point where it's almost like a whole season apart.

It's also often said that September and October in Hokkaido tend to be rainy, and the frequent cloudy and rainy weather may be contributing to the cold.

What should I wear for a trip to Hokkaido in October?

In Hokkaido in September, long-sleeved jackets or outerwear are essential. A jacket is fine for the first half of the month, and for the latter half, you may need a thicker hoodie or blouson on some days to raise your level of warmth.

Long sleeves and long pants are fine indoors.

Hokkaido Travel: Recommended Sightseeing Spots and Seasonal Delights in October

If you're going to Hokkaido in September, be sure to enjoy the autumn scenery! The highlights are the autumn foliage and the saury and salmon!

Autumn leaves

Location: Daisetsuzan Mountains Time of year: Early September to early October

Daisetsuzan is the first place in Japan where autumn leaves begin to change color. The leaves near the summit start to change color in late August and descend to the foot of the mountain over the course of about a month. In early September, hike to Akadake Ginsendai, where the leaves are at their peak for the first time. Bring sneakers and a water bottle for a mountaineering experience. Vehicle restrictions are in place during the autumn foliage season. From mid-September onwards, it becomes easier to enjoy the autumn leaves from places like the Asahidake Ropeway and Sounkyo Gorge.

Traffic restrictions for vehicles during the autumn foliage season

Location: Jozankei Season: Late September to October

Located just an hour's drive from Sapporo and easily accessible to Otaru, Jozankei is a perfect tourist destination, with its autumn foliage season in early October. As it's a hot spring town, you can enjoy both overnight stays and day trips to admire the autumn leaves and soak in the hot springs.

There are plenty of direct buses from Sapporo city to Jozankei, so you can enjoy the autumn foliage even without a car.

Jozankei Kappa Liner

Location: Abashiri, Lake Notori Time of year: September to early October

Finally, let me introduce a unique plant: the autumn foliage of the coral grass. Coral grass is a seaside plant that grows in salt marshes.

In Hokkaido, they can only be seen in parts of eastern Hokkaido, such as Lake Notori and Lake Saroma. Also, because they are located near the sea, they are submerged at high tide and cannot be seen. At their peak in late September, a bright red carpet spreads across Abashiri.

Please also see the related articles.

Seasonal foods

Pacific saury

Pacific saury, landed at various ports throughout Hokkaido, is at its fattiest from September to October. On the third Saturday and Sunday of September, the "Nemuro Pacific Saury Festival" is held at Nemuro Port, where people can feast on Pacific saury under the open sky.

Click here for details about the Nemuro pacific saury Festival.

Autumn Salmon

Eighty percent of salmon in Japan comes from Hokkaido. In the autumn, the spawning season, salmon before they swim upstream are especially fatty and delicious. Eastern Hokkaido, including Nemuro, Rausu, and Abashiri, are famous production areas. You can see salmon swimming upstream in various places throughout Hokkaido, such as the Chitose River behind the roadside station in Chitose City, not far from New Chitose Airport.

Scallop

Scallops are farmed and available year-round, but their peak season is definitely from autumn before spawning until early spring! You can enjoy the sweet adductor muscle as sashimi, or lightly grill it and savor the broth that seeps out. Autumn in Hokkaido is the perfect time to enjoy seafood!

Hokkaido events in October

Sapporo Autumn Fest

September 11th - October 3th, 2026 @ Odori Park

The Sapporo Autumn Fest is the perfect way to fully enjoy the autumn season and its delicious food. A wide variety of mouthwatering gourmet foods from across Hokkaido gather on Odori Street, allowing you to savor them while enjoying the autumn breeze.

Please also see the related articles.

Furano Wine Grape Festival

Held annually on the first Sunday of September (September 6, 2026) at Shimizu-yama, Furano City

This festival celebrates the harvest of grapes used to make Furano wine. Enjoy the luxury of wine and grape juice, as befits a grape-producing region. In connection with this, events such as the Furano Pub Crawl will fill the town of Furano with a festive atmosphere in autumn.

Tips for choosing a Hokkaido travel tour in October

Travel prices drop significantly in September! For tours, if you avoid weekends and Silver Week, prices can fall to about 70-80% of what they were in August.

For example, a 2-night, 3-day trip from Tokyo to Sapporo that costs around 40,000 yen per person in August becomes much more affordable in September, costing less than 30,000 yen.

The cool weather makes soaking in a hot spring feel wonderful! It's a charming time of year as the seasons change, so why not rent a car and explore various towns throughout Hokkaido?