Best Time To Visit Hokkaido

Different seasons have different beautiful sceneries. But which is generally the best time of the year to visit Hokkaido as a tourist from Singapore?

Either February for winter sports, the Sapporo snow festival and the floating ice.

Or July to August for the Hokkaido in summer with flower fields and national parks.

Hi Ivy
Just came back from winter Hokkaio last week. It is very very beautiful. Guess it's because we dont get to see so much snow in Singapore. However, according to our dialogues with the locals, summer is the peak season with lavenders and sunflowers. We have agreed that that Hokkaido is beautiful all year round and it really depends on what each one of us would like to see. Anyway, I'm going to do a return trip in winter season again, next year hopefully

what is the temperature like during Apr & May?

For Sapporo:

mid April:
average daytime high: 11 degrees
average nighttime low: 3 degrees

mid May:
average daytime high: 17 degreews
average nighttime low: 8 degrees

We will be visiting Hokkaido at the end of April for 3 days/2 nights. We will be stopping over at Hakodate for the night and then head over to Soundkyo Gore and would like to know if there are any nice places to see other than the above mentioned places that do not require too much traveling time. We are interested in nice sceneries and also are hoping to see some cherry blossom.

Thanks

About Hakodate:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5350.html

About Sounkyo:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6777.html

April is too early to see cherry blossoms in Hokkaido!

Just wondering if it is still snowing or any snow left in April in Sapporo and Hakodate?

In the average year, the snow disappears in Sapporo around early April and in Hakodate around late March.

Is is possible to kill 2 birds with 1 stone ie see cherry blosson in Kyoto and snow in Sapporo/Otaru? Maybe late March in Sapporo and early April in Kyoto will do the trick?

Is is possible to kill 2 birds with 1 stone ie see cherry blosson in Kyoto and snow in Sapporo/Otaru?

Yes, that can be possible. Right now there are 45 cm of snow in Sapporo. But you don't have to go as far as Sapporo. Snow can also be seen closer to Kyoto in higher elevations on Honshu. For example, Shirakawago, three hours from Kyoto, currently still has 144 cm of snow:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5953.html?aFROM=2158_5950

Referring to the above,travelling to Hokkaido in March, will we be able to experience snowing/ snowfall and hope into Osaka / Kyoto in April to relief the coldness of Hokkaido? Thanks

Yes, Hokkaido is still snow covered in March.

We visited Hokkaido the second week of May. It was nice. Still a little chilly but comfortable enough to walk around most areas with a sweater & light windbreaker. However, when we drove over the mountain passes, there was still a lot of snow and it was cold on the mountaintops.
The tourist spots were not very crowded, still early in the season.

thanks for Uji & cf replies..still abit confused. so which season shld i target to exeperience Snowing in Hokkaido and hop back into Osaka for warmer weather? Main objective is to experience snowing. I hv seen alot of snow mountains but i have not experience snowing, saddly :(( Which of these months will be a better bet (Nov - May)?
I learnt fr frens that we should not target tail end of winter cos it is hard to drive and not very pleasant on the road when everything is beginning to melt... It will be better when is beggining when snow is soft and fun to play with..... thanks once again.

If you have never seen snow, I would think twice about driving a car in the snow! It can be very dangerous.

Anyway, the most snow is usually found in February. I think it is the best time to experience snow. You could combine it with a visit to the Sapporo Snow Festival:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5311.html

We have planned to visit southern hokkaido mid june. Renting a car and driving. What is the weather and driving condition like? Is the place driver freely? (Is there such a thing?)

What is the weather and driving condition like?

The weather is variable. Sunny and rainy days. Daytime temperatures around 20 degrees.

Is the place driver freely? (Is there such a thing?)

I don't understand the question.

hi, i'm planning on a trip to hokkaido during summer this yr. H/w due to time clashes, i cant arrange the trip during July. would like to ask if i will able to experience the lavender blooms if i were to be in hokkaido during late June? or is it too early? (i heard that the bloom onli occurs during early July)

I was there three years ago in late June, and it was a little bit too early for the lavender. I think it is usually a little bit too early, although it can also depend on the year.

Like in case with cherry blossoms, there are websites that inform readers about the current state of lavender flowers, such as the following one:
http://www.furanotourism.com/flower/lavender/shisu.html