Best Things to Do in Odori Park, Sapporo (Season by Season Guide)
Odori Park is situated in the centre of Sapporo city, it spans for over 1.5km from East to West and is a must visit location on your trip to Sapporo, offering something a little bit different, no matter the season.
Seasonally, Odori Park brings a completely different viewing perspective, and things to do. Be it the world renowned Sapporo snow festival, the fleeting season of sakura, or the rich colours that come with Autumn, this place is breathtakingly beautiful.
Kickstart your next trip to Sapporo here by checking out everything Odori Park has to offer. We moved to Sapporo from the UK, and this is our season by season guide to Odori Park, along with everything it has to offer!
Best Things to Do in Odori Park, Sapporo (Season by Season Guide)
Winter In Odori Park
Sapporo is the second snowiest city in the world, and what to do with all that snow? Host the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, of course! It’s now approaching its 77th year of running it, and it’s a major draw to Sapporo, and Odori park in February.
Watch as the entire park transforms into a viewing gallery for 100’s of snow sculptures, fun activities and food to eat. This iconic event is one not to miss, and it’s completely FREE to come and explore it as well.
It can get incredibly icy during this time of the year, so come prepared with sturdy snow boots (and spikes for additional support) and wear plenty of warm layers as winter can get really cold!
During the rest of the winter season, there’s nothing else that takes place, but you can still enjoy the beauty of the park, snap a photo of the TV Tower and ascend it for more breathtaking views of the city. I think this is really a great way to take in the sights of Sapporo, every season, as it really looks completely different as the seasons transition.
Spring In Odori Park
There’s so much to enjoy in Odori Park in spring as the weather warms up, the snow melts, and the benches return in April so you can soak everything up in the park over a spot of lunch, or a takeaway coffee. Whilst you won’t find lots of sakura trees in Odori Park to oggle over (although there are a couple of beautiful ones), this park is famous for its beautiful tulip garden (late May to early June) and Sapporo’s official tree, the lilac. By May, the lilac trees can be seen blooming in the city, and they bring the most enticing sweet fragrance with them that can be smelt throughout Odori Park.
In fact, it’s so special in Sapporo, that they host a Lilac Festival in Odori Park (20th May-31st May 2026), and it’s a sight to see if you’re visiting Sapporo in late spring. You’ll see around 400 lilac trees burst into full bloom, the festival offers a vibrant mix of attractions including the Lilac Music Festival, a lively Wine Garden, for the first time in 2026, they had tea making workshops and kimono try ons.
There are unlimited food options with pretty much every food you could think of, we definitely recommend grabbing one of the limited edition lilac options such as the mont blanc or crepe, they are so good!
It’s said that those who attend the first day of the festival can also receive a free lilac sapling of their own to take away and plant in their own home.
For the people of Sapporo, this much loved festival marks a long awaited moment. After enduring a winter that stretches for more than half the year, it signals not just the return of warmer days, but the joyful beginning of a season made for strolling outdoors and embracing nature once again.
In the way of food, the much anticipated return of the corn wagon arrives on 21st April 2026, and buttered potatoes also come back after a winter break, a must have Hokkaido bite to eat whilst taking in the beautiful scenery of the park.
Summer In Odori Park
Many tourists flock to Sapporo in the summer as the humidity isn’t as intense as mainland Japan, and it’s a beautiful place to be!
Odori Park is full of blooms during the summer, and during the peak summer season, the Sapporo Beer Festival takes over Odori Park in July (late July to mid-August 2026). This is a month long celebration of Hokkaido food and major Japanese breweries. Take in the sights, the feeling of summer and have a true Sapporo experience!
Earlier in the season, grab a picnic blanket, a bento box and enjoy being surrounded by the blooms on the grass, or the many benches in Odori Park.
Autumn In Odori Park
We’re spoilt for choice living in Sapporo as each season brings a whole new feeling, and aesthetic with it. Japan is infamous for their beautiful red leaves, and Odori Park is breathtaking during this season.
We recommend starting with a trip up the Sapporo TV Tower to take in the full sights of the city. Why Autumn in particular? Because not only do you get to take in the scale of Odori Park, the rich autumnal colours that line the park, but the mountains that hug Sapporo city come to life with their fiery red trees, orange, and yellows that can only be witnessed in Autumn.
The shot below was during a trip to Sapporo in October 2025, prior to moving here, and it’s really what sealed the deal that this city was meant for us.
Autumn can bring a little bit of a chill in the air, so after a trip up the tower, make it down and grab a corn on the cob or a buttered potato and watch the world go by on the many benches in the park.
It doesn’t matter what season you visit Sapporo, Odori Park is a major landmark in central Sapporo that changes so beautifully with the seasons, with festivals, blooms and a famous snow festival, there’s so much to do, explore and eat and it should be a key part of your itinerary when visiting the area. If you’re only in Sapporo for 24 hours, add this park to the top of your to do list to see!
