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The winter season may be ending but there are still plenty of things to do in and around Niseko as we welcome spring. Enjoy a month of music, flowers, and fireworks by checking out our list of events happening in and around Niseko this month of May.
In and Around Niseko
Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom during Golden Week
29 April – 5 May 2026
A major holiday period in Japan, Golden Week is the perfect time for families and friends to travel and have fun this spring – especially in Niseko. Due to the climate, cherry blossoms in Niseko bloom later than the rest of the country, and this year it’s forecasted for the sakura trees to reach full bloom just in time for Golden Week – making Niseko the perfect place to enjoy and admire these gorgeous flowering trees during this long holiday vacation. Makkari Shrine, Miyayama, and Lake Toya are just some of the best cherry blossom viewing spots around Niseko.
Photo Credit: Suttsu Town
Golden Week Minatomare Food Stall
3 – 4 May
Discover some of Japan’s best oysters in the fishing town of Suttsu. Known for its light and refreshing taste, these oysters will be sold at the town’s roadside station – Minatomare – for two days, along with other local products like grilled scallops and donja nori (rock seaweed) rice balls for two days.
As you make the hour-long drive from Niseko to Suttsu – which faces the Sea of Japan, enjoy the breathtaking coastal views that you will encounter along the way as well.
Photo Credit: Rusutsu Resort
Golden Week Special Fireworks Festival
2 – 5 May 2026
Another special event to look out for during the Golden Week is the Fireworks Festival in Rusutsu Resort. Held every night from 19:45 – 19:55 during the Golden Week weekend, the event is a celebration to welcome the green season in Niseko, treating guests to a spectacular display of about a thousand fireworks synchronized to music.
Photo Credit: Yoichi Town
Yoichi Cherry Blossom Festival
3 – 4 May 2026
The Yoichi River, an hour’s drive away from Niseko, is a popular cherry blossom spot in the spring with more than 500 cherry trees lining the riverbank. Coinciding with the sakura’s full bloom, the 11th Yoichi Cherry Blossom Festival will be held from 3 – 4 May where food stalls will open at the roadside station – allowing visitors to leisurely enjoy and relax beneath the cherry blossom trees.
1st Spring Shiribeshi Gourmet Festival
3 – 5 May 2026
Discover the flavours of spring this Golden Week at the 1st Spring Shiribeshi Gourmet Festival held at the newly opened Otaru Port Square. Get a taste of Shiribeshi’s flavours as 12 restaurants from the region will gather at the festival to serve regional specialties and their own signature dishes.
Padel Opens
17 May – 12 October 2026
Padel, a racquet sport described to be a mix of tennis and squash, is coming back to Niseko this summer. The first Padel Club in Hokkaido is set to open in 17 May and will run until 12 October. Set in Niseko’s breathtaking mountainous scenery, discover and enjoy the fun of the sport with your family and friends.
Photo Credit: Sapporo Tourism
68th Sapporo Lilac Festival
20 – 31 May 2026
Celebrate the arrival of spring in Hokkaido at the 68th Sapporo Lilac Festival this May. Admire the 400 lilac trees blooming in Odori Park, the city’s centre, while enjoying the food, wine, music, and various markets under the sun. For those interested in doing stamp rallies and lilac tours, those will be held at their second venue, Kawashimo Park, from 30 – 31 May.
Photo Credit: Suttsu Town
Suttsu Bay Spring Sea Festival & Kei Truck Market
31 May 2026
If you will miss Suttsu’s Golden Week Seafood Stall event, don’t fret as the town will be holding their major spring event in the same month. Enjoy rows of stalls and kei trucks selling a variety of local products, from vegetables to sweets to the famed Kotobuki Oysters.
Mr. Mishima’s Shibazakura Garden
Late May – Mid June
Spring is still vibrant and thriving even in the later weeks of May when the shibazakura starts blooming in Mr. Mishima’s Garden in Kutchan. Privately owned by Mr. Kazuo Mishima, visitors can admire the carpet of flowers in varying shades of pink, surrounded by yellow rape blossoms, with a gorgeous view of Mt. Yotei in the background.
Ongoing Events
Spring Skiing
Until 6 May 2026
Niseko United’s ski resorts will end their winter operations on the following dates:
Grand Hirafu: 6 May
Niseko Village: 5 April
Hanazono: 12 April
Annupuri: 6 May
Two of the four ski resorts in Niseko United will be closed by mid-April. If you’re coming to Niseko in early April, this will be a great time to get in some last-minute spring runs for the season. If you’re coming after 12 April, don’t fret as Grand Hirafu and Annupuri will still be operating until the end of Golden Week (6 May).
Photo Credit: Hokkaido Love
40th Jozankei Onsen Keiryu Koinobori
Until 10 May 2026
A popular hot spring town about an hour’s drive away from Niseko, Jozankei will be holding their annual Keiryu Koinobori (mountain stream carp streamers) event to welcome the arrival of spring.
The koinobori, or carp streamers, are usually hung up during Children’s Day on 5 May. However in Jozankei, this event lasts for about a month starting from 10 April to 11 May this year. Witness this fascinating sight of around 400 carp streamers “swimming” in the sky all over the town of Jozankei while enjoying the hot spring town’s facilities.
Photo Credit: Toyako Onsen Tourist Association
45th Toyako Long Run Fireworks Festival
28 April – 31 October 2026
Almost an hour away by car from Niseko is Lake Toya, famous for its stunning scenery and numerous spa resorts. It is also home to the 187-day fireworks display, the Toyako Long Run Fireworks Festival. In its 45th year this year, the festival will run from 28 April to 31 October 2026 where visitors can enjoy a 20-minute fireworks display just by the lakeside.
May marks the end of the ski season and the start of Niseko’s quieter and relaxing atmosphere before gearing up again for the summer. Stay at Setsu Niseko with our special summer offers and experience a different side of Niseko.
