On this page, I will introduce Hokkaido weather in May. At this time, full-scale spring comes to Hokkaido. The cherry blossoms bloom one month later than Tokyo and then the trees turn to a wonderful fresh green. You will be able to explore beautiful tourist areas with a pleasant climate. This article contains a lot of pictures to help you imagine the weather in May in Hokkaido, so please refer to them.
Below are articles about the monthly weather in Hokkaido. Click on an article if you want to know more.
| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July | August | September |
| October | November | December |
Below are articles on the weather in Tokyo and Osaka in May.
Table of Contents
Q & A about Hokkaido in May
Does snow fall in May in Hokkaido?
There is no snow in Hokkaido in May. However, in some large ski resorts such as Niseko, you can ski until about May 6th.
How cold is Hokkaido in May?
Hokkaido has a spring climate in May. You can travel comfortably.
What kind of clothes should we wear in May in Hokkaido?
Spring clothes are desirable in May. For spring clothes in Japan, please refer to the following article.
When is the best time to visit Hokkaido?
If you want to enjoy winter snowy landscapes then January and February are the best months. If you want to see beautiful flower fields then July and August are recommended.
In early May you will be able to see cherry blossoms in Hokkaido.
Weather in Hokkaido in May (overview)
Temperature change in Hokkaido (Sapporo) in May
Graph: Temperature change in Hokkaido (Sapporo) in May
※ Based on the data released by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Both high and low temperature data are averages over the past 30 years (1981-2010)
>> Click here for a [quick reference] converted from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
As you can see from the above graph, in late May, the daytime maximum temperature in Hokkaido will rise to nearly 20 degrees Celsius.
Overview
Mountains of Daietsutsuzan seen from Biei, Hokkaido = Shutterstock
In May, the maximum daytime temperature in Hokkaido will increase by more than 20 degrees Celsius. It rains moderately and with every rain the trees and grass will grow. May is one of the best times to travel in Hokkaido.
On the other hand, the morning and evening low temperatures are quite low. Hokkaido has a large difference in temperature per day compared to Tokyo and Osaka.
It will no longer snow in Hokkaido in May. It may be difficult to enjoy snow at this time. Ski areas, even those in Niseko and Daisetsuzan, will be closed around May 6. Instead, you can see snow-capped mountains in Asahikawa or Biei near the Daietsuzan mountain area.
Below is the meteorological data of Hokkaido released by the Japan Meteorological Agency in May.
Hokkaido weather in early May
Map of Hokkaido
Weather data in Hokkaido (early May)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | 15.9℃ (6.9℃) | 19.3mm (–) |
| Otaru | 15.1℃ (6.1℃) | 22.6mm (–) |
| Asahikawa | 15.9℃ (3.6℃) | 23.1mm (0cm) |
| Biei | 15.4℃ (2.5℃) | 23.7mm (0cm) |
| Furano | 16.0℃ (3.6℃) | 25.1mm (0cm) |
| Wakkanai | 10.5℃ (4.5℃) | 22.1mm (–) |
| Abashiri | 13.0℃ (3.9℃) | 19.8mm (1cm) |
| Utoro | 12.8℃ (3.3℃) | 37.4mm (3cm) |
| Nemuro | 10.5℃ (3.0℃) | 31.3mm (0cm) |
| Kushiro | 11.0℃ (3.6℃) | 37.4mm (0cm) |
| Obihiro | 16.5℃ (4.2℃) | 25.1mm (1cm) |
| Hakodate | 15.4℃ (6.1℃) | 31.2mm (–cm) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
MAY 1, 2018 Hokkaido shrine is a shinto shrine located in Sapporo. sited in Maruyama park, Hokkaido = Shutterstock
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
In Sapporo and Hakodate, cherry blossoms will be in full bloom from late April to early May. The most popular places to see cherry blossoms are Maruyama Park and Hokkaido Shrine in Sapporo. Also popular is Goryokaku in Hakodate.
In early May, the sunrise time in Sapporo is about 4:24 and the sunset time is about 18:40.
The sunrise time in Nemuro, in eastern Hokkaido, is about 4:06 and the sunset time is about 18:23.
Hokkaido weather in the middle of May
Weather data in Hokkaido (middle of May)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | 17.3℃ (8.2℃) | 17.4mm (–) |
| Otaru | 16.5℃ (7.4℃) | 15.4mm (–) |
| Asahikawa | 17.7℃ (5.4℃) | 20.6mm (–) |
| Biei | 17.2℃ (4.1℃) | 18.6mm (0cm) |
| Furano | 17.7℃ (5.5℃) | 18.3mm (0cm) |
| Wakkanai | 12.1℃ (6.0℃) | 18.3mm (–) |
| Abashiri | 14.4℃ (5.5℃) | 19.5mm (0cm) |
| Utoro | 14.4℃ (4.8℃) | 31.5mm (1cm) |
| Nemuro | 11.7℃ (4.2℃) | 35.0mm (1cm) |
| Kushiro | 12.0℃ (5.0℃) | 34.4mm (0cm) |
| Obihiro | 17.7℃ (5.7℃) | 27.4mm (0cm) |
| Hakodate | 16.3℃ (7.4℃) | 23.2mm (–) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
MAY 11,2018: Tourists take a photo around Pink moss flowers field (Japaness call Shibazakura) Blooming like a pink carpet on the hill at Takinoue park, Mombetsu, Hokkaido = Shutterstock
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
The temperature in Hokkaido will rise in May. In mid-May, the maximum temperature may exceed 25 degrees Celsius.
The maximum daytime temperature will not change much, similar to Tokyo. However, Hokkaido is more comfortable because it is dry.
In Hokkaido, it is cold in the morning and evening. This point is very different from Tokyo etc. If you go out in the morning or evening, you may want to prepare jumpers or other clothing items for warmth.
In the middle of May, the sunrise time in Sapporo is about 4:12 and the sunset time is about 18:51.
The sunrise time in Nemuro, in eastern Hokkaido, is about 3:54 and the sunset time is about 18:34.
Hokkaido weather in late May
Weather data in Hokkaido (late May)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | 18.7℃ (9.8℃) | 16.4mm (–) |
| Otaru | 17.5℃ (8.8℃) | 18.1mm (–) |
| Asahikawa | 19.5℃ (7.1℃) | 21.1mm (–) |
| Biei | 19.1℃ (5.8℃) | 22.5mm (0cm) |
| Furano | 19.8℃ (7.6℃) | 23.2mm (0cm) |
| Wakkanai | 13.4℃ (7.2℃) | 27.3mm (–) |
| Abashiri | 15.2℃ (6.7℃) | 22.4mm (–) |
| Utoro | 15.7℃ (6.1℃) | 31.9mm (0cm) |
| Nemuro | 12.2℃ (5.1℃) | 35.8mm (–) |
| Kushiro | 12.8℃ (6.1℃) | 40.2mm (–) |
| Obihiro | 18.5℃ (7.1℃) | 28.6mm (–) |
| Hakodate | 17.6℃ (8.9℃) | 29.2mm (–) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
MAY 23, 2015: Takikawa Rapeseed festival is one of the best places to admire the canola flower fields. It is planted as a crop rotation, Takikawa, Hokkaido = Shutterstock
MAY 20,2017: Mother and son walking back home with train railway background, Otaru, Hokkaido
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
Hokkaido in this time is really comfortable. Beautiful flowers are blooming in the vast meadows.
In Takikawa City, about 50 minutes by train from Sapporo, the Flower Festival will be held from the middle of May to the beginning of June. The fields of rape blossoms are very beautiful.
In late May, the sunrise time in Sapporo is about 4:03 and the sunset time is about 19:01.
The sunrise time in Nemuro, in eastern Hokkaido, is about 3:45 and the sunset time is about 18:45.
※ Sunrise and sunset times are based on the 2019 data released by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. I posted the time of the 5th for the beginning of May, the time of the 15th for the middle of May, and the time of the 25th for the end of May.
Reference: Current weather and temperature in Hokkaido, forecast for the next 7 days
Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Below are pages showing the climates of various regions in Japan at the same time of the year.
| Tokyo | Osaka | Kyoto |
| Hokkaido | Sendai | Nagano |
| Nagoya | Hiroshima | Fukuoka |
| Okinawa |
Thank you for reading to the end.
For Hokkaido, please refer to the following article if you like.
>> Hokkaido! 21 Popular Tourist Areas and 10 Airports
>> New Chitose Airport! Access to Sapporo, Niseko, Furano etc.
Now, let’s plan to make your vacation in Japan the best experience ever!
