The Japanese archipelago enters a transition period from winter to spring every March. The weather is unstable and the wind is strong at this time of year. Even in Hokkaido, the temperature will gradually rise and you will feel that spring is approaching. However, in Hokkaido you must not neglect cold weather countermeasures. Even in March, snow falls often in Hokkaido. By late March, there will be more rain than snow. However, at ski resorts such as Niseko, you can continue to enjoy a world of snow. On this page, I will discuss Hokkaido weather in March. This article contains many pictures that will help you imagine March weather 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 March.
Table of Contents
Q & A about Hokkaido in March
Does snow fall in March in Hokkaido?
Snow falls in Hokkaido even in March but spring is gradually approaching. You can enjoy winter sports in Niseko, etc., but with more warm days during this time in urban areas the snow will begin to melt.
How cold is Hokkaido in March?
Hokkaido in March is still in the middle of winter. It gets warm gradually and snow melts, but winter clothes are necessary because the low temperature is often below freezing.
What kind of clothes should we wear in March in Hokkaido?
In Hokkaido in March, you do not need serious winter clothes like January or February, except in the mountainous areas. However, you need winter clothes similar to clothing you would wear in Tokyo or Osaka. For winter clothes in Japan, please refer to the following article.
When is the best time to visit Hokkaido?
If you want to enjoy snowy winter landscapes, January and February are the best months to visit. However, you can enjoy winter sports in the mountains such as Niseko in March. Even in urban areas such as Sapporo, there are many places where snow is piled up. From Biei, Furano, Asahikawa, etc., you can see wonderful snowy mountains.
Weather in Hokkaido in March (overview)
Temperature change in Hokkaido (Sapporo) in March
Graph: Temperature change in Hokkaido (Sapporo) in March
※ 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, temperatures will gradually rise in March. However, coats are still a must because the temperature is still low.
Overview
March 4, 2018 : Former Hokkaido government office in Sapporo, Japan = Shutterstock
In March, warmer days exceeding 10 degrees Celsius will gradually increase, even in Hokkaido. In Hokkaido, where the maximum temperature was around 5 degrees until February, people will begin to feel that spring is coming. Because winter is particularly long and hard, people are excited about the approaching spring. However, the cold weather still continues. It is not uncommon to have days when the lowest temperature in the middle of the night or the dawn becomes negative 5 degrees or less.
In this way, the weather in March is unstable. So, if you are traveling in Hokkaido during this time, please do not forget your winter clothes. Especially in the middle of March, you might think that it is still midwinter. If you want to enjoy winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding, you can enjoy them at ski resorts in Hokkaido.
It is still in the midst of winter at ski resorts such as Niseko. In March, people in Tokyo, Osaka etc. are excited about the idea of cherry blossoms that will soon bloom. However, in Hokkaido, cherry blossoms do not bloom yet.
The weather in Hokkaido is quite different from Tokyo, Osaka etc.
The following is the weather of Hokkaido in March announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Please make refer to this for more information.
Hokkaido weather in early March
Map of Hokkaido
Weather data in Hokkaido (early March)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | 2.0℃ (-5.0℃) | 24.5mm (37cm) |
| Otaru | 1.7℃ (-4.5℃) | 29.9mm (45cm) |
| Asahikawa | 0.2℃ (-9.3℃) | 19.9mm (45cm) |
| Biei | -0.9℃ (-13.1℃) | 14.5mm (52cm) |
| Furano | -0.3℃ (-12.0℃) | 14.7mm (48cm) |
| Wakkanai | -0.7℃ (-5.6℃) | 14.5mm (38cm) |
| Abashiri | -0.5℃ (-8.2℃) | 12.0mm (25cm) |
| Utoro | -1.5℃ (-9.0℃) | 21.2mm (49cm) |
| Nemuro | -0.1℃ (-6.2℃) | 11.3mm (20cm) |
| Kushiro | 1.1℃ (-7.5℃) | 13.1mm (15cm) |
| Obihiro | 1.7℃ (-9.3℃) | 11.2mm (15cm) |
| Hakodate | 3.3℃ (-4.3℃) | 20.2mm (27cm) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
March 5,2019 : Unidentified people playing ski at Niseko Mt. Resort Grand Hirafu at Niseko, Hokkaido,Japan = Shutterstock
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
There are a few warm days in early March but generally Hokkaido is still very much winter. There is still snowfall so please take precautions against the cold.
At Niseko and other ski resorts, you can enjoy winter sports even during this time.
In early March, sunrise time in Sapporo is around 6:05 and sunset time is around 17:28.
Sunrise time in Nemuro, located in Eastern Hokkaido, is about 5:49 and sunset time is about 17:11.
Hokkaido weather in the middle of March
Weather data in Hokkaido (middle of March)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | 4.1℃ (-2.6℃) | 26.0mm (33cm) |
| Otaru | 3.8℃ (-2.5℃) | 29.9mm (33cm) |
| Asahikawa | 2.7℃ (-6.0℃) | 18.2mm (35cm) |
| Biei | 1.5℃ (-9.3℃) | 15.6mm (47cm) |
| Furano | 2.3℃ (-8.1℃) | 18.1mm (42cm) |
| Wakkanai | 1.4℃ (-3.2℃) | 17.9mm (33cm) |
| Abashiri | 1.8℃ (-5.3℃) | 15.5mm (21cm) |
| Utoro | 1.1℃ (-6.1℃) | 23.1mm (39cm) |
| Nemuro | 1.8℃ (-4.1℃) | 17.8mm (16cm) |
| Kushiro | 2.8℃ (-4.5℃) | 19.6mm (14cm) |
| Obihiro | 4.2℃ (-5.5℃) | 11.5mm (12cm) |
| Hakodate | 5.4℃ (-2.3℃) | 18.5mm (15cm) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
MARCH 10: Hakodate city Tram, Hokkaido, Japan = Shutterstock
March 18, 2018: Snow covered winter Have a couple to walk on a white snow in the bright sky = Shutterstock
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
In mid-March, snow melts a lot in the center of major cities. There is a lot of water from melted snow on the road. So you should wear snow boots or shoes that offer protection from water.
However, if you go to a large park or forest, you can still enjoy beautiful snowy nature.
In mid-March, sunrise time in Sapporo is about 5:48 and sunset time is about 17:40.
The sunrise time in Nemuro, located in Eastern Hokkaido, is about 5:31 and the sunset time is about 17:23.
Hokkaido weather in late March
Weather data in Hokkaido (late March)
| Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Sapporo | 5.8℃ (-1.2℃) | 27.3mm (28cm) |
| Otaru | 5.3℃ (-1.1℃) | 24.2mm (29cm) |
| Asahikawa | 4.6℃ (-3.9℃) | 15.9mm (31cm) |
| Biei | 3.3℃ (-6.9℃) | 14.0mm (42cm) |
| Furano | 4.2℃ (-5.5℃) | 16.3mm (35cm) |
| Wakkanai | 2.8℃ (-1.8℃) | 17.9mm (31cm) |
| Abashiri | 3.3℃ (-3.4℃) | 16.1mm (21cm) |
| Utoro | 2.4℃ (-4.2℃) | 27.5mm (42cm) |
| Nemuro | 3.1℃ (-2.6℃) | 23.4mm (15cm) |
| Kushiro | 4.1℃ (-2.9℃) | 25.5mm (15cm) |
| Obihiro | 6.1℃ (-3.6℃) | 19.7mm (15cm) |
| Hakodate | 7.1℃ (-1.2℃) | 20.6mm (11cm) |
※ All figures are the average for 30 years of 1981-2010 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Hokkaido at this time seen in photos
On March 22nd 2018, the entrance of Niseko ski area in Hokkaido = Shutterstock
March 29 2016: Afternoon before sunset at Haokodate Harbor, Hakodate, Hokkaido = Shutterstock
Weather and sunrise / sunset time
In late March, snow basically disappears in the center of major cities. However, when cold weather comes from the Sea of Japan, it can still cause heavy snowfall.
It gets warm during the day but it is still very cold in the morning and evening, so a coat is necessary.
In ski resorts such as Niseko, there is almost no snow on the road anymore, but the slopes are well maintained. You can continue to enjoy skiing and more.
In late March, the sunrise time in Sapporo is about 5:30 and the sunset time is about 17:52.
Sunrise time in Nemuro, located in Eastern Hokkaido, is about 5:13 and sunset time is about 17:35.
※ 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 March, the time of the 15th for the middle of March, and the time of the 25th for the end of March.
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!
