Sapporo White Illumination 2026–27: Dates, Venues and When to Go

The Sapporo White Illumination runs from November 20, 2026 to March 14, 2027, its 46th season. It began in Odori Park in 1981 and now lights several sites in central Sapporo: Odori Park, Ekimae-dori, Minami 1-jo-dori, the Kita 3-jo Plaza (Akapla) and the Sapporo Station south exit plaza, with the red-brick government building and Nakajima Park added. Not every site runs throughout the overall season. Each site has its own period and lighting hours.

2026–27 at a glance

The official venue pages below were checked on October 24, 2026. Their schedules are now published; the previous late-October announcement notice is no longer the planning basis.

The sites

Dates and hours by venue

These are the announced basic hours. The Ekimae-dori and Minami 1-jo-dori pages also mention Christmas extensions but contain weekday/date inconsistencies; reconfirm those extensions before planning a late visit. Odori explicitly lists December 23–25 until midnight. Nakajima runs only January 9–28, not during Christmas or the February Snow Festival. Akapla and the red-brick building share an area but have different closing dates.

The Munich Christmas Market occupies Odori Park 1–2 chome, November 20–December 25, 2026, 11:00–21:00, with last orders at 20:45 (checked October 24). It is not open for the full illumination season.

When it gets dark

Sunset times are from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's calculations for Sapporo. In December the sun sets at about 16:00, so the lights are on display from early evening; check each site's lighting hours before you go.

Planning an evening

These are our suggestions, not official advice.

• Walk from Sapporo Station to Odori. Start at the station's south exit and follow Ekimae-dori and Akapla to Odori Park; it keeps you near warm indoor stops.
• Combine it with the Christmas Market until December 25. The market and the Odori lights are in the same park; see Christmas in Hokkaido.
• Dress for standing still outdoors. Sapporo's average December day is 2.0°C, falling to -4.0°C at night (JMA normals); see our winter weather guide and winter packing list.
• In February, pair it with the Snow Festival. The Sapporo Snow Festival runs February 4–11, 2027; Odori lights and Nakajima have already ended, while Ekimae-dori runs through February 11. For other remaining venues check the table above; see our Snow Festival guide.

For everything else in the city, see Sapporo in winter. For the rest of the season, see Hokkaido in November, Hokkaido in December and our Hokkaido in winter guide. For somewhere to stay near the lights, see where to stay in Sapporo.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Sapporo White Illumination 2026? From November 20, 2026 to March 14, 2027. Each site has its own period and hours.

Where are the illuminations? Odori Park, Ekimae-dori, Minami 1-jo-dori, the Kita 3-jo Plaza (Akapla) and the Sapporo Station south exit plaza, plus the red-brick government building and Nakajima Park. Nakajima is January 9–28 only; Akapla ends March 14, while the red-brick building ends February 28.

When is the Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo? November 20 – December 25, 2026, 11:00–21:00, in Odori Park.

Sources: Sapporo Tourism Association, Sapporo White Illumination and Munich Christmas Market (checked 12–19 October 2026); National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, sunrise and sunset for Sapporo (November 2026, December 2026, January 2027, February 2027, March 2027); Japan Meteorological Agency climate normals 1991–2020. Planning suggestions are our editorial judgement.