Featured Spring Festivals in Hokkaido & Tohoku [2026]

Iizaka Onsen Ongura is a music event held on the outdoor stage of the Lower Storehouse at the Former Horikiri Residence, a nationally registered tangible cultural property in Iizaka Town, Fukushima City. Set within a tourism and exchange facility developed from the estate of a prosperous farming family dating back to the Edo period, the event features a layout that lets audiences enjoy live performances up close in a space that highlights the earthen storehouse’s charm and the calm ambiance unique to a hot spring town. Hot springs and historic buildings are scattered around the venue, making it perfect to enjoy alongside a stroll through the town. It will be held during Japan’s Golden Week in May 2026.

The Sapporo Lilac Festival began in 1959 at the urging of cultural figures who proposed “holding cultured events in the season when lilacs bloom,” and it heralds the arrival of early summer in Sapporo. Centered in Odori Park, where about 400 lilac trees blossom, the festival features a variety of programs such as the Lilac Music Festival, a wine garden, and a stamp rally. The Kawashimo venue, where more than 200 varieties are in full bloom, is also included, and the festival will be held in May 2026.