A local guide from a soba shop by Nakajima Park, Sapporo
Autumn Leaves in Nakajima Park
Around Shobu-ike Pond and the Japanese garden, the autumn leaves are usually at their best from mid to late October.
In 2026 there is also an evening autumn light-up from October 23 to November 3.
We are a small soba shop a few minutes’ walk from the park. Here is where to see the leaves, and how to spend half a day together with soba making.
Where to see the leaves
These are the three spots the Nakajima Park office describes as the usual places for autumn color. The best time shifts with each year’s weather.
Around Shobu-ike Pond
Usually at their best from mid to late October. Red, orange and yellow leaves are reflected in the pond. The park office points to the view from the deck next to the boat dock.
The Japanese Garden and Hassoan
Photo: ダブルで at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons Usually at their best from mid to late October. You can see the Hassoan teahouse (an Important Cultural Property of Japan) with the autumn leaves, and rest in a covered gazebo. The exterior of Hassoan is open for viewing 9:00–17:00. The garden usually closes for winter in early to mid-November (the 2026 date has not been announced yet).
Ginkgo avenue
Right by Nakajima Koen Station on the subway. Ginkgo trees turn later than the others and are usually at their best from late October to early November.
The park office has also introduced other places for autumn color, such as the fullmoon maples in front of the Children’s Center, the south side of the Kitara concert hall, and the Kamogamo River near Horohira Bridge. There is also a tree map that covers 58 typical tree species, about an hour on foot.
Nakajima Park Autumn Light-up 2026
Friday, October 23 to Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (a national holiday), 17:00–21:00. Organized by the Sapporo Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Autumn light-up
The ginkgo avenue, Shobu-ike Pond, Hoheikan and the Japanese garden are lit up. A geisha café is held at Hoheikan during the period.
Japanese garden (paid area)
Lit 17:15–21:00 (last entry 20:45). ¥600 at the gate, ¥500 in advance (tax included, plus a handling fee), free for elementary school students and younger.
Sapporo Yaki-imo Terrace 2026 (roasted sweet potatoes)
Held during the same period, October 23 to November 3, at the South 9-jo Hiroba square right by the exits of Nakajima Koen Station. 11:00–20:00 (until 19:00 on the last day).
Half-day course ideas
Times are only a guide. These courses do not apply on each place’s closing days.
On a light-up day
October 23 to November 3, 2026
14:30
Walk around Shobu-ike Pond and the Japanese garden while it is still light
15:50
Arrive at Fukuneko SOBA (the experience starts at 16:00)
16:00
Make soba, then enjoy it as part of your meal
Around 18:00
Walk back to the park for the autumn light-up (until 21:00)
Daytime leaves and roasted sweet potatoes
Saturday (October 24 or 31 in 2026)
11:00
Soba making and a meal at Fukuneko SOBA (elementary school age and up as a guide)
13:15
The ginkgo avenue and the sweet potato terrace at South 9-jo Hiroba
14:00
Autumn leaves at Shobu-ike Pond and the Japanese garden
15:00
Hoheikan (9:00–17:00)
Even without booking the experience, you can have soba at lunch on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, 11:30–14:00.
Soba making at Fukuneko SOBA
Make soba from flour, then enjoy the noodles you made with appetizers, salad, a meat dish, tempura and Japanese sake. It takes about 2 hours and is held inside our shop, on the second floor of the building. Our host guides international guests with a translation app.
- One private group per day
- 2–6 guests
- ¥6,300 per person (tax included)
- About 2 hours
- Start times: 11:00 or 16:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays; 16:00 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
- Online booking closes 7 days before. Guests under 20 and drivers get a soft drink instead of sake.
Good to know
- The best time shifts with the weather. Strong wind or rain can bring the leaves down at once (in 2017, strong wind and heavy rain on October 30 ended the peak).
- The park has no parking lot of its own. Please come by subway or streetcar.
- The public restrooms in the park usually close for winter from mid-November (in 2025 from November 12; the restrooms at 9-jo Hiroba and Jiyu Hiroba stayed open).
FAQ
- When is the 2026 autumn light-up in Nakajima Park?
- From Friday, October 23 to Tuesday, November 3 (a national holiday), 17:00–21:00. The Japanese garden is a paid area, lit 17:15–21:00.
- When are the autumn leaves at their best in Nakajima Park?
- According to the park office, usually from mid to late October around Shobu-ike Pond and the Japanese garden, and from late October to early November on the ginkgo avenue. The timing shifts with each year’s weather.
- Can I do soba making and see the light-up on the same day?
- Yes. After the experience that starts at 16:00 (about 2 hours), you can walk back to the park in time for the light-up, which runs until 21:00. Hoheikan is about a 7-minute walk from Fukuneko SOBA.