Autumn foliage in Hokkaido: Reading Jozankei colour updates

Use Jozankei official reports to distinguish typical peak foliage in mid-October from dated 2026 conditions at the hot spring town and Hoheikyo, with planning checks.

Last checked:

  • Hokkaido
  • Sapporo
  • Autumn leaves
  • Independent travel

This page is updated every year at the same address. Please note the last checked date.

When looking up the autumn foliage season in Hokkaido, do not rely on a single fixed month. The Jozankei Tourism Association clearly distinguishes the usual period near peak colour from actual foliage progress on a specific date. Using the Jozankei hot spring area () and Hoheikyo () as examples, this article explains how to read foliage updates from official notices checked on 2026-10-28. For other areas, see the Hokkaido travel overview and Sapporo travel guide.

Key points

  • Official information says autumn foliage around Jozankei Onsen typically approaches its peak in mid-October, although this varies by year.
  • The official foliage update for 26 October 2026 reported that leaves had started to fall in the Jozankei hot spring area.
  • The same day’s official information marked foliage as finished in areas including Hoheikyo. Do not treat the hot spring town’s conditions as those of every nearby attraction.
  • Each year’s autumn foliage trip should be planned using that year’s official colour updates, followed by transport and activity announcements, rather than last year’s dates alone.

Information for the year (2026)

The following information was confirmed when checked on 2026-10-28. Some observations refer specifically to 26 October 2026; they are not live conditions for later dates.

Item 2026 information Source
Usual foliage period in Jozankei Onsen Usually near peak in mid-October, with annual variation Jozankei Tourism Association
Jozankei Onsen conditions on 26 October Leaves had started to fall Jozankei Tourism Association
Hoheikyo and other areas on 26 October Foliage marked as finished officially Jozankei Tourism Association

Locations and foliage conditions: Check each area even on the same day

Location Confirmed official information (2026-10-26) Use for travellers
Jozankei hot spring town Leaves had started falling Shows the foliage stage around the town on that date
Hoheikyo and other areas Marked as foliage finished Shows that locations in the same wider region do not necessarily have identical conditions
Jozankei town in a typical year Often near peak colour in mid-October Only an initial reference for choosing a travel month

“Near peak” is a general seasonal description. “Leaves have started falling” and “foliage has ended” describe dated conditions in a specific year. Keeping them separate helps determine whether a particular travel date still suits an autumn foliage trip. Conditions may continue changing after the official update is issued.

How to read each year’s official notices

Information found How to interpret it What not to infer
Usually near peak in mid-October Common seasonal reference from previous years The leaves change on the same day every year
Conditions dated 26 October 2026 Status at the time of that announcement only A forecast for the same date next year
Different conditions for the hot spring town and Hoheikyo Check foliage by location One site represents all of Hokkaido
Autumn events and connecting transport Check that year’s official arrangements Reusing service dates from another year

For practical planning, decide whether your interest is the hot spring town scenery or another location and then check the latest foliage conditions there. This is more precise than relying on the broad label “Hokkaido autumn foliage season”. The information here is an official Jozankei example, not a uniform timetable for all Hokkaido.

What to check before departure

Confirm a foliage trip twice: use the typical period for an initial date choice, then check that year’s foliage and transport notices closer to departure. If there are seasonal events or shuttle services, use information for the relevant year, not arrangements from earlier seasons.

The foliage update dated 26 October 2026 loses relevance as time passes. Transport, activities and natural scenery can all change. Recheck official websites before departure.

Further reading

Sources