What to wear in Hokkaido in March

In March, the average high in Sapporo is 4.5℃ and the average low is −2.4℃, 17.9℃ lower than the average high in Hong Kong. What to wear: Thermal base layer, coat, boots, scarf, heavy clothing.

MarchSapporo High 4.5℃ / Low −2.4℃

What to wear in Sapporo in March

Thermal base layer
Coat
Boots
Scarf
Heavy clothing

Clothing tips for March

Roads turn to slush as the snow melts and refreezes. Winter shoes or waterproof shoes and boots are best.

In March, the gap between the average high and low in Sapporo is 6.9℃. The average high is 4.1℃ higher than in February.

How to choose winter shoes and walk on snow

The illustration shows how the clothes combine. The clothing list is written for Sapporo. Asahikawa is colder than Sapporo in winter, and Kushiro stays cool even in summer, with highs around 20℃. Check the temperatures in the table if you are going elsewhere.

Sapporo in early, mid and late March

The normal high rises by 4.0℃ from early to late March. Adjust what you pack to when in the month you go.

Period	High	Low	Precipitation	Snowfall	Deepest snow
Early (1st–10th)	2.5℃	−4.3℃	32 mm	33 cm	81 cm
Mid (11th–20th)	4.5℃	−2.2℃	21 mm	22 cm	70 cm
Late (21st–end)	6.5℃	−0.8℃	24 mm	19 cm	51 cm

Weather in four Hokkaido cities in March

City	High	Low	Precipitation	Sunshine	Humidity	Snowfall	Deepest snow	Ice days
Sapporo	4.5℃	−2.4℃	78 mm	145 hours	65%	74 cm	82 cm	about 3 days
Hakodate	5.8℃	−2.2℃	64 mm	159 hours	68%	41 cm	28 cm	about 2 days
Asahikawa	3.0℃	−6.1℃	55 mm	141 hours	73%	80 cm	82 cm	about 7 days
Kushiro	3.3℃	−4.2℃	56 mm	201 hours	71%	31 cm	23 cm	about 4 days

An ice day is a day when the temperature stays below 0℃. Deepest snow is the monthly normal at the observation station. Snow depth varies by location.

Daily snowfall and snow depth in March (JMA data):Sapporo Hakodate Asahikawa Kushiro

Sapporo compared with your home city in March

Average highs and lows in each city, and how Sapporo’s average high compares.

Home city	High	Low	Sapporo’s high is
Hong Kong	22.4℃	17.2℃	17.9℃ lower
Singapore	32.2℃	25.1℃	27.7℃ lower
Taipei	22.7℃	16.0℃	18.2℃ lower
Kaohsiung	27.0℃	19.7℃	22.5℃ lower
Tokyo	14.2℃	5.0℃	9.7℃ lower
Osaka	14.2℃	6.0℃	9.7℃ lower

Spring in Sapporo (March to May)

March and the first half of April are still cold. Some days are sunny and warm, but nights get chilly, so wear layers you can adjust, such as a base layer and a coat or jacket.
In March the roads turn to slush as snow melts and refreezes, so winter shoes or waterproof shoes and boots are best. By May most people wear ordinary shoes, but it is still too early for sandals.
In spring, pollen from alder, Japanese yew and birch is in the air.

Other months

See the whole year (with the home city comparison tool)

Sources

Hokkaido, Tokyo and Osaka use Japan Meteorological Agency normals (1991–2020). Hong Kong and Singapore are 2004–2025 averages calculated from JMA world climate data. Taipei and Kaohsiung use normals (1991–2020) from Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration. Actual temperatures vary, so check the forecast before you leave. The sources below are mostly in Japanese.