What to wear in Hokkaido in autumn (Sep to Oct)

Autumn in Hokkaido is so beautiful and it brings delicious foods like vegetables, fruits and seafood to us. It is also my favorite season.
Getting colder in late Aug, we just feel the beginning of autumn from that time on. It falls snow on the top of mountains in Oct, which almost means the season is changing to Winter. It is commonly said that autumn in Hokkaido is short period almost only two months from Sep to Oct.
Below chart is showing highest and lowest temperature in Sapporo for each month in 2016 provided by official website of Japan Meteorological Agency. <!–more–>
As you may aware, the difference between highest and lowest is very large, and in other words, temperature between day time and morning or night is also very different. It is very important to prepare properly clothes for travel in Hokkaido. Most Japanese domestic tourists always concern what to wear for the travel to Hokkaido, so I guess foreign tourists are much annoying this matter due to luck of enough local information in English….

 

Highest and lowest temperature in Sapporo (2016)

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Highest 4.0 8.3 13.5 21.1 29.7  28.4
Lowest  -10.7  -10.9  -6.9  0.1  1.7  8.4
Month Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Highest 30.5  31.9 31.1  24.7  14.5  11.9
Lowest  13.4  15.1 9.5  0.5  -7.0 -9.2

In Sep, it is better to wear long sleeves rather than short sleeves and also good to wear long pants rather than short pants. If you are lady and like to wear skirt, it is better to wear stockings with skirt. When you have a plan to go north or east Hokkaido, such as Asahikawa, Kushiro or Obihiro, better to bring cardigan, hooded jacket or hooded sweatshirt to keep warm.
In Oct, we seldom see people wearing short sleeves! 😀 Local people usually wear cardigan, hooded jacket or sweatshirt on long sleeves and additionally put light down jacket or light coat on in case it becomes colder around 10°C. Wool scarf or wool gloves may be useful when you go to see night view especially from the mountain top like Mt. Moiwa in Sapporo. It sometimes falls snow in Oct, but we can still walk with sneakers, not necessary winter shoes.
Below is a sample of suitable clothing by temperature. I hope this helps you to judge what to wear in Hokkaido at the time of preparation for your trip.

 

Sample of suitable clothes in Hokkaido

Temperature below Sample of suitable clothes in Hokkaido
25°C  Better to prepare long sleeves to put it on short sleeves  for night
20°C  Wear cotton cardigan or cotton jacket on long sleeves
15°C  Start wearing winter clothes such as wool sweater, wool jacket and down made vest on long sleeves
10°C  Wear cotton made coat or light down coat on wool sweater
8°C  Wear wool made coat or light down coat on wool sweater
5°C  Wear wool made coat or thick down coat on wool sweater. Better to put on wool gloves and wool scarf.
0°C  Wear wool made coat or thick down coat on wool sweater with turtle-necked underwear. Better to put on wool gloves and wool scarf

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