Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri 2026 by Campervan | A 2-Day Trip with the Same-Weekend Sapporo Show
On Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30, 2026, the “Hokkaido Camping Car & Outdoor Show 2026” at Access Sapporo and the “63rd Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri” in Noboribetsu Onsen fall on the same weekend. With a campervan, a tidy 2-day, 1-night trip works well: catch the show on day one, drive to Noboribetsu in the evening, then walk the Jigoku Matsuri on day two.
This article combines both official announcements into a single route covering the schedule, parking, and how to connect the two events. All three parking lots at the Jigoku Matsuri are paid and limited in capacity, so if you’re driving, deciding where to park in advance will save you from scrambling on the day.
August 29-30: the campervan show and Jigoku Matsuri overlap
The Hokkaido Camping Car & Outdoor Show 2026 runs both days from 10:00 to 17:00 at Access Sapporo (4-3-55 Ryutsu Center, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo). Admission is ¥800 for an advance e-ticket, or ¥1,000 (e-ticket) / ¥1,200 (paper) on the day; junior high school age and under is free. Parking at the venue is free (JRVA official page, confirmed 2026-08-14). What’s on display and how to tour the venue are covered in our show announcement article.
Over the same two days, the 63rd Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri takes place in Noboribetsu Onsen around Gokuraku-dori shopping street and Sengen Park. The official (draft) program lists the Enma karakuri float, the Oni-mikoshi rampage parade, the Oni Odori mass dance, Jigokudani fireworks, and taiko drum performances. The official site notes, “The published program (draft) reflects current plans. Details may change due to circumstances,” so it’s worth checking the festival’s official page for the latest details before you set out (event announcement, confirmed 2026-08-14).
| Camper Show | Jigoku Matsuri | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Sat Aug 29 & Sun Aug 30 | Sat Aug 29 & Sun Aug 30 |
| Hours | 10:00–17:00 | Not stated on official site (confirmed 2026-08-14) |
| Venue | Access Sapporo (Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo) | Gokuraku-dori shopping street, Sengen Park, etc. (Noboribetsu Onsen) |
| Parking | Free | All 3 lots are paid (see below) |
Day 1: catch the show in Sapporo — arrive right at opening if you can
Parking at the show venue is free, but as noted in our announcement article, afternoons tend to get crowded. Arriving for the 10:00 opening and touring the exhibits early in the day is easier going. Everything from Cabcons to Vancons and Kei-campers lines the large indoor exhibition hall, so rain won’t disrupt your plans.
Since you’re heading to Noboribetsu that day, decide your cut-off time in advance. Leaving the venue around 15:00 gets you to Noboribetsu Onsen while it’s still light, with time to catch a glimpse of the festival’s opening night. If you want to look a vehicle over carefully, it’s also fine to pick up the brochures and save the sales talk for another day.
If you’re renting a campervan for this weekend, booking with a company where you can pick up near New Chitose Airport or Sapporo means you can head straight to the show venue right after pickup.
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See details at Moving Inn →Sapporo to Noboribetsu: make the drive on the evening of day 1
Noboribetsu Onsen is about 155 km from Sapporo. Taking the Doou Expressway gets you there in around 1 hour 30 minutes: enter at Kitago IC and exit at Noboribetsu-Higashi IC, then it’s about another 10 minutes to the hot-spring town (per NAVITIME, confirmed July 2026). The detailed route is covered in our Noboribetsu Onsen campervan guide.
On the evening of day 1, there’s an option to catch a glimpse of the festival’s opening night. The temporary parking lot P3 (Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura) is open 16:00–22:00 for ¥500, with 600 spaces and a free shuttle bus to the venue (official festival page, confirmed 2026-08-14). If you leave the show around 15:00, arriving in the evening puts you right in this window.
Where to spend the night and park in Noboribetsu is covered in the Noboribetsu Onsen campervan guide, in the section “Choosing the right parking spot makes a big difference if you’re sleeping in the campervan.” Use that as your starting point for deciding where to stay the night (confirmed 2026-08-14).
Where to park on the day of the Jigoku Matsuri
The official guidance says the festival’s parking lots are “paid,” and lists the following three (official page, confirmed 2026-08-14).
| Parking lot | Hours | Fee | Spaces | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 Noboribetsu Onsen parking lot | 10:00–22:00 | ¥800 | 140 | — |
| P2 Temporary lot (former Onsen Elementary School site) | 10:00–22:00 | ¥1,000 | 110 | — |
| P3 Temporary lot (Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura) | 16:00–22:00 | ¥500 | 600 | Free shuttle bus |
P3, with 600 spaces, is the one with room to spare. P1 and P2, closer to the hot-spring town, have only 250 spaces between them, and the official site itself recommends using public transport. Whether large vehicles like campervans can park there isn’t stated on the official site (confirmed 2026-08-14), so to be safe, check with the contact listed on the official page and plan around P3 plus the shuttle bus.
The morning of day 2 is best spent exploring Jigokudani. Parking there and hopping between day-use hot springs are covered in detail in the Noboribetsu Onsen campervan guide mentioned above.
Putting the two days together
Day 1 (Sat, Aug 29)
- Morning: Pick up your campervan near New Chitose Airport or Sapporo, head to Access Sapporo, and enter at the 10:00 opening
- Midday to early afternoon: Tour the exhibits
- Around 15:00: Leave the venue, drive to Noboribetsu via the Doou Expressway (about 1 hour 30 minutes)
- Evening: Arrive in Noboribetsu. To catch the festival’s opening night, park at P3 (16:00–22:00) and take the shuttle bus to the venue
- Night: Decide where to park for the night starting from the section in the Noboribetsu Onsen campervan guide
Day 2 (Sun, Aug 30)
- Morning: Explore Jigokudani
- Daytime onward: Head to the 63rd Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri. Check the official page for the latest timing of the Enma karakuri float and the Oni Odori mass dance
- Return trip: Take the Doou Expressway back toward Sapporo / New Chitose, departing with your return deadline in mind
As of 2026-08-14, the official site does not list start times for the individual performances. Whether you stay through the evening of day 2 for the Jigokudani fireworks will make a big difference to your return timing, so check the official page once more before you set out.
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See details at Moving Inn →FAQ
Can I park a campervan at the Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri?
Whether large vehicles or campervans can park there isn’t stated on the official site (confirmed 2026-08-14). The official site itself recommends using public transport. Plan around P3 (Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura, 600 spaces, free shuttle bus), the one with the most capacity, and confirm in advance with the contact listed on the official page.
Can I visit both the show and the Jigoku Matsuri on the same day?
It’s not impossible, but the show runs 10:00–17:00 both days, and the drive between the two venues takes about 1 hour 30 minutes on the expressway. Fitting both into one day means cutting the show short in the morning, which gets rushed. Splitting them — the show on day 1, the festival on day 2 — leaves more room to breathe.
What time do the Jigokudani fireworks start?
The Jigokudani fireworks are listed in the official (draft) program, but no start time is given (confirmed 2026-08-14). Check the official page once it’s announced.
How do I book a campervan in time for this weekend?
Since it’s a late-August weekend, checking availability early is the safer move. Choosing a company where you can pick up near New Chitose Airport or Sapporo means you can head straight to the show venue on the day of pickup. Rates and vehicle types can be checked on the Moving Inn rental page.
Comparing campervans at the exhibition hall one day, then walking a hot-spring town alive with demon floats the next — both events run August 29 and 30, and this is the one weekend you can combine them. Check the official pages for the latest details first, then start with booking your campervan. To find events in other seasons, the Hokkaido Campervan Event Calendar 2026 is a good place to start.
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