Based on 169 stations, annual, seasonal and monthly precipitation trends for the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido were analysed for the period 1980–2011 using the Mann–Kendall test and geostatistical interpolation techniques. Possible association with water vapour flux was explored using ERA ‐Interim reanalysis data. Precipitation increased in Hokkaido over the study period at both the annual and seasonal scales. In genera...