(original photo by daita saru; CC BY 2.0)

Sapporo Snow Festival

The Snow Festival is one of Hokkaido’s most famous events, with Sapporo’s main street lined with statues and sculptures made with ice and snow. Every year more than 2 million Japanese and international visitors come to see the spectacle, with the biggest snow sculptures reaching a width of up to 40m. In addition to the main festival you can try out some skiing and other smaller events. At night the sculptures give off a whole new sense of fascination, with elaborate illuminations creating a unique atmosphere. It is advised to bring warm clothes and anti-slip footwear. The whole festival is completely free of admission.

Sapporo Snow Festival

Odori Site (Odori Park Nishi 1-chome~Nishi 12-chome)
…Early morning – 10:00pm
Illuminations turns on at sunset, and turns off at 10:00pm.

Tsudome Site (Sapporo Community Dome)
…9:00am-5:00pm

Susukino Site (Ekimae-dori between South 4-South 7)
…Early morning – 12:00am
Illuminations turns off at 11:00pm. (On the last day, illuminations turns off at 10:00pm.)

Access from Tokyo
Approx. 1h30m from Haneda Airport (Tokyo) to Shin-Chitose Airport (Sapporo). From Shin-Chitose Airport, 40 min by the JR Line to Sapporo Sta.
Feb. 5 - Feb. 11, 2016 (Tsudome Site: - Feb. 18, 2016)
Website: Sapporo Snow Festival
Sapporo Snow Festival

Site Menu