While Sapporo is always worth a visit anytime of the year, winter is an especially great time to catch the frigid and fantastical wonder of Hokkaido. One attraction stands out in particular―the Sapporo Snow Festival.
Each February, when the snow is at its thickest, an army of sculptors descend into this northern capital to haul, carve and chisel blocks of ice into sculptures! As the city’s most anticipated events, it attracts tons of visitors looking to marvel at the city’s vibrant and dreamy winter coat.
For 2024, the Sapporo Snow Festival will be open from February 4 to 11. If you’re around town for these two weeks, here are all the activities you can expect at this wintry event:
First Snow
Way back in 1950, a few Sapporo school students decided to make six ice sculptures in the city’s Odori Park before pairing them with snowball fights along with a carnival. They ended up attracting almost 50 thousand visitors, thus giving birth to the very first Sapporo Snow Festival.
Almost seven decades later and with the help of countless Sapporo residents, ice sculptors and even the Japanese Self-Defense Force, the festival has grown to 100+ ice sculptures spread over three massive sites that attract upwards of 2.7 million visitors.
Sculptures Galore
Spread out over three sites (Odori, Susukino and Tsudome) with an area of almost 1.5km, the snow festival’s sculptures come in all sorts of icy shapes and sizes. From human-sized mascots to expansive murals and also replicas of castles and world landmarks, there’s sure to be something for both young and old. For an easy ice sculpture hotspot, try the area between Susukino Station and Nakajima Park.
Nighttime Glow
t-konnoAt night, the sculptures get a glow-up as they’re lit up, wowing all with their pure white sheen shining beautifully in the winter night. Make sure to catch the projection show which showers the blank ice canvas with a riot of delightful colours and patterns!
Stretching Your Legs
After having your fill of the ice sculptures at the Odori and Susukino site, try stretching your legs over at the Tsudome site, where snow slides, snow rafts and other fun attractions for both kids and parents await.
Ice Sculpture Competition
And what’s a festival without a competition? Hailing from both temperate and tropical lands, various international teams (up to 20) compete to craft the best sculpture, taking up to almost a month’s worth of work to finish. And best of all, visitors can get a closeup look at the entire process (with a barrier of course)!
Getting Here
Most of the Sapporo Snow Festival’s sites are reachable by foot from almost any of the major attractions in the city. Or if not, then they’re simply a subway ride or taxi away.
From Sapporo Station, head south through the underground walkways for about 15 minutes and Odori Park will be right there. By rail, you can cut that down to about 2 minutes.
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