In Hokkaido (北海道), in the city of Sapporo (札幌), one of the largest winter festivals in Japan occurs annually: the renowned Sapporo Snow Festival (さっぽろ雪まつり). In this article, we will explore all the details of this grand Snow Festival, which attracts tourists from all over the world.
The festival usually takes place in February, the month with the most snowfall in Sapporo, offering impressive ice sculptures, winter activities, and a unique cultural experience. Its duration is 7 days and the "Snow Festival" has been taking place since 1950 to this day.
The Sapporo Snow Festival takes place in three main locations: Odori Park, which is the heart of the festival with its gigantic sculptures; Susukino district, famous for its stunning illuminated ice sculptures; and Tsudome, a site focused on family fun, offering snow slides and other interactive activities.
Read also: Guide Hokkaido – Sapporo, Hakodate, Otaru and Asahikawa
Table of Contents
The Origin of the Sapporo Snow Festival
This festival began in 1950, when elementary school students created six snow sculptures in Odori Park. In 1955, Japan's Self-Defense Forces got involved, building the first large snow sculptures that gave the festival its fame. Although other snow festivals have taken place in Hokkaido, many have disappeared, while the Sapporo Snow Festival has grown and established itself as an iconic event.
Today, the Sapporo Snow Festival attracts over 2 million tourists every year, coming from various countries around the world. The festival is known for its more than 250 snow and ice sculptures, which vary in size and complexity. Some of these gigantic sculptures measure up to 15 meters in height and 25 meters in width. In addition to the impressive sculptures, the festival includes ice and snow sculpture competitions, with categories for all age groups and skill levels.
Event Attractions
The event is not limited to sculptures alone. It offers a variety of attractions for all tastes, including ice skating rinks, skiing areas, AIR Jumping spaces, hiking and sledding tubes. These activities provide fun for the whole family, making the Sapporo Snow Festival a complete winter experience.
Some sculptures are giant and require machines and a base to be made. Cultural sculptures from all over the world are made at the event. There have been years when we had sculptures of Star Wars, Sazae-san, Hatsune Miku, and various references to the POP world.
Read also: Star Wars Quotes in Japanese
The grandeur of the event draws the world's attention with unimaginably brilliant sculptures, replicas of castles and monuments. If you want to find out more, visit the event's official website: snowfes.com
During the festival, visitors can enjoy various culinary delights such as Crab soup, grilled lamb, hot chocolate, hot sake, and the famous Sapporo ramen.
Curiosities and Interesting Facts
- Records - Some snow sculptures are so big that they measure 15 meters in height and 25 meters in width.
- International Team - Sculptor teams from different countries participate in the competitions, bringing a multicultural aspect to the festival.
- Lighting The ice sculptures in Susukino are lit up at night, creating a stunning visual spectacle.
How to Get to the Sapporo Snow Festival?
The festival areas are open from 10am to 10pm, with the sculptures illuminated at night until 9pm. See below how you can get to the location using local trains:
From Aeroporto New Chitose to Sapporo:
- Trem - Take the JR Rapid Airport train to Sapporo Station (about 40 minutes).
- Bus - There are several bus services that connect the airport to downtown Sapporo.
Inside Sapporo:
- Odori Park From Sapporo Station, walk for about 10 minutes or take the Toho Line subway to Odori Station.
- Susukino - Take the Namboku Line subway and get off at Susukino Station.
- Tsudome - Take the Toho Line subway to Sakaemachi Station and then a direct bus to Tsudome.
To make the most of the Sapporo Snow Festival, it is important to be well prepared for the extreme cold. Wear thermal clothes, heavy coats, gloves, hats, waterproof boots, and always to drink water.
Snow vocabulary in Japanese
Let's learn some words in Japanese related to Festival, Snow and Hokkaido?
- 雪祭り (Yuki Matsuri) - snow festival
- 札幌 (Sapporo) - City of Sapporo
- 北海道 (Hokkaido) - Hokkaido
- 大通公園 (Odori Kōen) - Odori Park
- すすきの (Susukino) - Susukino
- つどーむ (Tsudome) - Tsudome
- 雪像 (Setsuzō) - Snow sculpture
- 氷像 (Hyōzō) - Ice sculpture
- 寒さ (Samusa) - Cold
- 温かい飲み物 (Atatakai Nomimono) - Hot drink
- スープカレー (Sūpu Karē) - Curry Soup
- ラーメン (Rāmen) - Ramen
- 観光客 (Kankōkyaku) - Tourist
- 祭り (Matsuri) - Festival
- 氷 (Kōri) - Ice
- 雪 (Yuki) - Snow
- 夜間照明 (Yakan Shōmei) - Night Lighting
- 雪像コンテスト (Setsuzō Kontesuto) - Snow Sculpture Contest
- 氷の彫刻 (Kōri no Chōkoku) - Ice sculpture
- 観光 (Kankō) - Tourism
- 温泉 (Onsen) - Hot Spring
- 宿泊施設 (Shukuhaku Shisetsu) - Accommodation
Videos from the Sapporo Snow Festival
You were one of the lucky ones who had the chance to attend this event? Tell us about your experience! Fortunately, those who couldn't be present at the event can still watch videos below to see the greatness of the Sapporo Snow Festival.
