The Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, alongside China’s Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Canada’s Quebec Winter Carnival, and Norway’s Holmenkollen Ski Festival, is known as one of the “Four Major Snow Festivals in the World”.
The Sapporo Snow Festival began in 1950 (Showa 25), when local junior and senior high school students in Sapporo exhibited six snow sculptures at Odori Park.
Today, the Sapporo Snow Festival has become a major winter event in Sapporo, attracting over 2 million visitors annually from Japan and abroad. It is held during the first week of February, when temperatures are at their coldest and snowfall is abundant.
The Sapporo Snow Festival is held annually at Odori Park in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and attracts more than 2 million visitors from overseas and domestically. There are three venues: Odori Site, Susukino Site, and Tsudome Site. Each venue features different snow and ice sculptures and giant slides, each with its own characteristics.
1. Odori Site
The Odori Site is located in the center of Sapporo and is the main venue of the Sapporo Snow Festival. It features must-see large-scale themed snow sculptures, such as the annually limited “Snow Future” sculpture and different themed designs each year.
The Odori Site exhibits large, medium, and small snow sculptures, light projection mapping, and citizen snow sculptures, all lined up along a 1.5-kilometer stretch. You can also enjoy stage performances. Don’t miss the fantasy-like illuminated snow and ice sculptures during the daytime.
The snow sculptures come from various sources, including sculptures made by citizens, sculptures made by overseas groups, and works from international snow sculpture competitions.
During the Sapporo Snow Festival each year, international snow sculpture teams from approximately 20 countries vigorously compete at the westernmost end of the park.
In addition, there are ice skating rinks, large ski jump platforms for skiing and snowboarding, and various Hokkaido food stalls nearby, offering both shopping and eating!
During the Sapporo Snow Festival, a light show is held every day from 6:00 p.m. to 9:55 p.m. every 30 minutes.
International Snow Sculpture Competition
The International Snow Sculpture Competition began at the 25th Sapporo Snow Festival in 1974 and is an event where teams from various countries, regions, and cities compete to create snow sculptures. During the festival, the snow sculptures created are filled with unique international styles. It is the only event at the Odori Site where visitors can closely observe the process of snow sculpture creation. This activity is highly popular and beloved by many.
Citizen Snow Sculpture
The Citizen Snow Sculpture event began at the 16th Snow Festival in 1965, where citizens enjoy the fun of making snow sculptures and participate in the Snow Festival amid the severe cold unique to the north. The number of participants has increased significantly each year, and the carefully designed and made snow sculptures by each group have become popular photo spots for citizens and tourists alike. You might also want to try participating in the Citizen Snow Sculpture making!
2. Susukino Site
The Susukino Site is located next to the Odori Site and focuses on ice sculptures. Adjacent to the Susukino Station, you can walk there and it mainly showcases 60 transparent ice art sculptures.
Passing through the welcoming gate of the Susukino Site, you will be greeted by large and medium-sized ice sculptures in Susukino’s neon fantasy world. In addition to the highly praised fish ice sculptures, there are also ice sculptures in the shape of cartoon characters. Ice sculpture competitions are also held here, and the dazzling array of entries by ice sculpture association players is dazzling.
As night falls, the ice sculptures illuminated by the lights are particularly eye-catching. The ice sculptures exhibited at the “Susukino Site,” famous for its night views, give people a dreamlike feeling. Here, you can admire works filled with imaginative ideas, such as crabs, squid, salmon, and other Hokkaido specialties embedded in the ice sculptures.
3. Tsudome Site
The “Tsudome Site”, beloved by tourists, features parent-child snow slides and snow rafting. The indoor activity area includes a food area, a rest area, and children’s play facilities. Here, you can slide on snow tires and snow mountains, and you can also enjoy medium and small snow sculptures.
4. Dressing
In Sapporo, the temperature is below zero throughout February, but the buildings are well-heated, so it is best to wear multiple layers of clothing that can be put on and taken off easily when entering and leaving indoors. Snowflakes may wet your clothes, so it is recommended to wear down jackets or outerwear made of materials such as nylon that do not absorb water. Occasionally, cold north winds may blow, so it is recommended to bring something like a scarf to wrap around yourself.
The road surface may freeze, so shoes with good grip are the best choice for outdoor walking. In downtown Sapporo, convenience stores and shoe stores sell anti-slip soles that can be hooked or glued onto shoes, and some shoe stores also offer services for installing anti-slip soles.
