Welcome to the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, one of the four most famous ice and snow festivals on earth. You will experience a winter event like no other. Annually drawing over two million local and international visitors, it is an art festival of ice and snow, a great outdoor show, a carnival, and a children’s playground. The first week of every February is a fantastic time to visit Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, as the Sapporo Snow Festival features illuminated ice and snow sculptures, ice bars, snow activities, the international sculpture contest, as well as endless opportunities for tasting Hokkaido food.
Planning a trip to the Sapporo Snow Festival? Here is everything you need to know about this event, from its locations, dates, and ticket information to the schedule and can’t miss experiences. You may check the Sapporo Snow Festival official website for the maps, tickets, and gear to rent. Alternatively, drop us a line to connect directly with our local specialists!
Table of Contents
What is Sapporo Snow Festival?
Is Sapporo Snow Festival Worth It
Where and When is Sapporo Snow Festival 2026 Held
Can’t Miss Sapporo Snow Festival Activities
Best Time to Visit Sapporo Snow Festival
How to Get to the Sapporo Snow Festival
Sapporo February Weather and Clothing Advice
Where to Stay for Sapporo Snow Festival: Hotels
What is the Sapporo Snow Festival?
Sapporo Snow Festival (さっぽろ雪まつり) is one of the most famous winter festivals in Japan, known for its spectacular ice and snow statues, fantastic illuminations, and rich cultural events.
Quick Facts
When it was first held: In 1950
Dates: Early February each year. Usually it starts from the first week of February and lasts about 7 days. For example, in 2025 it was held on February 4th-11th.
Scale: One of the largest winter ice festivals in the world, it attracts more than 2 million visitors annually. About 200,000 cubic meters of snow and ice are usually used to create hundreds of ice and snow sculptures.
Locations (event venues): Odori venue (main venue), Susukino, Tsudome
Tickets: Free admission to the sculptures in Datong Park. The Sapporo TV Tower Observation deck, the Aowan Mountain Cable Car, the ice park, as well as the snow slides and snowmobiles at Tsudome are subject to charges.
A Brief History
Why is the Sapporo Snow Festival celebrated? How did it gradually develop from a small-scale citizen activity into a globally renowned winter event? Tracing back to its origin, the Sapporo Snow Festival began in 1950 (Showa 25). Initially, six medium-sized snow sculptures were voluntarily built by high school students from six schools in Chuo Ward, Sapporo, in Odori Park, unexpectedly attracting 50,000 people to watch.
Since 1955, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in Sapporo has been involved in building large-scale snow sculptures. They used construction engineering techniques in the snow to create giant sculptures over 10 meters high. The scale of the sculptures continues to grow, showing a high degree of artistry and technical skill.
Later, the first International Sapporo Snow Sculpture Contest was held in 1974, when teams from all over the world participated. After 1983, in addition to the Odori Park, the Susukino venue and the Tsudome venue were added, enriching the ice sculptures, night lights, and various snow activities. Today, the Sapporo Snow Festival is known as one of the three major snow festivals in Japan.
Is Sapporo Snow Festival Worth It
If you're planning a trip to Hokkaido in winter, the Sapporo Snow Festival is definitely one of the most must-see events of the year. It presents the unique winter charm and experience of Hokkaido in winter. Here are we list top 5 reasons to visit the Sapporo Snow Festival:
World-class snow and ice art spectacle: Each year, the snow sculpture theme combines Japanese pop culture, world-famous places, and historical stories, such as Disney, palaces, and anime characters. Large-scale snow and ice sculptures are created by local self-defense forces, citizens, and international teams. And the advanced lighting technology at night makes the snow sculptures even more beautiful. The combination of snow sculptures and lights creates a fairytale-like background, so don't miss out on taking pictures.
International snow sculpture contest: Art teams from the U.S.A., Canada, Finland, Thailand, and other countries are invited to participate in the contest, showcasing global creativity.
The winter snow paradise in Japan: Susukino Ice Sculpture Street, Tsudome's super-long 200-meter snow slide, snowmobiles, snow football, ice house adventure, snow building block park, etc., is suitable for young friends, families with children, and couples.
Hokkaido winter food: There are many food stalls around the venues offering miso ramen, Genghis Khan barbecue, roasted corn, mulled wine, and other local cuisine to keep you warm even in the cold.
The Snow Festival is not only a winter event, but also offers a glimpse into the history and diverse culture of Hokkaido.
Where and When is Sapporo Snow Festival 2026 Held
From February 4th to February 11th, 2026, Hokkaido will host the Sapporo Snow Festival. Check out the sites, schedule, hours, and top things to do.
Odori Venue
Location: Odori Nishi 1-chome ~ Odori Nishi 12-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City
Dates: February 4 - 11, 2026
Hours: Illuminations last till 22:00
What to do: Large-scale snow sculptures and illumination during the lights
Susukino Venue
Location: Minami 4-jo-dori to Minami 7-jo-dori (Nishi 3, 4-chome), Sapporo City
Dates: February 4 - 11, 2026
Hours: Illuminations last till 23:00 (till 22:00 on the last day)
Tel: 011-518-2005 (only available during the event)
What to do: Exquisite ice sculptures, romantic night lighting
Tsudome Venue (Sapporo City Sports Exchange Facility Community Dome)
Location: 885-1 Sakamoto-cho, Higashi-ku, Sapporo City
Dates: February 4 - 11, 2026
Hours: 10:00 - 16:00
Tel: 011-787-5000 (only available during the event)
What to do: Family-friendly snow activities
Can’t Miss Sapporo Snow Festival Activities
Odori Site
The Odori Site, the main avenue of the Sapporo Snow Festival, is where you can see the creation of these one-of-a-kind, worldwide snow sculptures up close. A range of snow sculptures, including ones that are amusing and reflect the times, are made by citizen groups at Citizens' Square (2 Chome). This year will mark the tenth edition of the "Citizen Snow Sculptures Popularity Contest." Please vote for your favorite snow creations when you visit the Snow Venue.
Anyone, kids and adults alike, can enjoy ice skating in Sapporo Smile Square (3 Chome).
Don't miss the opportunity to view numerous imaginative snow sculptures made by well-known artists and crafters at STV Square (4 Chome), Hokkaido Shimbun Newspaper Snow Square (5 Chome), Snow Art Square (6 Chome), and HBC Square (7 Chome).
Teams from different countries and areas throughout the world compete to make snow sculptures at International Square (11 Chome) in the International Snow Sculpture Contest, which started in 1974 (the 26th competition in 2026). There will be a schedule for the production, judging, award ceremony, opening ceremony, and welcome party.
Susukino Site
Go visit it at night. You will be led through the welcome gate into the magical world of Susukino's shimmering neon lights by a number of huge and medium-sized ice sculptures at Susukino Ice World 2026. Tens of ice sculptures from the Ice Sculpture Contest venue will be on display. The venue will also have food and beverage stalls.
Tsudome Site
Both parents and kids will be cheered up by the snow rafts, slides, and maze at the Tsudome Site. There are kid-friendly attractions, rest spaces, and gourmet stalls in the indoor section. Come play in the snow and experience something that is exclusive to Hokkaido.
Best Time to Visit Sapporo Snow Festival
On the opening day, the snow sculptures were the newest and most complete, and the atmosphere was lively.
Avoid the crowds on weekends. Weekdays are less crowded and are suitable for deeply appreciating the details of snow and ice sculpture art.
At night, from 17:00 to 21:00, the snow and ice sculptures are illuminated and music is played to create a dreamy atmosphere. The ice sculptures at Susukino Site are crystal clear under the lights, making it the best time to take photos.
From 9:00 to 15:00, the Tsudome venue is suitable for parents and children to experience snow activities such as skiing, sliding, and snow mazes. It will be closed after dark.
How to Get to Sapporo Snow Festival
Getting to Odori Site: In downtown Sapporo, you can take the North-South Line, East-West Line, or Toho Line of the subway to Odori Station. You will reach the venue right after exiting the station.
Getting to Susukino Site: Take the North-South Line of the subway to Susukino Station and exit from Exit 1 or 3. You will then see the ice sculpture exhibition area. Besides, the Susukino Site is only about a 10-minute walk south of Odori Park.
Getting to the Tsudome Site: At Sakaemachi Station, board a shuttle bus on the Toho Subway Line.
Sapporo February Weather and Clothing Advice
During the Sapporo Snow Festival, that is, in early February, the weather in Hokkaido is experiencing one of the coldest periods of the year. The average maximum temperature ranges from -2°C to -4°C (approximately 28°F to 25°F), and the average minimum temperature ranges from -8°C to -12°C (approximately 17°F to 10°F). It snows almost every day, and the streets of Sapporo are often covered with snow.
It is recommended to wear a down jacket/ski jacket, waterproof pants/ski pants, wool sweater/fleece jacket, padded wool pants, thermal underwear, wool socks, and ski boots. A knitted hat, thick gloves, and a scarf are also essential.
Where to Stay for Sapporo Snow Festival: Hotels
We recommend that our clients stay next to Odori Park or the Thinno venue for easy access to snow and ice sculptures and nighttime light displays. And you can easily find restaurants and bars. For hotels around Odori Park, we recommend JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo, Sapporo Grand Hotel, and Hotel Resol Trinity Sapporo. And for hotels near the Hosono venue, we recommend Mercure Hotel Sapporo.
Please note: During the Sapporo Snow Festival, accommodation is in high demand and prices rise significantly due to the large number of domestic and foreign tourists. Reservations are recommended at least 3 months in advance.
Experience the Sapporo Snow Festival with Hi Five Trip
Below we offer customized Hokkaido tours to explore the best of Hokkaido, including the Sapporo Snow Festival.
To plan your Sapporo Snow Festival trip, our Japan travel expert can create your own Hokkaido itinerary, based on your travel pace, style and schedule.
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