The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japan’s largest winter festivals attracting over two million visitors. During the festival, Sapporo transforms into a winter wonderland. The 2019 festival marks the 70th event, so it should be an exciting one.
The festival is spread over three areas all showcasing different aspects of snow and ice.
Odiro Park 4-11 Feb 2019, open all day with lights on between sunset – 10pm
Odori Park, stretching east to west over 1.5km through the heart of downtown Sapporo, will be transformed into a fantasy of snow and ice. All the works of art, sculpted with pure white snow and sparkling clear ice, will certainly impart something of the artist’s passion to the guests viewing them. The exquisite state-of-art snow and ice sculptures of such scale are the biggest attraction of Sapporo Snow Festival.
Tsudome 4-11 Feb 2019, open 9am-5pm
The community dome, Tsudome is the second largest site of the Sapporo Snow Festival. This site includes very large snow slides and a snow rafting area outside the dome where a person of any age can have a snow-ice experience. Inside the dome, there are plenty of attractions for children and you can take a break or have refreshments in the spacious rest area. It’s a place where you can really enjoy the wonders of Hokkaido in winter
Susukino 31Jan-11Feb 2019, open all day with light on between sunset – 11pm.
Under the theme of ‘Enjoy the Ice’, this site offers a fantastic ice sculpture show and the Ice Sculpture Contest. You can also visit the plaza, ‘Fureai Hiroba’ to touch or ride on the ice
Tsudome 4-11 Feb 2019, open 9am-5pm
If you are planning to be in Sapporo over these dates, expect to be dazzled by creative ice works and fun snow play.
For more information: http://www.snowfes.com/english/
The next time you are planning a Japan snow holiday to one of Japan’s ski resorts like one of Japan’s best ski resorts Niseko ski resort, Rusutsu ski resort or Furano ski resort always allow a few days in Sapporo.
