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❄️ Festival Guide · Updated 2026

The Sapporo Snow Festival
Trip-Planning Guide

Every February, Sapporo turns into Japan's greatest city of snow — sculptures the size of buildings, illuminations glowing through crystal ice, and around two million visitors. This guide covers it all: the dates, the three venues, what to pack for -10°C, when to book your hotel so you don't miss out, and where to go next. Prices, hours, and transport updated for 2026.

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Quick Overview

The Festival That Makes the WorldFly In to See Snow

Picture a castle or a beloved character carved entirely from real snow, four or five storeys tall, lined up along a park in the middle of the city — then lit from top to bottom after dark. That's the Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri / さっぽろ雪まつり), Japan's most famous winter event. It began in 1950 with six snow statues built by local high-school students; today it draws around two million visitors a year.

2026 marks the 76th edition, running February 4–11 — eight days across three venues clustered close together. We wrote this guide so you can actually plan the trip, not just admire the photos: which days to go, what to wear so the cold doesn't end your day early, when to book your hotel, and where to head if you have time to spare.

⚠️ About the dates — read first: The Sapporo Snow Festival dates change every year (2026 = Feb 4–11; 2027 has been announced as Feb 4–11 as well). Before you lock in flights or a hotel, always confirm the latest dates at the official site, snowfes.com. The prices and times on this page are current for 2026 — train fares and individual attraction prices can shift, so check the official source for the latest before you travel.
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Year 2026
Feb 4–11
8 days · 76th edition
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Venues
3 sites
Odori · Susukino · Tsudome
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Entry
Free
All venues · no booking
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Temperature
-11 to 1°C
Snow almost daily
The Three Venues

The Festival Is Split AcrossThree Sites

Each venue has its own character — Odori is the headline act of giant sculptures, Susukino is crystal ice in the nightlife district, and Tsudome is a snow playground for families. You can comfortably walk Odori and Susukino in one evening.

The red Sapporo TV Tower at the end of Odori Park, the festival's main venue ⭐ Main Site1
Odori Site
Odori Park · West 1–11

The heart of the festival — a long downtown park stretching from block West 1 to West 11, with the bright red Sapporo TV Tower anchoring one end. This is where the roughly five giant snow sculptures stand (several storeys high), alongside about 100 smaller and medium works. Each block has its own theme; some host live stages, others have an ice rink and rows of food stalls.

🕐Illumination: until 22:00 (viewable all day)
🚇Getting there: Odori Station (Namboku/Tozai/Toho lines) — straight up into the park
💡Tip: Head up the TV Tower or a nearby building to shoot the whole row of sculptures from above.
Susukino district in Sapporo at night, ablaze with neon — home to the festival's ice site 🧊 Ice Site2
Susukino Site
Susukino · S4–S7 Ekimae-dori

A 10-minute walk south of Odori brings you to Susukino, Sapporo's liveliest nightlife district. The theme here is "enjoying the ice" — around 100 crystal-clear ice sculptures line both sides of Ekimae-dori, some so finely carved you can spot fish frozen inside the blocks. When the district's neon reflects off the ice, the whole street comes alive after dark.

🕐Illumination: until 23:00 (until 22:00 on the final day)
🚇Getting there: Susukino Station (Namboku line) · 10-min walk from Odori
💡Tip: Warm up afterward with a bowl of ramen in Susukino's famous Ramen Alley.
Visitors among glowing snow play areas at dusk in Hokkaido, similar in feel to the family-friendly Tsudome site 👨‍👩‍👧 Family Site3
Tsudome Site
Tsudome · Higashi-ku

A little further out, but kids love it most — an outdoor snow playground paired with a heated indoor dome. There are giant snow slides, snow rafting, and plenty of hands-on snow activities, while the dome stays warm with Hokkaido food stalls and seating. It's ideal if you're travelling with family or just want to duck out of the cold for a while. (Photo: a glowing snow scene in Hokkaido — similar in spirit to the activities here.)

🕐Hours: 10:00–16:00 (daytime only)
🚇Getting there: Sakaemachi Station (Toho line), then the shuttle bus to Tsudome
💡Tip: Go during the day (it closes at 16:00), then head back into town for Odori and Susukino at night.
Rows of glowing snow lanterns at dusk in Hokkaido during the winter festival season around the Sapporo Snow Festival
Hokkaido's winter is full of snow-light events — this is the Otaru Snow Light Path Festival in the neighbouring town, held around the same time as the Sapporo Snow Festival and easily added as a day trip.
Plan It Step by Step

Plan Your Snow Festival TripFrom Start to Finish

Follow this order and you won't miss anything important — especially booking your hotel, which needs to happen sooner than anything else.

Confirm the dates, then book your flight

2026 = Feb 4–11. The dates change every year, so confirm at snowfes.com before you buy. Several airlines fly direct to New Chitose (CTS), or you can connect via Tokyo/Osaka. The festival falls in high season, so flights are pricey and fill up fast — booking 2–3 months ahead is your best bet.

Book your hotel the moment you know the dates — this is the urgent one

Hotels in Susukino, Odori, and around Sapporo Station sell out fast and hit their highest rates of the year during the festival. For a walkable location at a fair price, book 2–3 months ahead — start with our pick of 10 Sapporo hotels.

Pack for -10°C cold

Must-haves: a down coat, thermal base layers (Heattech), waterproof non-slip boots, gloves, an ear-covering hat, and a scarf. Heat packs (kairo) are easy to grab once there — ¥100–200 a pack at any convenience store.

Sort out city and airport transport

From CTS into town, take the JR Rapid Airport — about 37 minutes, ¥1,430 (unreserved seat, as of April 2026). Around the city, the Sapporo Subway is easiest — just tap an IC card. Odori, Susukino, and Sakaemachi all sit on lines that run through the centre.

Map out your days — festival + city + a day trip

Cover Odori + Susukino (evening) and Tsudome (daytime) in the first two days. Have spare time? Add Sapporo's attractions — Mt. Moiwa, the fish market, the beer museum — then save a day for a trip to Otaru or skiing in Niseko.

Tickets · Activities · Tours

Book the Add-Ons Around the FestivalAhead of Time

The festival itself is free, but the popular extras — ski tours, airport transfers, Hokkaido day tours — sell out quickly in peak season. Reserve online in advance.

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Snow Festival Activities & Tours

Snow festival tours, winter Hokkaido experiences, and activities around Sapporo — compare prices and reviews before you book.

See tickets on Klook →
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Ski Niseko / Near Sapporo

Niseko's powder is world-famous. Add a ski day trip or tour, with gear rental and lift passes sorted.

See ski tours →
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CTS Transfers & Rail Passes

New Chitose Airport transfers, Hokkaido rail passes, and city transit tickets — book ahead and skip the queue.

See transport options →
Map

Where the Three VenuesSit in the City

Odori and Susukino are a 10-minute walk apart; Tsudome is a subway ride to the northeast of the city.

Surviving the Cold

6 Things That Keep the Festival FunWithout Freezing You Out

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Non-slip boots come first
The walkways turn to packed, slippery ice. Waterproof boots plus ice-grip cleats (suberidome) over the soles dramatically cut your chance of a fall.
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Heat packs are a lifesaver
Stick-on body warmers and glove inserts cost ¥100–200 at convenience stores and stay warm 8–12 hours. Buy a few — on your back and inside your boots is warmest.
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Go early in the run for crisper sculptures
Sculptures look sharpest in the first 3–4 days; by the end they start to soften and slump. If you can choose, go early and avoid the weekend crush.
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Day and night are two different events
Daytime shows the sculpture detail and is quietest around 8–9am; night is when the illuminations shine, but it's colder and busier. Do both if you can.
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Plan warm-up stops along the way
Long stretches outdoors tire you quickly. Pace yourself with ramen shops, cafés, or malls — and there are Hokkaido food stalls in the festival itself for a hot bite.
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Get an eSIM before you fly
You'll want it for Google Maps, finding stalls, and checking the Tsudome shuttle and train times — signal can lag in the crowds, so keep a backup plan.
Plan the Rest

Round Out Your Sapporo Trip — Hotels, Sights, and Day Trips

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10 Best Sapporo Hotels

Hand-picked stays within walking distance of the festival — Susukino, Odori, and Sapporo Station — with real prices and reviews.

See Sapporo hotels →
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Sapporo Attractions

The Clock Tower, TV Tower, Mt. Moiwa's million-dollar night view, the beer museum, the fish market, and more.

See Sapporo attractions →
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Day Trips from Sapporo

Romantic Otaru canal · Niseko powder · Jigokudani — places you can reach and return from in a single day.

See day trips →
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What to Eat in Sapporo

Miso ramen · king crab · soup curry · Genghis Khan lamb · dairy desserts — the full Sapporo food guide.

Sapporo food guide →
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Full Sapporo City Guide

A complete overview of Sapporo across every tab — where to stay, eat, what to see, itineraries, and trip prep.

Open the Sapporo guide →
🇯🇵

Full Japan Travel Guide

Every region, visa info, budgets, IC cards, the JR Pass, and itineraries to plan your Japan trip.

Japan guide →
Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ —Sapporo Snow Festival

When is the Sapporo Snow Festival 2026?
The 76th edition runs February 4–11, 2026 (Wednesday to Wednesday/holiday), eight days in total. All three venues — Odori, Susukino, and Tsudome — operate over the same period. The 2027 festival has already been announced for February 4–11 as well. The dates change every year, however, so always confirm the latest schedule at the official site, snowfes.com, before booking flights or hotels.
How many venues does the festival have, and how do they differ?
There are three. Odori Park is the main site, with around five giant snow sculptures plus roughly 100 smaller works, lit until 22:00. Susukino is the ice theme — about 100 crystal-clear ice sculptures lining the street, lit until 23:00. Tsudome is the family zone, with snow slides and kids' activities, open 10:00–16:00. Odori and Susukino are a 10-minute walk apart, while Tsudome is about a 15-minute subway ride further out.
Is the Sapporo Snow Festival free to enter?
Yes — all three venues, including Tsudome, are free to enter, with no reservation needed. The only charges are for a few optional extras such as the ice rink or certain rides. Budget instead for city subway/bus fares and the shuttle bus to Tsudome, which departs from Sakaemachi subway station.
How do I get from New Chitose Airport (CTS) to Sapporo?
The JR Rapid Airport train is the fastest and best-value option — about 37 minutes from New Chitose to Sapporo Station, ¥1,430 for an unreserved seat (as of April 2026), running up to six trains an hour during the day. For a reserved seat with a large luggage rack (U-Seat), add around ¥840 when booking online. Trains get very crowded during the festival; just tap your Suica or ICOCA card to board. Fares can change, so check JR Hokkaido for the latest before you travel.
What should I wear, and how cold does it get?
Early February in Sapporo is genuinely cold — roughly -11 to 1°C with snowfall almost every day. Hokkaido's snow is drier than coastal Japan, but the windchill on exposed skin is real. Essentials: a down coat, thermal base layers (Heattech), gloves, an ear-covering hat, a scarf, and most importantly waterproof, non-slip boots (ice-grip cleats over the soles help a lot). Disposable heat packs (kairo) cost ¥100–200 at any convenience store and stay warm for 8–12 hours — buy several.
Which days of the festival are best to visit?
Go in the first few days (the opening 3–4 days) to see the snow sculptures at their crispest — they start to soften and slump toward the end. Avoid the weekend (Saturday–Sunday), when domestic crowds peak, and arrive early in the morning around 8–9am for the thinnest crowds. Night is when the illuminations look their best, but it's colder and busier — visit at both times if you can.
Ready for the Snow?

Book Your Hotel First
Then Plan the Snow Festival Trip

During the festival, central hotels fill up fast and hit their highest rates of the year — booking as soon as you know the dates is the safest move. Browse our hand-picked stays, or open the full Sapporo guide to plan the whole trip.

🏨 10 Best Sapporo Hotels 📖 Sapporo City Guide →
🏨 Sapporo Hotels Sapporo Guide