2027 Sapporo Snow Festival Guide: Weather & Celebrations

Creative snow and ice sculptures, night illuminations, and various winter activities, the Sapporo Snow Festival (さっぽろ雪まつり, Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) in Hokkaido in February is quite a surprise during your winter trip in Japan. From the weather in Sapporo to events in each venue, check the following Sapporo Snow Festival guide for more details and inspiration about this best winter festival trip in Japan.

When Is the Sapporo Snow Festival 2027

Falling in early February annually, the Sapporo Snow Festival in 2027 will be scheduled from February 4 (Thursday) to 11 (Thursday), also sharing the same date in 2028.

It is one of the most popular and biggest snow festivals in Japan, with 3 venues to experience its ultimate winter fun at Odori Park, Tsudome (Community Dome), and Susukino venues.

Note:

Most snow and ice sculptures' making process starts in early January and usually takes about a month to finish the stacking, laying, and carving, and will be taken down the morning after the final festival day. Consider making your winter trip to Japan between late January and early February for more detailed watching.

Ice Sculptures in Sapporo Snow Festival

Weather During the Sapporo Snow Festival

The weather in Sapporo in February is cold and windy. It is still in peak winter mode, and you can expect plenty of heavy snowfall.

Average temperatures are usually around -7 to 0℃ (20 to 32℉), similar to Montreal, Scandinavia, or Chicago, which might be a little tough for tourists who are not used to cold weather, since it is typically outdoors and there will be a long-term stay with snow and ice.

What to Wear in Sapporo in February

• Thermal inner base layers, removable sweaters or fleece as mid-layers, and a heavy, thick water-resistant winter coat (indoor spaces in Japan are usually well-heated).
• Waterproof and non-slip winter boots with warm socks and heat patches for your long-term outdoors (always mind the slippery sidewalks).
• Thick gloves, scarf, mask, and hat to cover your exposed skin in the wind, and prepare hand warmers in your pockets.
• Glass defogger for your camera or glasses, and power banks for your cell phone (extreme cold can drain your phone battery surprisingly quickly).

Is the Sapporo Snow Festival Worth Visiting

Yes, the Sapporo Snow Festival is highly recommended for your first-time or family trip to Japan. Along with Canada's Quebec Winter Carnival and China's Harbin Ice Festival, it is now counted among the world's three major snow festivals, featuring inspiring snow and ice sculptures, various snow games, and activities to make your winter holiday in Japan even more memorable.

With those delicate crystal castles and vivid character statues dotted with colorful neo-lights and shows, it can be a wonderland to return you to the ancient Edo period, as well as the fancy anime world, from Naruto to Nezuko, from Gundam to Titan.

Best of all, if you're looking for some extra fun, like hot springs and ski adventure, which are also easy to find and reach after your festival celebrations. Feel free to contact us and plan your Sapporo Snow Festival tour with more winter experiences beyond.

Sapporo Snow Festival Venues & How to Get There

There are three sites for the Sapporo Snow Festival celebration: Odori, Susukino, and Tsudome. However, since it is a popular festival with rarely limited parking (or even without a parking area), taking advantage of Sapporo's convenient subway lines and shuttle buses would be more helpful.

Sapporo Festival Sites

Odori Site: Main Stage of the Snow Festival

• Opening hours: All days, illumination is until 22:00
• How to get there: Namboku, Tozai & Toho Subway Lines at Odori Station

Famous for its various snow sculptures in huge sizes, the Odori Site (at Odori Park) is the main venue of the Sapporo Snow Festival, with 11 areas stretching about 1.5km long.

You can linger at the 1st chome (J: COM Square) for some hot foods and drinks, ride on snowboards, and capture the iconic Sapporo TV Tower against the snow sculptures. For more creative sculptures to see, follow the flow to the Citizens' Square at the 2nd and 9th chome, while for something big as your visual impression, you will catch those huge snow statues at 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th.

If you are interested in anime or traveling to Japan with kids, the 10th and 11th are quite family-friendly chomes with cute manga and character statues.

The 11th chome is also the venue of the International Snow Sculpture Contest (February 3 to 6), which offers the opportunity to watch the sculpture-making process and even participate in creating statues.

Susukino Site: Ice World & Night Fun

• Opening hours: All days, lit up until 23:00 (until 22:00 on the last day)
• How to get there: Namboku Subway Lines at Susukino Station, or a 10-minute walk from Odori Park

Susukino is the ice venue of the festival, where ice sculptures are the centerpiece of the exhibition. There are two nearby stations to get there, Susukino Station and Nakajima Koen Station on the Namboku Line.

Apart from delicate ice sculptures made by the best ice cut artists from all over Japan, many of these creations were crafted by chefs from nearby hotels, who used their skills in carving ice and vegetables to enhance their culinary presentations. Some of the unique ice sculptures even have seafood sealed inside.

The ice sculptures under the sunshine that shine like diamonds are gorgeous. But when the evening comes, Susukino, Sapporo's popular entertainment area, becomes an ideal pedestrian zone. You can enjoy drinks at the bar made of ice, watch the ice sculptures that are lit up colorfully, or drop by the Ramen Yokocho for a cup of steaming noodles.

Tsudome Site: Family-Friendly Snow Activities

• Opening hours: 10:00 to 16:00
• How to get there: Toho Subway Lines at Sakaemachi Station, with another 5-minute bus ride

The Sapporo Community Dome, commonly known as Tsudome, is located in the north of Sapporo. It is a participatory venue, a little away from the city center, but with a wide snow area for your actually touch the powdery snow and enjoy many snow activities, always popular with families.

After making your own snowmen and going snow rafting, you can also try those famous activities at the Tsudome: ride down the long snow slides and make your way through mazes, which are a bit more exciting.

As for some rest or warm-up after the snow playing, it is also possible to enter the indoor venue to grab some food and drink, or enjoy your rest at a seat, and let your children continue their fun at the indoor kids' park. There is also a snow sculpture contest on February 4 by local art club students.

Ice Slide

Odori, Susukino, and Tsudome: Which is Better

As the main venue of the festival, Odori Site is always the most popular choice. While the night scenery in Susukino is also impressive if you are looking for the day and night contrast, Tsudome is better for snow activities, especially for family visitors.

All in all, they are not remote from each other, and it is actually quite easy to get them around in a single day. Just do your hopping if time is possible.

Site	Highlights	Best For	Time Needed
Odori	Giant snow sculptures, main festival events	First-time visitors, photographers	Half day to full day
Susukino	Ice sculptures, neon-lit streets, winter nightlife	Couples, food lovers, night photography	1 to 2 hours
Tsudome	Snow slides, rafting, tubing, family activities	Families with kids, travelers who want hands-on snow fun	Half day

How to Get Around Between the Festival Venues?

You can make the Odori Station your main base. It is a transportation hub for easy transfer: the Namboku line (to Susukino) and Toho Line (to Tsudome) converge right here.

If you prefer, you can also take a short walk from the downtown Odori to Susukino since they are not far from each other (about a 10-minute walk). However, the subway line is more recommended since the cold weather and snowy February require more patience and preparation for your sidewalk.

Where to Stay in Sapporo in February

For the most convenient gateway to the festival venues, it is recommended to make your stay near or in the middle of the Odori Park and Sapporo Ekimae Dori areas, within walking distance to both the Odori and Susukino sites, which can become your ideal base to capture the different illumination between day and night.

Most importantly, the nearby Odori Station also makes a quick transfer to the Tsudome venue for more snow fun. And as the popular central area of Sapporo, it is easy to combine your snow festival journey with more attractions or food experiences nearby.

Note: Since it is a popular festival and the accommodations in Japan are usually limited, book your hotel room and itinerary about 6 months in advance (about September) to secure a more ideal price and location.

What to See & Do During the Sapporo Snow Festival

Marvel at the Snow & Ice Masterpieces

The creative snow and ice sculptures collection is always the top thing to do in Sapporo in winter. Apart from the usual snowman, you can also see giant snow figures up to 40 meters wide that you can even climb on, as well as delicate ice decorations that you can put in your garden.

Capture another snow white castle of Himeji-jo, as well as the Kaiju of Godzilla, who is going to fight with King Kong. After a walk around the venues, you will always find some things interesting to fill your camera.

Enjoy Snow Sculpture Creation

When visiting a world with snow everywhere and all kinds of snow sculptures on display, it's hard not to get your creative juices flowing.

As well as making snowmen on the side of the road, there are also snow sculpture competitions to enter, from the local competition to the global race. Arrive early to witness the creation of giant snow sculptures and marvel at the incredible technique and creativity of artists all around the world.

Try out Various Snow Activities

There's no shortage of snow-related activities at this Sapporo winter event. You can enjoy familiar favorites like building snowmen, sculpting, having snowball fights, sledding down gentle slopes, or ice skating.

In snowy Sapporo, another top thing to do here is to explore a giant maze made of snow walls, slide down a long snow-covered hill, stay in a traditional Kamakura snow house, or visit a bar built entirely from ice. Embrace winter fun with your kids, family, and friends!

How to Plan a Japan Tour With the Sapporo Snow Festival

It is easy to combine your Sapporo Snow Festival celebration with your Japan journey. For example, start your Japan winter trip in late January, then you can have more time for Tokyo and mt. Fuji sightseeing before the direct flights to Sapporo in February for the festival.

Spend 1 to 2 days on the essential experiences of this popular snow and ice event (or a little bit longer if you want to finish all the collections or to witness the champion statue), and also leave 1 day to the nearby Otaru or Noboribetsu for the hot springs. While looking for a more powdery snow experience, make Niseko your ideal skiing base before the flight back to Tokyo for the final departure.

Below is the sample itinerary for your reference:

Tokyo→Mt. Fuji→Sapporo→Otaru→Niseko→Noboribetsu→Sapporo→Tokyo

More FAQs about the Sapporo Snow Festival

How Crowded is the Sapporo Snow Festival?

The Sapporo Snow Festival can get crowded, especially on weekends and in the evenings when the illuminated snow sculptures are at their most beautiful.

Odori and the nearby Susukino Sites are usually the busiest, yet much more manageable than those huge summer festivals or fireworks events: thanks to the stretch venues that spread out the crowds.

When is the Best Time to Visit the Snow Festival?

To avoid crowds, the best time to visit the Sapporo Snow Festival is usually the weekday mornings between 7 and 9 am, or early afternoons from 12 to 13 am.

How Many Days is Enough for the Snow Festival in Sapporo?

Usually, 1 day and 1 night in Sapporo is enough to experience most of the highlights of the snow festival. You can spend a full day hopping around 3 of the venues, linger a little longer at the Tsudome for the snow activities, and then go back to Odori Park in the afternoon to capture the upcoming night illumination as the best visual feast.

While traveling with kids or family, you can extend 1 day longer: one for the slow-paced sightseeing around downtown Odori and Susukino, and one for the entire fun in Tsudome (which closes earlier around 4 pm).

Is the Sapporo Snow Festival Free?

Yes. The Sapporo Snow Festival is free for all visitors to join the celebration and enjoy the snow fun. However, still prepare some small cash for food, drinks, and those snow activities.

How Cold is Sapporo in February?

Please still expect frozen and below-freezing temperatures during your February trip to Sapporo. And the windy and snowy weather conditions also make the temperatures feel lower.

Is the Sapporo Snow Festival Worth It for First-Time Visitors?

Yes. For most first-time visitors, the Sapporo Snow Festival is absolutely worth it.

It is surprisingly convenient, integrated directly into the city center, paired with a lively winter atmosphere: seeing enormous illuminated snow sculptures while walking through snowy streets with hot drinks and winter food stalls, which can become one of the most memorable experiences of a winter Japan trip.

How to Walk on the Frozen Roads?

Follow the trails with no-slip sand, and better to gear your shoes with anti-slip pads, or take a walking stick with you (both are easy to find at convenience stores).

More Japan Snow & Ice Festivals You May Also Like

• Otaru Snow Light Path Festival, Feb 5 to 12, 2027: a February winter event you can combine with the Sapporo Snow Festival. With lovely snow lanterns and candlelit streets, enjoy the peace and romance after an hour drive or train ride to Otaru Canal.
• Asahikawa Winter Festival, Feb 6 to 11, 2027: famous for its record-breaking giant snow sculpture, Asahikawa Winter Festival is another ideal option for your snow and ice sculpture collection with fireworks shows and performances.
• Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, Feb 6 to Mar 1, 2027: this lakeside "ice museum" offers a longer celebration date to fulfill your winter Hokkaido journey. From the frozen cave to nearby steaming hot springs, which can be your ideal family trip highlights.