Sapporo Snow Festival 2026: How to Plan Your Trip and Essential Tips
Last Updated on February 4, 2026 by Audrey
The first time I went to Sapporo, I went in May to see the cherry blossoms. And while it was absolutely stunning, I couldn’t help but feel like I made a huge mistake! I kept thinking that I really should have gone in February instead.
The Sapporo Snow Festival that takes place during the first week of February is the city’s biggest event and one of the largest international festivals in Japan. So if you’re planning a winter trip to Sapporo or Hokkaido, you should definitely try to go in February so you don’t miss out on this epic festival.
In this guide, I’ll go over everything you need to know about planning your trip to the Sapporo Snow Festival. We’ll talk about when to go, how to book your accommodations, and what to see while you’re there.
Short on Time? Use These Shortcuts to Plan Your Sapporo Trip
Image Credit: Expedia
I recommend staying in Odori Park or Susukino near the underground tunnel during the Snow Festival. I love the Sapporo Stream Hotel in Susukino!
Book my favorite tour of Hokkaido: I LOVED this tour I went on that takes you to Otaru, Noboribetsu, and Lake Toya!
Sapporo Snow Festival Guide and Tips
The History of the Sapporo Snow Festival
The Sapporo Snow Festival is the largest annual event in Sapporo and attracts over two million visitors a year.
Interestingly enough, it actually started as a student project 75 years ago, when junior and senior high school students made six snow sculptures in Odori Park, which used to be the place where Sapporo citizens dumped the snow they shoveled from the streets and their houses.
Now, it has grown into a major international event with over 200 sculptures, some of which tower over twelve meters tall (around 40 feet)!
💡 Did you know? It takes 3 months of planning and construction to make one large sculpture, with over 9,000 people helping!
Festival dates and schedule
The festival takes place during the first week of February and last for about a week. Last year in 2025, the festival went from February 4 to the 11th. Make sure to check the official website for up to date information on event times!
Sapporo Snow Festival Locations
There are 3 major areas where the Snow Festival takes place, although the entire town gets pretty festive!
- Odori Park: Main stage with huge snow sculptures and a snow sculpting contest
- Susukino: Downtown area with ice sculptures and an ice bar
- Tsudome: Family-focused area with a giant snow slide and ice maze
Odori Park
Odori Park is the best place to see incredible snow creations modeled after famous landmarks or characters. There’s also a stage for ice sculpture competitions and cultural performances.
Large-scale sculptures & night Illuminations
Odori Park serves as the main stage of the festival, with huge creative snow sculptures stretching for about 1.5 km (5,000 feet).
Sculptures are lit up from sundown to 10 pm and look absolutely magical. If you get to visit during the night time, then don’t miss going up the Sapporo TV Tower observation deck to view the sculptures from up above. It’s one of the must-see things to do that you shouldn’t skip!
Ice skating in Odori Park
There is an outdoor skating area called Sapporo Smile Rink that stays lit until 10 pm. It’s a magical scene to skate in front of the Former Hokkaido Government Office building and among the sculptures, so I highly recommend doing this!
You can rent skates for pretty cheap around 1,200 yen for adults with discounts for students (700 yen) and children (300 yen).
Local Food Stalls
There are tons of food stalls around the park selling local Hokkaido specialties like miso ramen and soup curry, as well as festival food like yakisoba, meat skewers, and more.
International snow sculpture contest
You can watch contestants create some insane snow sculptures and even participate if you want to.
There have been crazy 3-D dragons, huge groups of animals, dancing fish, and pretty much anything you can dream up. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before, so I would definitely plan your day to see these sculptures being made in action.
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite one!
Susukino
Susukino is honestly my favorite area in Sapporo because it’s just so fun. This is the city’s energetic downtown entertainment district and another major Snow Festival location.
Here, you can see elaborate ice sculptures and beautiful light displays, get a drink at the ice bar, and slurp miso ramen at Ramen Yokocho.
Ice sculptures and illuminated displays
You’ll continue to see amazing ice sculptures and illuminated displays in the downtown area. The vibe is definitely a little different here because you can stop by bars, grab drinks, and shop while seeing all the seasonal displays.
Both Susukino and Odori Park are lit up at night, but Susukino stays illuminated until 11 pm, while Odori Park’s lights turn off at 10 pm. So you can enjoy the lights for longer while bar hopping around the city!
Geimori W-Awesome Ice bar
It’s a little far from Sapporo, about an hour from Susukino Station, but if you’ve always wanted to go to an ice bar, the Geimori Ice Bar in Sapporo Art Park is amazing.
The Art Park is already a really cool art museum with outdoor sculptures set in a forest, and the ice bar is built inside the woods so it feels otherworldly. Even the tables and drink glasses are made out of ice.
Ramen Alley
The famous Ramen Yokocho, where miso ramen (Hokkaido’s local specialty) originally became popular, can be found in Susukino!
It’s in such a narrow little alley that I almost missed it when I first spotted it, but it’s definitely worth stopping by if you’d like to try a local spot.
Tsudome
The third main location is Tsudome, and it’s more of a family-friendly area. There’s a giant snow slide, sledding, and a large snow maze. If you don’t have children you probably don’t need to come here, but I find it’s still enjoyable to visit as an adult!
Tsudome is open from 10 am to 4 pm, so it closes earlier than the other two locations.
Snow slides and tubing
The highlight here is definitely the giant slide made of snow. You can go tubing or go in a snow raft, and it’s something families or groups can enjoy all together.
As an adult I had a lot of fun doing this too, so who says only kids can do it?!
Tons of Family-Friendly Activities
In addition to the giant slides, there’s also a bunch of other snow activities that are mainly geared towards families, like a snowball target range, snow maze, and snow and ice sculpting.
Indoor Rest Areas and Food Stalls
You don’t have to brave the cold all day. There are indoor rest areas for anyone who gets cold easily, and a warm indoor food court with lots of food stalls to enjoy.
How to get to Tsudome
Tsudome is a bit farther from Sapporo’s city center, but it’s easy to reach via Sakaemachi Station on the Toho Line.
Sapporo Snow Festival Tips: How to Plan Your Trip
Now that you know what to expect during the Snow Festival, here’s how to structure your visit.
How Many Days Do You Need for the Sapporo Snow Festival?
You don’t need a ton of time to experience the Snow Festival. I recommend one full day to see most of the main attractions, and two full days if you want to explore everything.
Also, if you have the time, I recommend seeing the sculptures twice. Once in the morning before the crowds arrive, and again at night when everything is illuminated.
Tsudome is more geared toward children, so you could skip it, but if you want to experience the entire festival or go sledding/tubing, it’s worth stopping by.
Down below, I’m going to give you two sample itineraries for one day in Sapporo and two days in Sapporo to visit the Snow Festival. I also included some of the city’s top landmarks to visit while you’re there.
1 Day Sapporo Snow Festival Itinerary
- Morning: Go snow tubing down the slides in Tsudome
- Lunch: Eat seafood donburi at Nijo Market
- Afternoon: Check out the snow sculptures and head up the Sapporo TV Tower at Odori Park
- Dinner: Enjoy Soup Curry at Suage+ or Garaku
- Evening: Walk around Susukino’s illuminated ice sculptures
2 Day Sapporo Snow Festival Itinerary
Day 1
- Morning: Pray at Hokkaido Shrine and walk around Maruyama Park
- Lunch: Eat seafood donburi at Nijo Market
- Afternoon: Check out the snow sculptures and head up the Sapporo TV Tower at Odori Park
- Dinner: Soup Curry at Suage+ or Garaku
- Evening: Walk around Susukino’s illuminated ice sculptures
Day 2
- Morning: Go snow sledding at Tsudome or check out Historical Village of Hokkaido
- Lunch: Grill lamb barbecue Jingisukan (Genghis Khan)
- Afternoon: Sample Sapporo beer at the Beer Museum
- Dinner: Slurp miso ramen at Ramen Alley
- Evening: Go shopping in Tanukikoji or visit Mt Moiwa Outlook
- If you want to read more about the Sapporo landmarks you should visit during your trip, you can also check out my Sapporo 3 day itinerary or 5 day Hokkaido itinerary that includes 2 days in Sapporo for more details. Or if you want me to make a separate in-depth itinerary for the Sapporo Snow Festival, let me know!
Best Time to Visit the Snow Festival Sites
If you want to avoid crowds, try visiting the Odori Park and Susukino sites between 7 and 9 AM when there aren’t as many visitors and the sculptures still have a sparkling morning glow.
If you want to see the sculptures illuminated, go between 9 and 10 PM, right before the light display ends. It’s much quieter at that time and the atmosphere feels extra magical.
For the Tsudome site, which is especially popular with families due to its wide range of winter activities, visiting on weekdays is better for less crowds.
What to Wear for the Snow Festival
Winter clothing essentials
The average temperature in Sapporo in February is -6 ℃ or 21°F, Which was pretty much unbearable for me as someone who lives in California and has never experienced living in snow.
So make sure that you bring proper layers and outerwear because you’re going to be staying out for a long time looking at the snow displays and attending the events.
Here’s the stuff that I recommend bringing in order to not freeze your booty off:
- Thick coat (I recommend NorthFace)
- Beanie
- Scarf
- Gloves/mittens
- Earmuffs
- Long sleeve shirts or heat tech
- Heat patches
- Non-slip shoes
- Glasses defogger for camera/glasses
👍 Pro tip: I recommend putting anti-slip pads on your shoes or grabbing a walking stick from a convenience store so you won’t fall while walking around in the snow. Make sure to follow the trails with no-slip sand.
Enjoy Winter Hokkaido Specialties
Winter is the perfect time to try some of Hokkaido’s local specialties! Here are the top three things to eat in Sapporo during winter.
Soup curry
Soup curry is Sapporo’s most iconic regional specialty, so it’s a must-try!
While traditional Japanese curry is thicker and tastes richer, soup curry is a lighter alternative that is still packed with flavor. It’s usually served with a choice of protein like lamb, chicken, or pork, along with rice and tons of roasted vegetables for a complete, healthy meal.
Two spots I recommend trying are Garaku Soup Curry and Suage+, which are both located in the Susukino area. They’re both terrific spots that specialize in authentic soup curry for your first dinner in Hokkaido.
Jingisukan (Genghis Khan Lamb Barbecue)
For lunch, try Genghis Khan (Jingisukan), a Hokkaido regional specialty. Despite the peculiar name, Genghis Khan is a style of lamb barbecue cooked on a metal skillet, and is often enjoyed during cherry blossom season all the way through winter.
We ate Genghis Khan at Extreme Salt-Cured Jingisukan in Susukino, which was great and had a beautiful view of downtown! The lamb is delicious, but what I really loved was tasting a local specialty and sipping a cold Sapporo beer in its city of origin with my family.
I’ll admit it, I got kind of sick of the lamb flavor after a few rounds, but sharing the meal while enjoying the view of Susukino made it such a memorable experience.
👍 Pro tip: Many restaurants offer all-you-can-eat lamb, but if it’s your first time, go à la carte so you don’t get tired of the taste like I did.
Kaisendon (Seafood Donburi)
OK, admittedly seafood rice bowls are not really a winter cozy food, but the seafood in Hokkaido is just so amazing. You have to try it!
Nijo Market is always a great spot to get affordable and fresh kaisen don. My favorite is the ikura bowl, which is salmon roe eggs, paired with fresh crab and buttery tuna belly (toro). You'll also find fresh uni (sea urchin), giant king crabs, and plump scallops.
I got a medium sized donburi for about $15 USD and it was so good. I honestly can eat it every day, and you should too!
To see the whole list of local Hokkaido specialties I recommend trying while you’re in Sapporo, click here.
Where to Stay in Sapporo During the Snow Festival
I recommend staying in either Odori Park, Susukino, or around Sapporo Station during the Sapporo Snow Festival. Odori Park and Susukino will be closest to the main festival sites, so you won’t have to move too far to see the incredible ice sculptures.
On the other hand, if you’re short on time and want to be closer to New Chitose Airport, then you should stay around Sapporo Station.
Important Tip: Book Hotels 3-6 months in Advance
The Sapporo Snow Festival is the city’s biggest annual event, so hotels always sell out and prices get very expensive. As long as you know that going in, you can still find a good hotel, but you need to start looking early.
Start looking at places as early as September to secure something convenient and reasonably priced.
Choose a hotel near the Chi-ka-ho underground tunnel
The number one tip that I can give you is to use the underground tunnel called Chi-ka-Ho that connects Sapporo Station to Susukino Station and passes through Odori Park.
It’s such a godsend because it can be so cold in Sapporo that you don’t even want to walk around, so staying near somewhere that is a few minutes walking distance from one of the underground entrances is a non-negotiable. Plus, the underground tunnel is filled with amazing shops and restaurants the whole way!
Now I’m going to give you my top hotel recommendations, all of which are close to an underground entrance to the walkway.
Best Odori Park Hotels
Luxury - La'gent Stay Sapporo Odori Hokkaido ($$$)
La’gent Stay is a 5 minute walk from Odori Station and close to all the main Snow Festival attractions. It features two stunning onsen, which is rare to find in the city and feel amazing after spending hours outside in the cold.
The restaurant serves Western and Japanese food, and there’s a fun ship themed bar with specialty cocktails.
In addition to the excellent breakfast buffet, La’gent Stay has a Family Mart on the first floor if you want to pick up some late night snacks to enjoy after soaking in the onsen.
Its location is perfect for winter because it sits right across from the popular Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade, which was my favorite shopping area when I visited. It’s a long shopping strip with tons of vintage thrift stores and a Mega Don Quijote for all your Japan souvenirs.
You’ll also be a few minutes walk away from the Odori Park and Susukino festival locations, and Nijo Market is conveniently close too!
Mid-Range - Tokyu Stay Odori ($$)
I’ve personally stayed at Tokyu Stay for 5 nights and really loved it!
My favorite part about this hotel is that every room comes with its own in unit washer and dryer. If you have never stayed up in a foreign country until 2 or 3 AM waiting for your clothes to dry, then I envy you. I’ve had to use the laundry machine outside in the rain and stay up all night waiting for clothes to dry before. Tokyu Stay saves you from that special kind of hell.
The room itself is compact but comfortable and they really make use of the space. There is a microwave and a small kitchenette included, which is helpful when you don’t want to venture out in the cold.
Lastly, it’s in a great location only 3 minutes away from Odori Station and Odori Park!
Budget - Gardens Cabin ($)
Want to try staying in a capsule hotel but still want comfortable amenities? I think Gardens Cabin is the best capsule hotel in Sapporo. This hostel is sleek and modern, with really wonderful amenities like a bar, onsen, and on-site restaurant, in addition to surprisingly spacious room options.
Image Credit: Expedia
Capsule pods have earthy, natural tones that make you feel like you are staying in a cozy winter cabin, and come with your own personal television. There are also deluxe pods, which are much more spacious if you want extra room. Additionally, there are large Japanese style tatami rooms with no dividers if you are traveling as a couple or group.
Most importantly, this hostel is only a 1-minute walk to the underground station entrance, and a 5-minute walk to the famous Former Hokkaido Government Office Building. You’ll be in a perfect spot to explore Sapporo.
Best Susukino Hotels
Luxury: Sapporo Stream Hotel ($$$)
This brand new hotel opened last year and it looks incredible. The rooms are big and modern, with stunning views of the city skyline. Plus, it’s directly connected to Susukino Station, which is a huge plus.
Image Credit: Expedia
If you book a premium room, you get access to their upscale lounge, a large onsen and sauna, and a rooftop lounge with amazing views of the stars and the city.
Due to its prime location, great amenities, and scenic views, Sapporo Stream Hotel is one of the best places to stay in Sapporo for first time visitors.
Budget: Theatel ($)
Theatel is a hostel designed after a theater, with a huge screen and foyer for everyone to enjoy movie nights. The communal spaces are clean and modern, with shared kitchen and lounge facilities.
Even though it’s a hostel, there are double bed rooms or bunk bed rooms for groups of four, so couples and groups can also stay here. Group rooms have their own projector for a private movie night experience.
Location wise, you can’t beat it. Theatel is a 3 minute walk from Susukino Station and lies in the heart of Susukino, Sapporo’s nightlife district. If you want to explore things to do in Sapporo at night after the festival ends for the day then this is a perfect base.
Best Hotels Near Sapporo Station
Luxury - Hotel Nikko ($$$$)
This four star hotel has everything. It's located directly inside Sapporo Station, which makes traveling during snowy days much easier. You have endless restaurants and shops around, plus the hotel itself has two restaurants with panoramic views of the city on the 35th floor.
There is a public onsen with skyline views, a sauna, a hot tub, and a spa and wellness center on top of the station. Everything is beautiful and the service is incredibly high end!
If you plan on traveling by train often or want to visit other areas of Hokkaido like Otaru or Hakodate, this hotel is perfect.
Overall, if you’re willing to splurge, Hotel Nikko is one of the best luxury hotels in Sapporo!
Mid-Range - Mitsui Garden Hotel Sapporo West ($$$)
If you want to stay somewhere with an onsen in the city, Mitsui Garden is one of the best!
This 4-star hotel has spacious rooms with classic elegant interiors, a breakfast buffet with Western style foods made with local Hokkaido produce, and a large relaxing public onsen. They also provide tattoo stickers if you need them.
(Image Credit: Expedia)
Location wise, Mitsui Garden is a 4 minute walk from Sapporo Station and very close to the underground entrance. You’re also a few minutes from the Former Hokkaido Government Building, so make sure to stop by and skate on the ice rink!
Things to Do During the Sapporo Snow Festival
Here’s a quick list of the must-do things during the festival.
- Walk around and admire the snow sculptures
- See the ice sculptures illuminated at nighttime
- Check out the Hokkaido food stalls and taste seasonal dishes
- See the special performances at Odori Park
- Vote for your favorite sculpture in the International Snow Sculpture Contest
- Go ice skating in Odori Park
- Make your own ice sculpture!
And if you want to check out more ideas of winter things to do in Sapporo beyond the Snow Festival, click here!
Sapporo Snow Festival FAQs
More Hokkaido Snow & Ice Festivals You May Also Like
Many other towns in Hokkaido also have their own festivals around the same time as the Sapporo Snow Festival, so you can visit other areas and enjoy other festivals too! Here are the most popular ones:
- Otaru Snow Light Path Festival (Feb. 7 to Feb 14): This is a festival you can combine with the Sapporo Snow Festival. The town becomes decorated with snow lanterns, and you can walk around the romantic Otaru Canal among candlelit streets.
- Asahikawa Winter Festival (Feb 4 to 11, 2026): Asahikawa is another popular destination in Hokkaido, famous for its record-breaking giant snow sculpture and Asahikawa Zoo Penguin March. It’s another great festival to see snow and ice sculptures along with fireworks shows and performances.
- Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival (Jan 31 to Feb 23): This ice museum takes in Lake Shikotsu hot springs and lasts for a whole month. You can visit the frozen cave, soak in the steaming hot springs, and admire the illuminated snow town.
Conclusion: Your Complete Guide to the Sapporo Snow Festival
Now you’re fully prepared to take on the Sapporo Snow Festival! It’s one of the most beautiful things to experience in the winter and one of the most unique festivals in Japan, so don’t miss it.
You only need a few days to explore the Snow Festival locations, so I recommend checking out my 5 day Sapporo itinerary or take a tour to see other cities while you’re in Hokkaido.
If you need any help with your trip, feel free to email me at audrey@getlostinjapan.com or drop a comment!
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