This year’s Japan Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) will take place February 4–11, 2019. For a full week, Hokkaido’s capital, Sapporo, celebrates winter with a wide range of events and exhibitions, highlighted by impressive sculptures carved from ice and snow. What began in 1950, when local high school students built a few snow sculptures in Odori Park, has grown into one of the world’s most famous winter festivals.
The festival spreads across three main sites: Odori Site, Susukino Site, and Tsu Dome Site. Odori Park remains the festival’s focal point, showcasing a dozen large ice sculptures alongside roughly 100 smaller snow and ice creations. These works are illuminated each evening until about 10 p.m., creating striking night scenes. Odori also hosts live music and a variety of performances, and visitors can climb the Sapporo TV Tower for panoramic views of the displays from the observation deck.
Just one subway stop from Odori, Susukino Site occupies the city’s entertainment district and features about a hundred illuminated sculptures set among the neon streets. This site emphasizes intricate ice carving and nighttime atmosphere, making it a popular stop for evening strolls during the festival.
Tsu Dome Site, located a little farther from central Sapporo, offers a more family-friendly, hands-on experience. In addition to snow and ice sculptures, the site includes three different types of snow slides and snow rafts for active fun. Food stalls and scheduled performances take place inside the dome, creating a festival environment suitable for all ages. Tsu Dome is reachable by shuttle bus from Odori Site and Sapporo Station or by subway via Sakaemachi Station.
Whether you prefer grand illuminated sculptures in the city center, finely detailed ice carvings amid Susukino’s nightlife, or outdoor winter activities at Tsu Dome, the Sapporo Snow Festival delivers a rich mix of visual spectacle, entertainment, and seasonal food. Its combination of artistic ice work, family attractions, and lively events makes it a must-see winter destination in Japan.