Things to do in Sapporo：Sapporo Snow Festival

What is Sapporo Snow Festival?

The Sapporo Snow Festival is a winter event representing Japan, held every February in Sapporo, Hokkaido. This festival began in 1950 at Nakajima Park in Sapporo and has now become a world-renowned tourist event. It has established itself as a winter tradition in Hokkaido, especially as it attracts many tourists from both Japan and abroad. The Sapporo Snow Festival is a place to enjoy the harsh cold and beauty of winter, and is an important opportunity to share with the world the unique culture and charm of Sapporo, an area that experiences heavy snowfall.

 

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History of Sapporo Snow Festival

The history of the Sapporo Snow Festival began in 1950 when high school students made snow sculptures at Nakajima Park in Sapporo. At that time, only six snow sculptures were on display, but they were very popular with local citizens and tourists, and the scale expanded year by year. After that, with the cooperation of the Self-Defense Forces, giant snow sculptures began to be made, and the scale of the festival grew dramatically. Since 1983, an international snow sculpture competition has been held, and artists from all over the world have come together to try their hand at creating snow sculptures.

 

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Venue and highlights

The Sapporo Snow Festival is mainly held at three venues. The most famous is the Odori venue, where giant snow and ice sculptures line up in Odori Park, located in the center of Sapporo. This venue in particular is often featured on TV and the media, and is a popular spot for tourists. Furthermore, the Susukino venue is centered around ice sculptures, which are illuminated at night, creating a fantastic landscape. Additionally, the Tsudome venue caters to a wide range of visitors, with plenty of snow slides and activities for families and children to enjoy.

 

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The main attraction at the Odori venue is the giant snow sculptures, which feature works that imitate each year’s theme and world heritage sites. In the past, internationally popular content such as “Star Wars” and “Dragon Quest” have been selected as themes, surprising tourists. It is also lit up at night, creating a fantastic atmosphere that is different from the daytime.

 

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Sightseeing points and access

The first thing to keep in mind when visiting the Sapporo Snow Festival is to take measures against the cold. February in Sapporo is extremely cold, sometimes dropping below -10 degrees. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare enough winter clothing. Also, since there will be a large number of tourists visiting during the festival period, we recommend that you make hotel reservations and secure transportation as early as possible.

 

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In terms of access, Sapporo city has good transportation facilities, so each venue can be easily accessed by subway or bus. The Odori venue is particularly convenient as it is within walking distance from Sapporo Station. In addition, easy access to the Susukino and Dome venues is easily accessible by subway or bus, making it one of the attractions for tourists.

 

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Link:Sapporo Snow Festival