Author: Steven Chin

Winter in Japan lasts approximately from late November to early March every year. It is during winter that some parts of Japan will be covered in white, fluffy snow – most notably Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan. Add one and one together, and you'll come up with Japan’s largest annual winter festival – the Sapporo Snow Festival, or Sapporo Yuki Matsuri!

Traditionally held during a week in February at Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, over 2 million visitors from all around the world come to witness the magnificent ice and snow sculptures displayed during this 1-week-long festival. Each year, hundreds of sculptures of different sizes and themes are made, with some targetting the champion spot of the International Snow Sculpture Contest.

The snow festival is staged on three sites – the Odori Site, Tsudome Site, and the Susukino Site.

The Odori Site is the main place for the snow festival. Located at the Odori Park, this is where all big and small snow sculptures – some towering at 15 metres and others spanning 20-25 metres – are displayed daily during the festival, with lights illuminating the sculptures at night until 10PM.

Aside from heading to the event area, visitors can also visit the observation deck of the Sapporo TV Tower to see the displays at Odori Park as a whole! The bird's-eye view is truly a sight to behold.

The Tsudome Site, a.k.a. (also known as) the Tsubame Site, is a family-oriented site. The main attractions of this site are the giant snow sliders, a snow-rafting slope, and a snow maze besides more snow sculptures. Aside from these fun family activities, parents can also bring their kids to a dedicated snowman-building area inside the dome.

Lastly, the Susukino Site is located at the entertainment district of the city. This site is where all the ice sculptures will be displayed daily until 11PM. While all hundreds of the ice sculptures will be lit up at all times daily, it is recommended to visit the site at night to fully experience the illumination of the clear ice sculptures in different colours and patterns.

Other than seeing sculptures of impressive size and intricate design, various food and game stalls will also be set up at all the event sites. Visitors need not worry about where to fuel up while walking around the event sites.

This year, the Sapporo Snow Festival will be held from the 4th to 11th February for the Otori and Susukino sites, while festivities at the Tsudome Site will begin on 31st January. You can read more about the festival at the official Sapporo Snow Festival website.

Image credits: Sapporo Sightseeing Photo Library