Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival

The Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival (層雲峡氷瀑まつり, Sounkyo Hyobaku Matsuri) first began in 1976 and was created under the guidance of Takenaka Toshihiro who was a sculptor from Eniwa, Hokkaido. This winter event takes place at the foot of Sounkyo Onsen along the Ishikari River. The Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival covers 10,000 square meters and is made up of multi-story buildings and structures that were created with ice and snow. The festival uses the water from the Ishikari River to make the sculptures and structures. There is an entry fee of 300 yen, but once you enter the grounds there are multiple snow domes lined up. The Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival is great to go during the day, but you should really go when it is night time. At night the whole area is illuminated in different colors giving it a fantasy like feeling. This happens every day for the two months of the festival. For the 40th anniversary in 2015 they had a fireworks show every night, but in the other years they reserve the spectacular for only Saturday and Sunday nights. It is recommended that if you plan to attend this event to dress warmly because it will reach negative degree weather and to also know the bus schedule if you plan to commute instead of staying overnight. The Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival lasts from the end of January all the way to the end of March.