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Sapporo Snow Festival

For one week in February in Hokkaido’s capital, Sapporo, a winter event is held called Sapporo Snow Festival also known as Sapporo Yuki Matsuri.

In 1950, some local high school students built 6 snow statues in Odori Park and attracted about fifty thousand people to the first Sapporo Snow Festival. Then in 1955, the Self Defense Force from the Makomanai base, joined in to make the first humongous snow sculptures. Also if the snow fall is not heavy in Sapporo, the Self Defense Force would transport snow from outside the city. Their participation in the festival still continues today and is considered a training exercise for them. By 1959, 2,500 people participated in making snow sculptures. It was also the year the media first reported about the festival nationwide. The Makomanai base became the official second area for the Snow Festival in 1965 and hosted the largest sculptures during the festivities. Then in 1972 the Winter Olympics held in Sapporo gave the opportunity to the media to report about the festival on an international scale. This gave rise to the International Snow Statue Competition, which started in 1974, and has teams competing from different countries especially from Sapporo sister cities (Portland, Munich, Shenyan, Novosibirisk and Daejeon). A new aspect of the festival was added in 1983 at Susukino where there are ice sculptures illuminated by neon lights on the street. The new attraction made Susukino the third official site of the Sapporo Snow Festival. The following year in 1984 the length of the festival was extended from two days to being a week-long celebration. In 2005 the Makomanai site was closed off and Satoland was made the temporary second site. It was not until 2009 when the Tsudome became the official second site.

Odori Park is the main site of the Sapporo Snow Festival. Here you can enjoy snow and ice sculptures of various sizes. Some are based on famous characters like Doraemon, Mickey Mouse, Star Wars, etc. It is also there area where concerts and different events happen. Then the Susukino Site, located in the entertainment district, exhibits numerous different ice sculptures where you experience touching the figures or even sit on them. The neon street lights of the area illuminate the sculptures to further enhance the fantasy. The Tsudome features a more family friendly environment. There you can go snow rafting, ice sledding, snowboarding, skiing, etc. Each of the sites has places to eat, but it is recommended to try the seafood, which Hokkaido is famous for.

Please see below for tours that include Sapporo Snow Festival:

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Charms of Hokkaido Tour: Hokkaido Winter Festivals

Group Tour | Deluxe          Book Now & Save $100

Group Tour | Deluxe    Book Now & Save $100

Charms of Hokkaido Tour: Hokkaido Winter Festivals
Charms of Hokkaido Tour: Hokkaido Winter Festivals
19 reviews
19 reviews

9 Days 8 Nights | from US $3798.00

Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro
See the Sapporo Snow Festival, as well as three other main Winter Festivals in Hokkaido.

9 Days 8 Nights | from US $3798.00

Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro
See the Sapporo Snow Festival, as well as three other main Winter Festivals in Hokkaido.
Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Compare Status
Sun. Feb 4, 2024 Mon. Feb 12, 2024 US $3798.00 Sapporo Kushiro Deluxe Save this tour Book Now  
Sun. Feb 2, 2025 Mon. Feb 10, 2025 US $3798.00 Sapporo Kushiro Deluxe Save this tour Book Now  
Hokkaido & Beyond: Winter Festivals, Kawazu Cherry 
Blossoms & Snow Monkeys

Group Tour | Deluxe          Book Now & Save $100

Group Tour | Deluxe    Book Now & Save $100

Hokkaido & Beyond: Winter Festivals, Kawazu Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkeys
Hokkaido & Beyond: Winter Festivals, Kawazu Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkeys

13 Days 12 Nights | from US $5298.00

Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro/ Yokohama / Kawazu / Mt Fuji / Matsumoto / Yudanaka / Obuse / Nagano
Experience the incredible Snow Festivals of Hokkaido, followed by an extension which includes Kawazu Cherry Blossoms and adorable snow monkeys!

13 Days 12 Nights | from US $5298.00

Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro/ Yokohama / Kawazu / Mt Fuji / Matsumoto / Yudanaka / Obuse / Nagano
Experience the incredible Snow Festivals of Hokkaido, followed by an extension which includes Kawazu Cherry Blossoms and adorable snow monkeys!
Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Compare Status
Sun. Feb 4, 2024 Fri. Feb 16, 2024 US $5298.00 Sapporo Tokyo Deluxe Save this tour Book Now  
Sun. Feb 2, 2025 Fri. Feb 14, 2025 US $5298.00 Sapporo Tokyo Deluxe Save this tour Book Now  
Best of Honshu & Hokkaido: Snow Monkeys & Hokkaido 
Winter Festival Tour

Group Tour | Deluxe          Book Now & Save $100

Group Tour | Deluxe    Book Now & Save $100

Best of Honshu & Hokkaido: Snow Monkeys & Hokkaido Winter Festival Tour
Best of Honshu & Hokkaido: Snow Monkeys & Hokkaido Winter Festival Tour

16 Days 15 Nights | from US $6398.00

Honshu (Tokyo / Lake Kawaguchi / Matsumoto / Yudanaka / Takayama / Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka), Hokkaido (Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro)
Explore the two main winter attractions of Japan - Snow Monkeys and Hokkaido Winter Festivals.

16 Days 15 Nights | from US $6398.00

Honshu (Tokyo / Lake Kawaguchi / Matsumoto / Yudanaka / Takayama / Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka), Hokkaido (Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro)
Explore the two main winter attractions of Japan - Snow Monkeys and Hokkaido Winter Festivals.
Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Compare Status
Sun. Jan 28, 2024 Mon. Feb 12, 2024 US $6398.00 Tokyo Kushiro Deluxe Save this tour Sold Out
Sun. Jan 26, 2025 Mon. Feb 10, 2025 US $6398.00 Tokyo Kushiro Deluxe Save this tour Book Now  
Japan Winter Highlights: Winter Festivals, Kawazu Cherry 
Blossoms & Snow Monkeys

Group Tour | Deluxe          Book Now & Save $100

Group Tour | Deluxe    Book Now & Save $100

Japan Winter Highlights: Winter Festivals, Kawazu Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkeys
Japan Winter Highlights: Winter Festivals, Kawazu Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkeys

21 Days 20 Nights | from US $8698.00

Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro / Tokyo / Hakone / Kawazu / Lake Kawaguchi / Matsumoto / Yudanaka / Takayama / Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka / Himeji / Kurashiki / Hiroshima / Shimanami Kaido / Oobokekyo Gorge / Kotohira / Takamatsu / Kobe
Discover the unmissable Winter Highlights of Japan on a 21-day itinerary, with exciting Hokkaido Winter Festivals, the Snow Monkeys of Yudanaka, and the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival.

21 Days 20 Nights | from US $8698.00

Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro / Tokyo / Hakone / Kawazu / Lake Kawaguchi / Matsumoto / Yudanaka / Takayama / Shirakawa-go / Kanazawa / Kyoto / Nara / Osaka / Himeji / Kurashiki / Hiroshima / Shimanami Kaido / Oobokekyo Gorge / Kotohira / Takamatsu / Kobe
Discover the unmissable Winter Highlights of Japan on a 21-day itinerary, with exciting Hokkaido Winter Festivals, the Snow Monkeys of Yudanaka, and the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival.
Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Compare Status
Sun. Feb 4, 2024 Sat. Feb 24, 2024 US $8698.00 Sapporo Osaka Deluxe Save this tour Sold Out
Sun. Feb 2, 2025 Sat. Feb 22, 2025 US $8698.00 Sapporo Osaka Deluxe Save this tour Book Now  

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