Sapporo Snow Festival Site (Odori)

Overview

The Sapporo Snow Festival (Yuki Matsuri) is held annually in early February across three venues, with the Odori Park site as the main stage. Over 200 snow and ice sculptures — some reaching 15 meters tall — are displayed along the 1.5 km park. The festival attracts approximately 2 million visitors and is one of Japan's largest winter events.

Highlights

• Giant Snow Sculptures: Monumental snow sculptures depicting famous buildings, characters, and scenes, some spanning entire city blocks.
• International Snow Sculpture Contest: Teams from around the world compete to carve the most impressive snow art.
• Night Illumination: Projections and lights transform the sculptures after dark into a dramatic spectacle.

History

The festival began in 1950 when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. It grew rapidly and became international in 1974. The festival now uses snow trucked in from surrounding areas and involves self-defense forces in constructing the largest sculptures.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: The festival runs only 7 days (early February) — book accommodation months in advance.
• Tip 2: Visit both day and night; the illuminated sculptures look entirely different after sunset.
• Duration: 90–180 minutes.