{"schema_version":"v1","type":"trip_article","slug":"sapporo-snow-festival-2026","locale":"en","canonical_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/en/trips/sapporo-snow-festival-2026","updated_at":"2026-10-14T00:00:00+00:00","headline":"Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: 4–11 February, 1.5 km of snow sculptures in Odori Park","one_sentence_summary":"The Sapporo Snow Festival is held every early February, and all three sites are free. The 76th edition ran 4–11 February 2026 at Odori Park, Susukino and Tsudome, and the 77th runs 4–11 February 2027.","facts":[{"label":"Festival dates","value":"4–11 February 2026","source":"https://www.snowfes.com/about/history/","sourceLabel":"snowfes.com"},{"label":"Location","value":"Sapporo City, Japan","source":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo_Snow_Festival","sourceLabel":"en.wikipedia.org"},{"label":"Three venues","value":"Odori Park (snow sculptures), Susukino (ice carvings), Tsudome (snow slides and other snow play); entry to all three is free, though some Tsudome attractions charge a fee","source":"https://www.snowfes.com/faq/","sourceLabel":"snowfes.com"},{"label":"Scale of Odori Park","value":"Stretches about 1.5 km from east to west, with some works taller than two storeys","source":"https://www.sapporo.travel/en/night-view-guide/event/snowfes/","sourceLabel":"sapporo.travel"},{"label":"Origins","value":"In 1950 students from three high schools and two junior high schools built six snow statues at Odori 7-chome, and about 50,000 people came to see them","source":"https://www.snowfes.com/about/history/","sourceLabel":"snowfes.com"},{"label":"Visitors","value":"About 2,539,000 over the eight days of the 76th edition in 2026","source":"https://www.snowfes.com/about/history/","sourceLabel":"snowfes.com"}],"city_tabs":{"sapporo":{"title":"Sapporo","bullets":["Odori Park is open at all hours during the festival, with lights on until 22:00","The Susukino ice carvings are lit until 23:00 (22:00 on the last day)","Tsudome is a daytime site, open 10:00–16:00"],"source":"https://www.snowfes.com/faq/","sourceLabel":"snowfes.com"}},"faq":[{"q":"When is the 2027 Sapporo Snow Festival held?","a":"The 2026 edition took place on 4–11 February. The 77th edition is officially scheduled for 4–11 February 2027.","sources":["https://www.snowfes.com/","https://blog.wego.com/sapporo-snow-festival/","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo_Snow_Festival"]},{"q":"What are the Sapporo Snow Festival venues?","a":"There are three: Odori Park (1-chome to 11-chome, snow sculptures), Susukino (on Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and Minami 6-jo, ice carvings) and Tsudome in Sakaemachi, Higashi Ward (snow play, about 15 minutes on foot from Sakaemachi Station on the Toho subway line, or by shuttle bus from the station).","sources":["https://www.sapporo.travel/en/night-view-guide/event/snowfes/","https://www.snowfes.com/sites/tsudome/"]},{"q":"Do you need a ticket for the Sapporo Snow Festival?","a":"No. The official FAQ says entry to all three sites is free. What costs extra are some attractions at Tsudome, such as the snow raft (1,200 yen for adults and 600 yen for primary-school children and younger in 2026), plus the skating rink at Odori 3-chome, which sells its own tickets.","sources":["https://www.snowfes.com/faq/","https://www.snowfes.com/sites/tsudome/","https://www.snowfes.com/sites/odori/"]},{"q":"Is it better to go by day or by night?","a":"Each time of day offers something different. Tsudome is open only from 10:00 to 16:00, Odori Park is lit until 22:00, and the Susukino site stays lit until 23:00 (22:00 on the last day).","sources":["https://www.snowfes.com/faq/"]},{"q":"How to prepare for the cold and icy ground","a":"In February Sapporo is often below freezing even by day and colder at night, so wear a heavy coat that keeps out snow and wind. The ground freezes and gets slippery; snow boots with grippy soles are the safest choice.","sources":["https://www.snowfes.com/faq/"]},{"q":"When to book a hotel for the Snow Festival","a":"The festival runs for about a week in early February, when Sapporo hotels fill up quickly, and the next dates are already confirmed, so lodging can be booked now. The city centre is close to Odori Park, while the outskirts have more space and cost less.","sources":["https://www.snowfes.com/"]}],"sources":["https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo_Snow_Festival","https://www.snowfes.com/en/","https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1719/","https://www.sapporo.travel/en/night-view-guide/event/snowfes/","https://blog.wego.com/sapporo-snow-festival/","https://www.snowfes.com/","https://www.snowfes.com/about/history/","https://www.snowfes.com/faq/","https://www.snowfes.com/sites/tsudome/","https://www.snowfes.com/sites/odori/","https://www.sapporo.travel/en/info/about/transportation/"],"key_takeaways":[{"text":"The 76th edition ran 4–11 February 2026, and the 77th is set for 4–11 February 2027. Early February is one of the coldest stretches in Sapporo; go in the first half of the run to see the sculptures intact.","date":"2026-02-04","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://www.snowfes.com/","source_label":"snowfes.com"},{"text":"Three sites: Odori Park for the large snow sculptures, Susukino for ice carvings, and Tsudome for snow slides and an indoor play area, open only until 16:00.","date":"2026-02-04","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://www.snowfes.com/sites/tsudome/","source_label":"snowfes.com"},{"text":"February in Sapporo is often below freezing and the pavements ice over, so bring a heavy coat that blocks snow and wind, plus non-slip boots. Weekends and the evening illuminations are the busiest times.","date":"2026-02-04","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo_Snow_Festival","source_label":"en.wikipedia.org"}],"reading_outline":[{"id":"executive-summary","label":"Summary"},{"id":"facts","label":"Key facts"},{"id":"city-routes","label":"Places and routes"},{"id":"faq","label":"FAQ"},{"id":"planning","label":"Trip planning"}],"topic":{"chain":["trips","japan-festivals","sapporo-snow-festival","sapporo-snow-festival-2026"]},"status":"published","hero_image":{"src":"/hero/sapporo-snow-festival-2026.webp","alt":"Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: 4–11 February, 1.5 km of snow sculptures in Odori Park"},"editorial":{"tagline":"The 2026 snow castle took 30 days and 3,800 person-days of Self-Defense Force labour","paragraphs":["The Odori Park site runs from 1-chome to 11-chome, about 1.5 km in all, and starts as soon as you leave Odori subway station. In 2026, the 76th edition, the large sculptures stood at five spots, 4-, 5-, 7-, 8- and 10-chome, some of them taller than a two-storey building.","Most of the large sculptures are built with help from the Ground Self-Defense Force, an arrangement that began with the 6th festival in 1955. In 2026 the replica of Aizu-Wakamatsu's Tsurugajo Castle at 8-chome was built by the 18th Infantry Regiment together with the broadcaster HTB, working from 5 January to 3 February: 30 days and 3,800 person-days of Self-Defense Force labour.","The International Plaza at 11-chome hosts the international snow sculpture contest, which started in 1974. The 50th contest ran 2–7 February 2026 with 10 teams, and Finland took first place. South of the park, the Susukino site sits on Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and Minami 6-jo and is given over to ice carvings, while Tsudome in Higashi Ward has snow slides and indoor play, including the Titan slide, about 12 m high.","About 2,539,000 people visited over the eight days in 2026. Dates for the 77th edition in 2027 have been announced, the same at all three sites. In the last few days the sculptures' edges soften visibly, and once the festival closes they are taken down where they stand."]},"guide":{"lede":"All three sites are free and open at the same time, so the real decision is how to split days and evenings. Odori and Susukino are entirely outdoors with a lot of standing, Tsudome closes at 16:00, and weekends and the evening illuminations are the most crowded.","sections":[{"heading":"When is the Sapporo Snow Festival held?","body":"The 2026 edition took place on 4–11 February. The 77th edition is officially scheduled for 4–11 February 2027.\n\n**The Odori, Susukino and Tsudome sites all open over the same dates.** The festival is always held in early February, one of the coldest stretches of the year in Sapporo.\n\nOpening and illumination hours can change from year to year. The official site plans to post the 2027 site details from mid-December 2026."},{"heading":"The three venues and getting there","body":"**Odori Park** runs from 1-chome to 11-chome, with Odori subway station directly beneath the park.\n\n**The Susukino site** is on Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and Minami 6-jo, mostly ice carvings, and starts right outside Susukino subway station.\n\n**Tsudome** is in Sakaemachi, Higashi Ward, about 15 minutes on foot from Sakaemachi Station on the Toho subway line, or by shuttle bus from the same station. There is no general parking and no drop-off area.\n\nFrom New Chitose Airport, the JR Rapid Airport train reaches Sapporo Station in about 37 minutes, and Odori is one more stop on the Namboku subway line."},{"heading":"Outdoor sites and warming up","body":"Both the Odori and Susukino sites are outdoors, with icy pavements and a lot of walking and standing in the wind. Odori subway station sits right under the park, so you can drop into the underground shopping streets to warm up and then come back up for the next block of sculptures. Tsudome's big slide and children's play area are indoors, but the site closes at 16:00."},{"heading":"Go by day or by night?","body":"**Tsudome is a daytime site**, open 10:00–16:00, and some attractions stop taking new riders early when it is busy.\n\n**Odori Park** can be visited at any hour during the festival and is lit until 22:00. **The Susukino ice carvings** are lit until 23:00, or 22:00 on the last day. Between the two visits, warm up in the underground shopping streets or indoors."},{"heading":"Planning your visit and where to stay","body":"One way to plan is to give each site its own slot: Tsudome in the morning or around midday since it closes at 16:00, Odori Park once by day and once at night, and Susukino's ice carvings in the evening.\n\nThe festival runs for about a week in early February, the tightest time of year for Sapporo hotels. Next year's dates are already confirmed, so you can book now. The city centre is close to Odori Park and easy to get around; for lower prices or larger rooms, look further out.\n\nThe extra costs are mostly at Tsudome: in 2026 the snow raft cost 1,200 yen for adults and 600 yen for primary-school children and younger, and the indoor kids' park charged 130 yen per point or 1,300 yen for 11 points. Prices for 2027 have not been posted yet."},{"heading":"Cold, ice and crowds","body":"**Staying warm comes first.** In February Sapporo is often below freezing even by day and colder at night, so wear a heavy coat that keeps out snow and wind, plus gloves, a hat and thermal layers.\n\n**The ground freezes and gets slippery.** When walking between sites, grip matters: snow boots with non-slip soles are best, or add clip-on spikes to your shoes.\n\nWeekends and the evening illuminations are the busiest times. For shorter queues and fewer people in your photos, go on a weekday during the day."},{"heading":"How did the Sapporo Snow Festival begin?","body":"In 1950 students from three high schools and two junior high schools built six snow statues at Odori 7-chome, and about 50,000 people came to see them. The festival has been held every year since.\n\nThe Self-Defense Forces began helping with the large sculptures at the 6th festival in 1955, and the international snow sculpture contest was added at the 25th, in 1974."},{"heading":"Building the big sculptures, and the melt","body":"The large sculptures are carved layer by layer out of tightly packed snow. In 2026 the Tsurugajo Castle replica at 8-chome took 30 days from start to finish, with 3,800 person-days of Self-Defense Force labour.\n\nFinished sculptures stay in place for the festival, and the melting at the edges becomes more obvious in the last few days. They are taken down after the festival closes."}]},"kind":"festival","available_locales":["zh-TW","en","th","id"],"event_start_date":"2026-02-04","event_end_date":"2026-02-11","dates_estimated":false,"next_edition":{"start_date":"2027-02-04","end_date":"2027-02-11","estimated":false,"source":"https://www.snowfes.com/"},"offers":[{"id":"hokkaido-jr-pass","title":{"zh-TW":"JR 北海道鐵路周遊券","en":"JR Hokkaido Rail Pass","th":"JR Hokkaido Rail Pass","id":"JR Hokkaido Rail Pass"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"transport","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/sapporo-snow-festival-2026?o=hokkaido-jr-pass&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"},{"id":"shikotsu-ice","title":{"zh-TW":"支笏湖冰濤祭半日遊","en":"Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival half-day tour","th":"ทัวร์ครึ่งวันเทศกาลน้ำแข็งทะเลสาบชิโกะสึ","id":"Tur setengah hari Festival Es Danau Shikotsu"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"experience","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/sapporo-snow-festival-2026?o=shikotsu-ice&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"},{"id":"jp-esim-native","title":{"zh-TW":"日本 eSIM（Softbank 5G／Docomo 4G）","en":"Japan eSIM (Softbank 5G / Docomo 4G)","th":"eSIM ญี่ปุ่น (Softbank 5G / Docomo 4G)","id":"eSIM Jepang (Softbank 5G / Docomo 4G)"},"merchant":"klook","utility":"esim","landing_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/go/sapporo-snow-festival-2026?o=jp-esim-native&locale=en&src=data","checked_at":"2026-10-13"}]}