Plan Your Visit to Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido Japan Travel Guide

We share tips for visiting the Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido Japan. This festival is held annually for a week in early February. It features an international snow carving contest, ice sculptures, entertainment, and food. We share event info, where to stay, what to eat, how to get around, and winter activities in the area.

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Guide to Sapporo Snow Festival
00:53 Early February
01:02 Venues
02:00 Where to stay
02:48 How to get around
03:58 What to wear
05:17 What to eat
06:35 Activities in Sapporo
07:18 Side trip to Otaru
07:53 Asahikawa Winter Festival
08:19 How to get to Sapporo
09:16 Our winter Hokkaido adventure

#sapporosnowfestival #hokkaido #sapporo #kenshoquest

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[gumer.gg]

Thanks for the informative video 🤙🏼 I'll be going to Japan for the first time mid January for a whole month so I'll definitely spend a couple days in Sapporo

[twostate]

Very nice summary of the Sapporo Snow Festival which closely matches my experience about 6 years ago. And I agree, definitely take the opportunity to go to Otaru and Asahikawa for their festivals since they overlap the Sapporo festival. The one thing I missed was the Lake Shikotsu festival due to lack of time. Oh well, next time.

For the trip to Asahikawa, I didn't buy a reserved seat going there (sold out). The train was absolutely jam packed and I spent the trip standing or sitting on the train floor with others who didn't have a reserved ticket.

The one thing I would like to emphasize is that it gets really cold at night, especially when the wind blows. It's usually a comfortable cold during the daytime as long as you are dressed warmly, but it's a different level of cold at night. I thought I was dressed warmly with thermal underwear (if you don't have any, Uniqlo has a variety of winter wear), wool cap, thermal gloves, waterproof ski parka, weatherproof insulated boots, and even brought insulated ski overalls. I was still cold walking through the snow/ice sculptures at night, or walking to a nearby restaurant.

For lodging, I stayed near Susukino station for a couple of days, but had to move close to Nakajima park for the last couple days of my trip because I couldn't get a reservation for my entire trip. Book hotels early because hotels nearer to Sapporo station and Odori Park sell out faster. BTW, some of the streets by Nakajima park (or most of the streets off the main arterial streets that don't get cleared and don't have lots of traffic)) can be very slippery and icy, so maybe consider buying a pair of ice cleats/traction devices for your shoes. I saw several people take a tumble on the ice, and was a little lucky to not fall myself.

[Deepakphasu]

Thanks for sharing detailed information.

[CalledtoCultivate]

I’m going for the first time this year too! Thanks for this informative video. 🤗

[dennistani]

Thanks for the snow festival updates! We have been thinking of going for the past 5 years, maybe next year!

[thesugardealerph]

Thank you for this video! Our whole family will be there this year! Caaaan’t wait….

[alpines]

Cool. No pun intended. But it has been 0 F, -17c this past week. Anywhere else is warmer!🥶

[falaqshaikh]

Please make a video about visiting Japan in Spring, I plan to visit in April 2024. Love your videos. helpful

[metalcraft_marine]

Great video! So much helpful information 😀

[ronin]

Can’t wait to see your upcoming videos, we are thinking about doing this snow festival in 2025. But doing a tour from Hawaii, kinda interested on the train ride back from Sapporo to Tokyo cause we may extend our trip after the tour is done. Stay a few days in Tokyo to visit friends.

[zaviersw]

Thanks for sharing another great video. Would you recommend to buy winter clothing and accessories (i.e. snow boots, neck Scarf) from Aeon mall ( nearest to Chitose airport) instead from outlet.

[goldcoastcoffeeandcafes]

My wife and will be there as well thanks

[jameshoffmann]

Great Video, i`ll be at the Sapporo snow festival this year as well for the first time traveling solo. if i bump into you there i`ll say hi.

[trackingbeam]

we went to Sapporo last winter but missed the Snow Festival, we are excited to be goint in 2025

[karenrobbins]

Thanks, this makes planning a trip easier. I think you will have to do some careful packing since you need more layers. Maybe it’s not possible with just a carry on

[rizqay]

I want to go there, but the flight ticket kinda expensive from Tokyo for me 😭

[GoodGood-vbgm]

Can we also see snowfall at the same time? Is it very cold? Thank you.

[KenshoQuest]

Are you dreaming of visiting Sapporo, Japan?

[terryseow]

Checked ticket and hotel .. all jack up . Is it really worth it?

[WuRaidr]

Great video! I went back in 2019 but when I got there (about 5 days after start) all the sculptures were completed. I am going back this February and would like to see some of the actually sculpting process. Do I need to be there before the actual festival starts to see this?