Every February, the city of Sapporo in Hokkaido transforms into a kingdom of snow and ice with one of the most impressive winter events in the world: the Sapporo Snow Festival, or Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (さっぽろ雪まつり). This event has always been very popular among the Japanese, but in recent years, it has started to attract a greater percentage of Western tourists. Although it is an event that lasts only one week, it draws over two million visitors every year, so it is important to plan your visit well in advance to make sure you don’t miss any of the shows or different locations. Asiahop attended the 2025 edition, and here we share our recommendations for making the most of it.
Ōdōri Park and Dance and Light Shows
A short distance from Sapporo JR Station is Ōdōri Park (大通公園), which was once the city’s main thoroughfare and now serves as one of its main green spaces, covering nearly 80,000 m². Ōdōri, meaning “big street” in Japanese, was built in 1871 as a firebreak to protect the city from fires, and its original name was Shiribeshi Dori. However, if you visit during winter for the festival, you likely won’t see much greenery, as the city will be completely covered in snow, with large amounts of snow accumulated on the streets, squares, and parks. So, one obvious tip is to make sure you’re well-prepared for the cold and icy streets, and appropriate footwear is crucial.
The sculpture contest, which began in 1974 during the 25th edition of the festival, brings together teams from different countries, regions, and cities around the world to compete in creating unique snow sculptures. For the competition, each team begins working on their sculptures outdoors the week before, both day and night. In the 2025 edition, the contest took place from February 4 to 7, and the team from Mongolia won the first prize for the second consecutive year with their sculpture titled Life. In addition to the competition, the main sculptures of the festival (the largest and most complex, made by the Japanese army and other local groups) are started even a month before the event due to their size and level of detail. Some of these sculptures reach over 15 meters in height and can span the entire width of the park.
During the day, you can stroll through Ōdōri and enjoy the sculptures and the dance performances that usually take place on one of the stages set up in front of the sculptures. And, as is customary at a Japanese matsuri, you should take the opportunity to try some of Hokkaido’s delicacies, both savory and sweet. Without a doubt, the star dish is Sapporo’s miso ramen, considered one of the top three in Japan, but you can also try jingisukan (ジンギスカン), which is grilled lamb, or different types of yakitori. As with all festivals in Japan, you will also find a wide range of sweets, such as taiyakis, mochis, or chocolate-covered bananas (チョコバナナ).
But without a doubt, our recommendation is to visit the festival at night, when music and light shows take place. The large sculptures transform into huge canvases where different animations and video mappings of amazing quality are projected. Don’t worry if you miss one, as they are usually replayed every 10 minutes.
Susukino: Ice sculptures and miso ramen
The Susukino area (すすきの) is known as the city’s entertainment district, home to bars, restaurants, and karaoke spots, and has a vibrant nightlife atmosphere. Just behind the famous Nikka billboard at the Susukino crossing is another section of the festival, dedicated to ice sculptures. On this smaller street, compared to Ōdōri, you can see much more delicate works, as they are made entirely of transparent ice and are also illuminated at night.
And when you finish viewing the sculptures, don’t forget to visit one of Sapporo’s culinary paradises, Ganso Ramen Yokocho (元祖ラーメン横丁), a small alley filled with ramen restaurants offering various types of Sapporo’s local ramen. Despite being a fairly touristy spot, the area still retains that genuine, nostalgic atmosphere of small Japanese restaurants, with a small counter space and one or two cooks at most, preparing food right in front of you. This way, you can watch the entire process of preparing one of Japan’s most iconic dishes up close.
Family atmosphere at Tsudome Site
The Tsudome Site, or Sapporo Community Dome (札幌コミュニティドーム), located in the Higashi district, is a place specifically designed for family enjoyment, offering activities such as slides, tubing, and snow games. It has many indoor activities, making it a great option if the weather gets too cold. The only downside is that if you’re only staying in the city for a couple of days, this location is a bit out of the way, and you may find that the other two locations, which are centrally located, offer a wide range of activities.
At Asiahop, we love winter in Japan because, in addition to enjoying breathtaking landscapes, it also allows you to experience unique events like the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri. If you’d like us to create a personalized route through Hokkaido, get in touch with us, and we’ll design a custom trip just for you.