Sapporo Snow Festivalさっぽろ雪まつり

Sapporo's winter festival, which began in 1950 when local junior and senior high school students set up six snow statues in Odori Park; it is now held across three sites — Odori, Tsudome and Susukino.

In February, snow and ice sculptures line Odori Park and the festival's other sites in Sapporo. The forms of snow and ice change character between day and night, bringing a distinctly wintry liveliness to the city in its coldest season. The festival is held at three sites: Odori, Tsudome and Susukino.

According to the official site, the Sapporo Snow Festival began in 1950 when local junior and senior high school students placed six snow statues in Odori Park. In 1955 the Self-Defense Forces first joined in making the statues, enabling large-scale sculptures. The International Snow Sculpture Contest began in 1974, and beyond Odori Park the festival has extended to Makomanai (1965), Susukino (1983), Satoland (2006) and Tsudome (2009).

Source: さっぽろ雪まつり実行委員会(external site, opens in a new tab)

Beginning with a handful of statues made by students, the festival has grown with the support of many makers — citizens, the Self-Defense Forces and teams from abroad. It is a story of turning the snow of everyday northern life into a pleasure the whole city shares.

1. 01

   Odori site

   Snow statues line Odori Park, where the festival began.

2. 02

   International Snow Sculpture Contest

   A contest with teams from overseas, held since 1974.

3. 03

   Susukino site

   A site added to the festival in 1983.

4. 04

   Tsudome site

   A site added to the festival in 2009.

• Sapporo Snow Festival第70回さっぽろ雪まつりのご紹介（ドローン映像あり）

• Sapporo Snow Festival大雪像制作の裏側紹介　さっぽろ雪まつり

We only include videos confirmed on each organisation's official site or channel, and whose embedding YouTube permits. Playback uses YouTube's official player; copyright remains with the rights holders. The YouTube player does not load until you press play.

Content and opening hours differ by site; check the official site for current dates and site information. It is the depth of winter, so dress warmly and wear footwear with good grip.

Traffic controls, seating and fees change every year. Always check the official website for the latest information.

Official website — snowfes.com(external site, opens in a new tab)

• Do not touch or climb on the snow and ice sculptures.
• Respect restricted areas and the stewards' instructions at each site.

1. 1.さっぽろ雪まつり 公式サイト(external site, opens in a new tab)さっぽろ雪まつり実行委員会 · Accessed 2026-09-26
2. 2.さっぽろ雪まつりの歴史(external site, opens in a new tab)さっぽろ雪まつり実行委員会 · Accessed 2026-09-26
3. 3.お知らせ | さっぽろ雪まつり(external site, opens in a new tab)さっぽろ雪まつり実行委員会 · Accessed 2026-09-26
4. 4.Odori Park - Wikipedia(external site, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia · Accessed 2026-09-26
5. 5.2027さっぽろ雪まつり（第77回）の開催概要について(external site, opens in a new tab)さっぽろ雪まつり実行委員会 · Accessed 2026-09-26