Sapporo Snow Festival 2024: An Enchanting Winter Wonderland
In present times, the Sapporo Snow Festival has firmly established itself as one of Japan's iconic winter celebrations.
Originating in the winter of 1950, when high school students, under the supervision of their art teacher, crafted six snow sculptures in a corner of Odori Park.
The festival featured dog sled races, square dancing, snowball fights, and a team-based snowball fight competition using flags. Originally a casual snow enjoyment event, it attracted around 50,000 participants. Over the years, the event has grown in scale, becoming an annual tradition, with 2021 being the only exception.
In 2024, the Sapporo Snow Festival will take place from Sunday, February 4th to Sunday, February 11th.
The festival's distinctive feature lies in the multiple enchanting venues:
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Odori Park Venue: Snow-covered wonders span from West 1-chome to West 11-chome in the heart of Sapporo at Odori Park. The main attractions include five large snow sculptures, along with various small and citizen-created snow sculptures, winter attractions, and more.
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Susukino Venue: At the "Susukino Venue," a fantastical array of ice sculptures awaits, providing an immersive experience to see and touch the world of ice.
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Tsudome Venue: A family-friendly venue, "Tsudome" offers popular activities like slides and snow rafts. Indoors, there are gourmet booths, rest areas, and attractions for children to enjoy.
Additionally, the International Snow Sculpture Contest, which began in 1974 (25th edition), will also be held. Teams from various countries, regions, and cities compete in creating snow sculptures. The diverse and uniquely crafted snow sculptures, created during the festival, can be observed up close at the Odori Park venue, making it a highly popular event.
The 2024 International Snow Sculpture Contest will be held at the Odori Square from February 3rd (Saturday) to February 7th (Wednesday). Experts from Hawaii, Indonesia, Poland, Singapore, Thailand, sister city Portland, Lithuania, and Mongolia will showcase their skills.
For those planning a winter trip to Hokkaido, or those stopping by Sapporo after a skiing adventure, this festival is a must-visit.
Planning your trip is made easier with detailed information available in English on the Sapporo Snow Festival 2024 website.
Tickets to Sapporo are available for reservation now!
Shinkansen tickets from/to Tokyo to Sapporo can be purchased from our item pages below.
Train Package Online Booking : Tokyo to Sapporo (Hayabusa/Hokuto)
Train Package Online Booking : Sapporo to Tokyo (Hokuto/Hayabusa)
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Seat guide
Ordinary Seat
Regular seats used on Reserved cars and Unreserved cars of Shinkansen. Consider it as "economy class" seat.
Green Seat
Better seats with more space than ordinary seats. All Green Seats are reserved only. Consider it as "business class" seats.
Reserved Seat (Ordinary Reserved Seat)
Your seat is reserved and secured when you book your tickets. Head to the station with a peace of mind.
Seats are the same as Ordinary Seat.
Green Reserved Seat
Better seats and free blankets. Popular among Japanese business persons, executives and people who
GranClass
Know as "First Class" of Shinkansen seats. Only available on Hokuriku and Tohoku Shinkansen lines.
Unreserved Seat
You can take any open seats in unreserved cars of any train on the departure date. (No departure time will be indicated on your tickets.)
The best seat type if your priority is the cost and are traveling during less-crowded season/time.
For further information and photos, please visit official page at http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/ticket/types.html