Sapporo (Hokkaido) Snow Festival 2027: Dates, 3 Sites and What to Wear

A past Snow Festival evening at Odori Park in Sapporo (Hokkaido), viewed from above — A past Snow Festival at Odori Park in Sapporo (Hokkaido). This photo does not show the 2027 displays.Photo: 京浜にけ, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)

Want to see giant snow sculptures, evening ice displays or enjoy a day in the snow? The 2027 Snow Festival in Sapporo (Hokkaido) is confirmed for February 4–11. Choose the site that interests you most, dress for time outdoors and leave room for a warm-up break. You can visit the festival independently; admission to all the sites is free.

This page contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

The organizer announced the 2027 dates on July 13, 2026: February 4–11.
Odori is the central snow-sculpture site; Susukino has ice displays; Tsudome is the separate snow-activity site.
Free admission does not mean every activity is free. Detailed 2027 programs and activity conditions are still being updated.
Wear warm layers and snow boots. For icy-road walking advice, use our separate guide linked below.

What is confirmed for 2027?

The organizer's July 13, 2026 announcement confirms the festival for 2027-2-4 to 2027-2-11. Odori covers West 1-chome to West 11-chome; Tsudome uses the sports exchange facility; Susukino uses Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and Minami 6-jo. These are separate sites, so decide which ones fit your interests and time.

Central Sapporo (Hokkaido) uses a grid of numbered blocks: chome and jo are block numbers, Nishi means west and Minami means south. The festival map shows where each block is.

The organizer plans 5 large snow sculptures at Odori, alongside smaller sculptures and winter attractions. Individual sculpture themes and detailed programs are not all announced yet. The separately announced Snow Sports Park on 2027-2-12 to 2027-2-14 is a linked event at a different venue; it does not extend the main festival dates.

Check the year on the map or activity notice.

The official site pages show the 2027 dates, but some maps, activities and rules below them are explicitly labeled as 2026 information. The organizer says detailed 2027 content will start being updated in mid-December 2026. Use the current year's notice when deciding on an activity, a ticket or a shuttle bus.

Pick the visit you want first

You do not need to fit every site into the same day.

Odori: snow sculptures and evening lights

If you mainly want to see the snow sculptures, start with Odori Park. The current official page lists lighting until 22:00. The park manager's access guide points to Odori Station and, for the western end, Nishi-juitchome Station on the Tozai Line. Check the current festival map and choose a section of the park rather than rushing through every block.

A daylight visit makes it easier to look at the sculptures' details, while an evening visit offers a different atmosphere. This is a choice of how to enjoy your outing, not a promise that one time will be quiet. Leave flexibility for busy photo spots and weather.

Susukino: an ice-display outing

The confirmed festival area is the part of Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and 6-jo. The organizer's access FAQ directs visitors to Susukino Station on the Namboku Line. Its FAQ lists lighting until 23:00, ending at 22:00 on the final day. Recheck the current notice before an evening visit, because detailed pedestrian-street times on the site page still refer to the previous festival.

Tsudome: check the activity before planning the trip

If snow activities are your priority, look at the Tsudome program before going. The current site page lists 10:00–16:00 and says activity reception may end earlier when crowded. Entry is free, but each activity may have its own fee or participation conditions. The specific 2027 attractions, prices and ticket or queue-number arrangements have not all been published.

Tsudome is separate from the central-city sites. The facility operator gives access from Sakaemachi Station on the Toho Line. The festival's next shuttle timetable and fares need a current-year check; do not reuse a previous timetable or the sports facility's normal parking information as festival access instructions.

Dress for outdoor viewing, with a warm-up break

The city's official winter-clothing guide recommends insulating inner layers for the upper and lower body, a thick coat, wind-resistant trousers, a hat, gloves and a scarf. Snow boots help keep feet warm; choose footwear suited to snowy and icy streets. Heated buildings and transport make removable layers useful.

As practical planning advice, divide the visit into outdoor viewing and indoor breaks, rather than staying outside until you are uncomfortable. Keep your hands warm between photos and keep your phone charged for your map and return route. For how to walk on ice and use the city's sand boxes, read our snow-and-ice walking guide for Sapporo (Hokkaido).

Viewing and photos: follow the rules for that spot

Use marked visitor routes, stay behind barriers and follow staff instructions. After taking a photo, leave space for people to pass. Use an attraction only where the current program invites visitors to do so; a display and a play area have different purposes.

We have not found a current organizer rule that bans touching all snow and ice exhibits or using tripods at every site. Do not treat that as permission to touch a particular sculpture or set up equipment. Check the signs and ask staff about that spot. Detailed site rules from 2026 should not be described as confirmed 2027 rules.

A comfortable festival visit

Choose a manageable outing and adjust it to the day's conditions.

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026. Festival programs, site rules, transport and tour availability can change. Recheck the organizer's current-year notices before traveling.