Experience the Magic of Hokkaido's Top Three Winter Festivals

Hokkaido's top three winter festivals, the Sapporo Snow Festival, Otaru Snow Light Path, and Asahikawa Winter Festival, attract over 2 million visitors annually. Why not join your friends and family for a romantic snowy adventure?

- **Sapporo Snow Festival**: This festival began in 1950 when local students built six snow sculptures in Odori Park. It has since evolved into a grand event featuring snowball fights and snow sculpture exhibitions, drawing 50,000 attendees in its first year. The Sapporo Snow Festival is not only Japan's most famous winter celebration but also one of the world's top three snow festivals, with 2.73 million visitors in 2019. The main venue at Odori Park showcases over 200 large snow sculptures and international competition entries, illuminated at night for a magical experience. The Susukino site focuses on ice sculptures, with events like ice sculpture lighting and ice bars.
Concurrently, the Sapporo White Illumination Festival lights up Odori Park, Ekimae-dori, and Minami 1-jo Dori. Don't miss it!
Dates: February 4-11, 2024.

- **Otaru Snow Light Path**: Inspired by Japanese author Sei Ito's "Snow Light Path," this festival emphasizes "human interaction." Crafted by Otaru residents, it celebrates its 26th edition in 2024. The main venues are the Otaru Canal and the Temiya Line ruins, where historic streets are bathed in warm yellow snow lights, reminiscent of bygone days. Floating glass lanterns on the canal resemble stars and galaxies in the night sky.
As a major event in Otaru, Asarigawa Onsen and various city locations also light up, offering a less crowded experience than the main venues.
Dates: February 10-17, 2024.

- **Asahikawa Winter Festival**: Tracing back to 1946, under the guidance of sculptor Kiyoshi Kato, Asahikawa's snow-covered roads were transformed into art. Officially starting in 1960, the festival celebrates its 65th edition in 2024, featuring the world's largest snow and ice sculptures, as certified by Guinness. The main venue at Asahibashi offers ice slides, snowmobiles, hot food, concerts, and dance performances.
Heiwa-dori Shopping Park, the main street through Asahikawa's center, displays exquisite ice sculptures that sparkle under colorful lights at night.
Dates: February 7-12, 2024.

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Post by _SkyWatcher | Nov 20, 2024