1 The 75th Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo City), a major winter event that Hokkaido is proud of

The Sapporo Snow Festival, which began in 1950, is now Sapporo's biggest winter event, attracting over 2 million visitors from Japan and abroad. From West 1-chome to West 10-chome in Odori Park, a snowy world appears, featuring large snow sculptures, small and medium-sized snow sculptures, citizen snow sculptures, and winter attractions. At the Susukino site, beautiful lit-up ice sculptures are lined up, creating a fantastical atmosphere. In addition, at the Tsudome site, there is a huge slide and a wide range of activities for parents and children, so you can enjoy a variety of winter activities both indoors and outdoors.

2 Ice art and fireworks that light up the winter sky at the 50th Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival (Kamikawa Town)

This is one of Hokkaido's most popular winter events, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Daisetsu Mountains. There are plenty of things to see, including over 30 ice sculptures of all sizes spread across the venue, a 13m-high ice observation deck, a tube slide, and the Ice Waterfall Shrine. At night, the event is lit up in seven different colors, creating a fantastical world, and fireworks brighten up the frigid sky.

3 The spectacular human draft horse championship is a must-see at the 35th IWAMIZAWA Heavy Snow Festival (Iwamizawa City)

A festival where you can experience snow in Iwamizawa, an area that receives heavy snowfall. There are plenty of activities, such as the annual "Human Draft Horse Championships," an exciting event where participants pull sleds across the snow, the "Giant Slide," which is popular with children, the "Petting Zoo," and "Jumbo Karuta." In addition, there will also be a Heavy Snow Food Stall Village area where you can enjoy hot food, with free pork soup on the first day and pheasant hotpot on the second day.

4 A fantastic moment created by ice sculptures and light "Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival ~ Ice Museum ~" (Chitose City)

This winter art festival features ice sculptures made from the crystal clear waters of Lake Shikotsu that sparkle in a fantastic way. The beautiful natural blue of the day and colorful lights at night allow you to enjoy different atmospheres depending on the time of day. The "Premium Ticket" is available exclusively to guests staying at the hot springs, and allows you to have a special viewing experience in the quiet evenings after the facility has closed, so we recommend staying at a hotel near the venue and enjoying the festival at your own pace.

5 Enjoy ice art and activities at the 62nd Obihiro Ice Festival (Obihiro City)

A winter festival where ice plays a central role. In addition to impressive ice and snow sculptures and intricate ice carvings, there are also hands-on activities such as ice slides and rotating sleds. Other attractions include fireworks that light up the winter night sky and an ice marche where you can enjoy Tokachi gourmet food. Enjoy a winter unique to Obihiro, filled with warmth and fun amid the cold.

6 A festival of snow, ice and light: the 66th Asahikawa Winter Festival (Asahikawa City)

The Asahikawa Winter Festival is one of the biggest winter events in Hokkaido. Inside the festival grounds, you'll find the world's largest snow sculptures and snow sculptures made by locals, as well as local gourmet food, regional cuisine, and Asahikawa Winter Festival original menus, and the Winter Marche, where you can enjoy cuisine from around the world. Don't miss the stage events, which bring together impressive guests for singing, hero shows, dance performances, and more.

7 "Kushiro Winter Festival 2025" (Kushiro City) is packed with attractions that will help you forget the cold

The Winter Festival is full of activities that get everyone excited in the cold and events unique to the region. At the main venue, the Kushiro Port Earthquake-Resistant Passenger Ship Terminal, there are ice and snow sculptures lined up, and you can also try out activities like tube slides. There are plenty of events the whole family can enjoy, including a children's festival, a Kushiro Coal Snowman Making, and a Cold Wind Karaoke Contest.

8 Experience curling at the 55th Kitami Winter Festival (Kitami City)

With the theme of "Friends in Winter," this event allows you to fully enjoy winter with a large snowy mountain slide, ice sculptures, curling experiences, and more. There will also be an "Ice Bar" where you can enjoy hot drinks and hot cocktails by a bonfire, and workshops where you can enjoy the culture of Okinawa and the Yaeyama Islands. There will also be gourmet food, a festival corner, and stage events, so the whole family can spend a special winter time together.

9 Candles light up the town of Otaru at the 27th Otaru Snow Light Path (Otaru City)

Countless snow candles are lit up, a seasonal feature of winter in Otaru. At the popular tourist spot, Otaru Canal, the floating candles on the water's surface shine beautifully, creating a different atmosphere than usual. Snow candles and a snow slide appear every year at the Former Japanese National Railway Temiya Line venue. This year's opening ceremony will be held at Otaru Art Village. Enjoy the excitement unique to winter in Otaru, as the entire town is enveloped in warm light.

10 A phantom village made of ice appears in "2025 Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan" (Shikaoi Town)

The "Phantom Village" is a miraculous village made of snow and ice that only appears in the middle of winter. The beautiful "igloos" made from natural snow and ice, and the ice bar, with its interior and glasses made from ice, are truly a dreamlike world. The open-air ice bath, with its free-flowing hot spring water, will warm your body and soul while gazing at the vast snowy scenery. There are also various winter activities available, such as snowmobiling and snow rafting.

11 An attraction to enjoy in the light: "Furano Kankanmura" (Furano City)

Furano Kankanmura, where winter illuminations brighten up Furano, creates a special moment with over 60,000 fantastic lights. In addition, there are plenty of activities you can only experience in a snowy country, such as ice snow domes, snow tubing, dog sledding, and snow rafting.

12 "Hitachigaoka Snow Park 2025" - a winter activity you can enjoy empty-handed (Sapporo City)

A winter playground that appears at Hitsujigaoka Observatory in Sapporo. You can enjoy a wide variety of activities for just the admission fee, including the popular "tube slide," the family-friendly "snow slide" and "snow strider," and "cross-country skiing" in the vast pastures. One of the attractions is that you can come empty-handed to play, so families, couples, and friends can join in on winter sightseeing or travel.

13 Giant wok-pushing sumo wrestling at the 32nd Shintotsukawa Snow Festival (Shintotsukawa Town)

This winter event is full of delicious winter foods and fun. The Winter Hot Pot Tournament allows you to enjoy hot pot dishes packed with the flavors of the ingredients, and the unique "International Chinese Wok Sumo Championship" is a must-see event where participants compete in a wok-pushing contest on the snow. There are plenty of programs for both adults and children to enjoy all day long, including a jumbo slide and rice cake throwing.

14 The "45th Degree Shibare Festival" is a thrilling event that takes place even in the bitter cold, featuring snowshoe races and winter fireworks (Nakatonbetsu Town)

This winter festival takes place in Nakatonbetsu Town, located in the northern part of Hokkaido, and celebrates the harsh cold of the region. Large and small snow sculptures are lined up inside the venue, and at the end of the festival, fantastic winter fireworks light up the night sky. There are also unique events such as a snowshoe centipede race, so you can enjoy a fun time that is unique to winter.

15 "Jozankei Onsen Snow Lantern Path 2025" (Sapporo City) - Be enveloped in the fantastic beauty of snow lights

A winter art event that combines the warm light of about 1,000 snow candles with projection mapping and illumination. In addition to the "Forest of Prayer" that is enveloped in a beautiful and fantastical light, a campsite will also be set up for two days only, where you can warm your body and soul with bonfires, wood-chopping experiences, roasted marshmallows and hot gourmet food. In addition, a collaboration between the snow lanterns and gagaku music will be performed at the opening and finale to create a special time.

16 "2025 Wakkanai Ice and Snow Square" (Wakkanai City) where parents and children can enjoy snow sculptures and activities

This is a fun-filled event for children to interact with snow. As a major Wakkanai event based on the Antarctic continent, inspired by the movie "Antarctica," the venue will feature tubing, a mini slide, and cute mini snow sculptures.

17 Fun snow fun for the whole family: "2025 Ebetsu Snow Festival" (Ebetsu City)

A winter event that the whole family can enjoy. There are plenty of activities that everyone from small children to adults can enjoy, such as a giant slide, snow rafting, and a bean-throwing demon-slaying game. A wide variety of food and drink menus are also available, including hot soba noodles, pizza, sweet sake, and yogurt.

18 An interactive winter festival for families to enjoy: The 61st Kamifurano Snow Festival (Kamifurano Town)

The Snow Festival is packed with experiential events. There are plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy, including a large slide and small snow sculptures, snowmobiling and rafting, treasure hunting, and more. There are also plans for a food and drink corner, an exhibition of Self-Defense Force equipment, and a dog run.

19 Spend the whole day having fun in snow mazes and slides at the "Nayoro Snow Quality Festival" (Nayoro City)

A winter festival where you can have fun in snowy Hokkaido. There are plenty of attractions to enjoy, such as the world's largest snow maze and a thrilling giant slide. Don't miss the international snow sculpture competition created by professional artists from around the world and the photogenic illuminations. In addition, this festival is full of delicious gourmet food, such as the local gourmet food "Nayoro Stewed Genghis Khan" and the "Extremely Cold Yakiniku Festival".

20 The 36th Tancho Festival in Tsurui Village, famous for its red-crowned cranes (Tsurui Village)

This is a unique event themed around the red-crowned crane, the village bird of Tsurui Village. There will be events related to the crane, such as the "Red-crowned Crane Calling Contest" where participants compete to imitate the crane's call, and the "Red-crowned Crane Cold Endurance Competition" where participants compete to see who can stand barefoot on one foot the longest on snow-filled water. This year, the event has been expanded in scale and the venue has been made larger, so it is sure to be more enjoyable than ever before.

twenty one A fantastic space where light and sound come together: "Tokachi River Swan Festival - Sairinka" (Otofuke Town)

"Sairinka" is a fantasy of light that unfolds in the sub-zero Tokachigawa Onsen hot springs. This fantastic show, which combines light and sound, creates a fantastic space with lights dancing on the snowy fields and forests. There are plenty of attractions, such as snow rafting and the light corridor "Light Alley." You can also enjoy a variety of gourmet foods, such as mega anpan (bean-jam buns) made with ingredients from Tokachi.

twenty two Attention on the winter-only International Snow Jumping Championships at the 70th Shibetsu Snow Festival (Shibetsu City)

A major event that colors winter in Shibetsu. The venue features a giant slide, impressive snow sculptures, and a tent food stall village where you can enjoy hot food and drinks. The most notable event is the International Snow Jumping Championship, a unique international championship that originated in Shibetsu and is known only to those in the know, where a heated battle unfolds every year.

twenty three "2025 Bihoro Winter Festival" (Bihoro Town) is packed with stage events that children can enjoy

This is a regular winter event in Bihoro that the whole family can enjoy. There are plenty of stage events, including the Bihoro Pass Taiko drum performance that livens up the venue, the "Snow Basketball Tournament," a sport originating in Bihoro that both adults and children can enjoy, idol stages, and hero shows. There will also be a limited number of free potato chips available for high school students and younger, and a concession corner selling okonomiyaki, potato dumplings, and pumpkin dumplings.

twenty four The 46th Samusamu Festival, a handmade event for local residents to enjoy the cold (Kunbetsu Town)

A warm and welcoming winter festival handmade by the townspeople. In addition to snow sculptures, the festival also features hands-on activities such as ice slides and tug-of-war competitions. There are also plenty of programs for the whole family to enjoy, including a character show on the snowy stage.

twenty five Get moving and enjoy snow activities at "Winter Play! HOT4DAYS <2025>" (Abira Town)

A hot and fun four-day event that will blow away the cold. There are plenty of winter activities, such as banana boat rides on the snow, sledding, and snowshoeing. "Hayakita Snowman Making" and the large sledding course at the "Kids' Slope" are very popular with children. In addition, at the Abira D51 Roadside Station, you can enjoy hot gourmet food such as "Vegetable Udon with Thick Sauce" and juicy "Kenboro Pork Buns" that warm your body.

26 "Furano Bonchi Powder Festival 2025" - a playground where you can also taste local ingredients (Furano City)

This event is full of winter charm and takes place at the Furano Ski Resort. You can enjoy a variety of programs, including food stalls with dishes made with local ingredients, a festival corner, and snow rafting. On the first night, fireworks will be launched, lighting up the winter sky. In addition, the venue will be livened up by the powerful performance of Furano's traditional performing art, "Yasakadaiko."

27 Enjoy exciting winter activities for parents and children at the "42nd Asoyuki Hiroba" (Tobetsu Town)

"Play Snow Square," where you can enjoy winter in Tobetsu Town, is held with the theme of parent-child interaction. There are plenty of activities the whole family can enjoy, including a large snow slide, treasure hunt, and rice cake pounding experiences that are very popular with children, as well as horse-drawn sleigh and snowmobile experiences that adults can enjoy, and snowball fights. At night, fireworks will light up the clear winter sky, making this the perfect event for creating winter memories with the family.

28 Tyrannosaurus race held on snow at "Takikawa Fureai no Sato Warm Winter Festival <2025>" (Takikawa City)

A winter event to enjoy the snow and cold. The "Tyrannosaurus Race" will be held on the snow, where participants compete wearing Tyrannosaurus costumes. Dinosaurs will run 40 meters above the snow. There will also be plenty of other fun events for children, such as "Treasure Hunt in the Snow" and "Freezing Cold Day." Local restaurants will also be selling ramen, roasted sweet potatoes, and hot drinks.

29 Kushiro Winter Park 2025 (Kushiro City) features a skating course made of natural ice

An event packed with activities that can only be found in the "Ice City Kushiro." Enjoy the charms of winter with fantastic illuminations, such as a natural ice promenade-style illuminated skate park and ice slides. Various other events are also planned for the period.

30 A heartwarming snow igloo experience even in the cold "Kamakura Terrace in Satoland" (Sapporo City)

This is a charming event where you can enjoy winter to the fullest. You can experience a wide range of activities such as snow igloos, snowmobiles, and snow striders. In addition, hot snacks and hot drinks such as hot pot dishes, piping hot gourmet food cooked over charcoal, amazake (sweet sake) and hot cocoa are provided. You can also enjoy fireworks and art in the snow on the snowy fields, and spend a special time with your family and friends.