1 The 2026 Sapporo Snow Festival: Hokkaido's Premier Winter Event (Sapporo)

What began in 1950 as a display of snow sculptures by local students, the Sapporo Snow Festival has grown into Hokkaido's largest winter event, attracting over two million visitors from Japan and abroad. The Odori Site features a variety of snow sculptures stretching from 1-chome to 11-chome, which are beautifully illuminated at night with projection mapping and fantastical lights. Each venue offers its own unique charm, from the International Snow Sculpture Contest and giant snow slides at the popular Tsudome Site to the glistening ice sculptures at the Susukino Site, allowing visitors to enjoy Sapporo's winter wonderland all day long.

2 The 28th Otaru Snow Light Path Festival: Illuminating Otaru's Nights with Magical Candles (Otaru)

The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival is a popular event that brightens the winter in the port town of Otaru with countless candles. At the main venue along the Otaru Canal, floating ball candles made of hand-blown glass—the same kind once used for herring fishing—create a magical, shimmering landscape. The Former Japan National Railways Temiya Line Site is also adorned with numerous candles and features attractions like snow slides, bustling with locals and tourists alike.

3 The 67th Asahikawa Winter Festival 2026: Alolan Vulpix & Vulpix from the "I Love Hokkaido Discovery Tour" Are Coming! (Asahikawa)

The 67th Asahikawa Winter Festival in 2026 will feature Alolan Vulpix & Vulpix, who serve as ambassadors for the "I Love Hokkaido Discovery Tour." Various activities are planned, including giant snow sculptures and character greetings. In addition to the main snow sculpture display, the festival will also host a giant snow maze, stage performances, and a winter market.

4 The 51st Sounkyo Onsen Icefall Festival: Breathtaking Ice Sculptures Lit Up in Seven Colors (Kamikawa)

The Icefall (Hyobaku) Festival is a signature winter event in Sounkyo Onsen. It features stunning ice creations that take about three months to build, making use of the natural landscape of the deep gorge at the foot of the Daisetsuzan mountains. The 10,000-square-meter venue along the Ishikari River typically showcases around 30 ice sculptures of various sizes. Other highlights include ice rooms, observation decks, tube slides, and an Icefall Shrine. At night, the sculptures are illuminated with seven colors of light, and fireworks are launched against the icy backdrop during the festival period.

5 The 2026 Chitose-Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival: A Must-See Spectacle of Ice Sculptures Glowing in "Shikotsu Blue" (Chitose)

The Chitose-Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival (Hyoto Matsuri) is a festival of ice held at Lake Shikotsu Onsen, located about an hour's drive from Sapporo and 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport. The ice sculptures, created by spraying water from the lake, glow with a natural blue hue known as "Shikotsu Blue" during the day. At night, they are illuminated by colorful lights, transforming the venue into a mesmerizing "ice museum" that captivates all who visit.

6 The 2025 Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo: Featuring German Specialty Foods and Christmas Goods (Sapporo)

This popular winter event was born from the cultural exchange between Sapporo and its sister city, Munich, Germany. The venue at Odori Park Nishi 2-chome is lined with booths selling Christmas goods, offering authentic items like ornaments and snow globes. There are also food stalls where you can savor German specialties and Glühwein (mulled wine), as well as special events like Santa Claus greetings and puzzle-solving activities, making it a perfect Christmas market for families and couples.

7 The 2025 Hakodate Christmas Fantasy: A Dazzling Floating Tree and Fireworks Display (Hakodate)

A massive Christmas tree, adorned with approximately 150,000 lights, appears on the water in front of Hakodate's landmark Red Brick Warehouses. At 6:00 PM, fireworks are launched, creating a spectacular show alongside the tree lighting. Additionally, a special Premium Red Tree illumination, which bathes the tree in a brilliant red glow, takes place three times a day for a limited time.

8 The 45th Sapporo White Illumination: Winter in Sapporo Bathed in Light (Sapporo)

Now in its 45th year, the Sapporo White Illumination is a festival of lights that symbolizes winter in Sapporo. The Odori Site, stretching from 1-chome to 5-chome in Odori Park, features fantastical illuminations, including a symbolic object with prominent wings and objects with motifs of lilac, lily of the valley, and rugosa rose. In addition to the Odori Site, a total of five venues will be bathed in light, including Sapporo Ekimae-dori (Station Avenue), Akapla, Sapporo Station South Exit, and Minami 1-jo Dori.

9 Kita no Daimonji: Welcoming the New Year with a Massive Bonfire Character (Kamifurano)

Held from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day at Hinode Park in Kamifurano, Kita no Daimonji is a traditional event where local youths relay a sacred fire from Mount Tokachi to ignite a giant "Dai" (大) character, 70 meters tall and 50 meters wide, drawn on the hillside. At the stroke of midnight, a large fireworks display welcomes the new year.

10 The Garinko-go III 2026 New Year's Day Cruise: Popular During Drift Ice Season and for the First Sunrise (Monbetsu)

The drift ice that arrives on the Sea of Okhotsk from late January to mid-March captivates many tourists, and the icebreaker ship "Garinko-go III," which plows through the ice with its large drills, is a winter highlight. On New Year's Day 2026, a special cruise will be held, offering an early chance to board the Garinko-go III and watch the first sunrise of the year from the horizon of the Sea of Okhotsk. Enjoy a moving 45-minute experience welcoming the new year's light with an unobstructed 360-degree panorama.

11 The 61st Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival: Brightening Abashiri's Winter with Snow and Ice Sculptures (Abashiri)

This iconic winter event in Abashiri, held every February, features impressive snow sculptures and beautiful ice statues, along with a variety of other activities. Continuing from 2025, the festival will be held under the theme "SAVE THE ICE SAVE THE EARTH."

12 The 63rd Monbetsu Drift Ice Festival: A Winter Celebration in the "Town of Drift Ice" (Monbetsu)

This drift ice festival symbolizes winter in Monbetsu, a town known as the "town of drift ice." Although the ice that once blocked the sea was considered a nuisance, the festival was born in 1963 from the idea of turning it into a tool for regional revitalization. The 63rd festival in 2026 will be held from February 6th to 8th.

Be Prepared! A Guide to Dressing for Winter in Hokkaido