The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of the world’s great winter events, and finding hotels for the Sapporo Snow Festival is the hardest part of planning a visit. The 2027 festival is scheduled for 4–11 February 2027 across three sites: giant snow sculptures in Odori Park, ice sculptures in Susukino and family snow play at Tsudome. Around two million people visit during the week, so Sapporo’s hotels fill up months ahead and prices rise. This guide explains which area to stay in for each site, when to book and how to handle the crowds.
Last checked: October 31, 2026. This guide is based on research and comparison of official sources and current travel guides, not a sponsored stay. Transport times and rules change, so check before you go.
Quick answer
- Dates: 4–11 February 2027 (Odori, Susukino and Tsudome), as announced by organisers; check the official site for site-by-site hours.
- Best base: Around Odori Park or between Odori and Susukino — walk to both main sites.
- Good alternative: Sapporo Station area, for airport trains and day trips.
- Book: As early as possible; many travellers book six months or more ahead.
- Budget tip: Look at Nakajima Park, Otaru or stays outside the festival dates.
On this page
- What is the Sapporo Snow Festival?
- Can I see the sculptures being built?
- Where should I stay for the festival?
- Is Odori the best area?
- Should I stay in Susukino or near Sapporo Station?
- When should I book?
- How do I get around in the snow?
- What else can I do during festival week?
- What’s the weather like in early February?
- How should I plan two or three days?
- What should I eat?
- Who should stay where?
- Notes for families and travellers with access needs
- FAQ
What is the Sapporo Snow Festival?
The festival began in 1950, when local students built six snow statues in Odori Park. It has grown into a week-long event with huge snow sculptures several storeys high, international snow-sculpture competitions, hundreds of smaller works, ice sculptures, food stalls and night illuminations. The 2027 festival will be the 77th. Admission to the sites is free.
| Site | What’s there | Nearest station | Best time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odori Park | Giant and medium snow sculptures, food stalls, projection mapping | Odori (Namboku, Tozai, Toho lines) | Evening, when sculptures are lit |
| Susukino | Ice sculptures along Ekimae-dori | Susukino (Namboku line) | After dark |
| Tsudome | Snow slides, snow rafting and family activities | Sakaemachi (Toho line), then shuttle bus | Daytime |
Can I see the sculptures being built?
Yes. Work on the large sculptures in Odori Park starts in early January, when trucks bring in snow from the surrounding mountains and teams — historically including the Japan Self-Defense Forces and citizen groups — spend weeks carving. If you arrive a day or two before opening, you can watch the finishing touches. After the festival closes, the sculptures are demolished quickly for safety, so don’t plan to see them after the last day.
Where should I stay for the festival?
| Area | Best for | Getting around | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odori | Walking to the main sculptures day and night | Three subway lines meet here | Sells out first; highest prices |
| Susukino | Nightlife, food, the ice sculptures | Namboku line; walk to Odori (10 min) | Lively and noisy at night |
| Sapporo Station | Airport trains, day trips, department stores | JR lines; subway to Odori (one stop) | Short walk or ride to the sites |
| Nakajima Park | Calmer, often better value | Namboku line, two stops from Odori | Further from the action |
| Otaru | Canal town, alternative when Sapporo is full | JR to Sapporo, about 30–40 min | Last trains back in the evening |
Is Odori the best area?
For a festival trip, yes. Staying near Odori Park lets you walk to the main sculptures several times a day — they look completely different in daylight and under evening lights — and pop back to your hotel to warm up. The park is also the city’s transport centre, with three subway lines. The downside is cost: hotels here are the first to sell out and the most expensive during festival week.
Should I stay in Susukino or near Sapporo Station?
Susukino, Hokkaido’s biggest entertainment district, hosts the ice sculptures and is packed with ramen shops, izakaya and bars; it’s a ten-minute walk to Odori. It’s lively and noisy late at night. Sapporo Station, ten to fifteen minutes’ walk north of Odori, is the best base for airport trains (about 37 minutes to New Chitose on the Rapid Airport), day trips to Otaru and onward travel, and it has large department stores and underground walkways — useful in the cold.
When should I book?
As early as you can. Sapporo hotels for festival week often fill months in advance, especially weekends and the opening days. A practical approach is to book a free-cancellation rate as soon as the dates are confirmed (they were announced for 2027 in mid-2026), then keep checking for better options. If central Sapporo is full, consider arriving a day before or staying a day after the festival, when rates fall, or basing yourself in Otaru. See the best time to book a hotel and book now, pay later hotels.
How do I get around in the snow?
Sapporo’s underground walkways connect Sapporo Station, Odori and Susukino, so you can walk most of the way between them indoors. The subway is the easiest way to get around; buy an IC card or day pass. Pavements outside are snowy and icy, so wear boots with good grip or add slip-on spikes, available in local shops. Taxis are in high demand during the festival, especially in the evening, so allow extra time if you need one to reach the airport or a restaurant booking. Buses to Tsudome run from Sakaemachi station on the Toho line during festival hours.
What else can I do during festival week?
Many visitors combine the festival with the Otaru Snow Light Path, a lantern event in the canal town that has typically been held in February, or a day at Jozankei Onsen, a hot-spring village about an hour from central Sapporo. Skiers can add a few days in Niseko; see where to stay in Niseko. Check each event’s official dates for 2027.
What’s the weather like in early February?
Expect proper winter: daytime temperatures around freezing and night-time lows well below, often about −5°C to −10°C, with regular snowfall. The cold feels manageable if you’re dressed for it, but evenings at the sculptures can be biting. Wear thermal layers, a warm coat, hat, gloves and waterproof boots, and duck into cafés and the underground walkways to warm up between sites.
How should I plan two or three days?
- Day 1: Odori Park by day for the giant sculptures, then return after dark for the illuminations and projection shows; dinner in Susukino and the ice sculptures afterwards.
- Day 2: Tsudome in the morning with children (snow slides and rafting), or a day trip to Otaru; evening at a ramen alley.
- Day 3: Jozankei Onsen or a ski day at a nearby resort, then a last look at Odori before you leave.
What should I eat?
The festival’s food stalls serve Hokkaido favourites such as grilled seafood, potatoes with butter, soup curry and hot drinks. In town, try Sapporo’s rich miso ramen, Genghis Khan grilled lamb, and fresh crab, scallops and sea urchin. Restaurants are busy during festival week, so eat a little earlier or later than the dinner rush, or book ahead.
Where are these areas?
Markers show the approximate centre of each area. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Who should stay where?
- First-timers who want to see everything: Odori.
- Night owls and foodies: Susukino.
- Day-trippers and rail travellers: Sapporo Station.
- Budget travellers: Nakajima Park or Otaru.
- Families: near Odori or Sapporo Station, with easy access to the Tsudome shuttle via the Toho line.
Notes for families and travellers with access needs
The Odori site is crowded and paths are snowy and icy, which makes pushchairs and wheelchairs difficult; daytime weekday visits are calmer. Choose a hotel with direct access to the underground walkways to avoid icy streets. Tsudome is indoors and outdoors and well suited to children, with heated areas.
FAQ
When is the Sapporo Snow Festival 2027?
It’s scheduled for 4–11 February 2027 at Odori, Susukino and Tsudome.
Where should I stay for the Sapporo Snow Festival?
Near Odori Park for the main sites, or Susukino or Sapporo Station as alternatives.
How early should I book a hotel?
Several months ahead; festival week sells out quickly.
Is the Sapporo Snow Festival free?
Yes, entry to the festival sites is free.
How many days do I need for the Snow Festival?
Two days covers all three sites comfortably; add a third for Otaru or an onsen.
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Sources: Sapporo Snow Festival – official site · Sapporo Travel – official tourism site · Wego – Sapporo Snow Festival 2027 guide · Wikipedia – Sapporo Snow Festival