Guide · Destinations
Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: dates, sites, booking
Runs 4-11 Feb 2027 at Odori, Susukino and Tsudome. Which site to pick, how to reach Sapporo and when to book a room.
The Sapporo Snow Festival 2027 runs 4 to 11 February (Thursday to Thursday) at three sites: Odori for the big snow sculptures, Susukino for ice sculptures and Tsudome for families. The official site shows the same eight days for all three and says details will follow, so hours and admission are not announced. With one slot, pick Odori after dark (one guide lists it lit until 22:00). The dates are fixed, so you can book a room with free cancellation now.
When is the Sapporo Snow Festival 2027?
4 February (Thursday) to 11 February (Thursday, a national holiday), at all three sites. The 2026 festival ran 4 to 11 February as well. The festival site gives no edition number for 2027, so this page does not use one.
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Dates | 4 to 11 Feb 2027, all three sites (official site) |
| Hours | Not announced; the figures below are unconfirmed |
| Admission | Not announced, including paid areas |
| Stage events | Not announced |
| Odori sculptures | Guides disagree on how many |
| Weather | No sourced figure; check the forecast the week before |
Which of the three sites should you pick?
Pick by time of day and who is travelling. The three sites do different jobs.
| Site | What it is | Hours (unconfirmed) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odori | Main site along Odori Park, large snow sculptures | Lit until 22:00 | Everyone, evening |
| Susukino | Ice sculptures in the nightlife district, with the city's crab restaurants and ramen alley nearby | Lit until 23:00 | Couples, late dinner, short walks |
| Tsudome | Family site, 15 minutes on foot from Sakaemachi Station (Toho line) or a $1 (¥200) shuttle, no parking nearby | 10:00-16:00 | Children, daytime |
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force builds the largest Odori sculptures, according to the city’s own 2026 request notice. Guides disagree on how many large sculptures Odori gets (one says about a dozen, another five for 2027), so do not plan around a number.
The order for a single night: Odori at dusk, dinner in Susukino, then the ice sculptures while they are lit.
To verify The lit-up hours appear in only one guide. Confirm them before you plan the evening.
How do you get to Sapporo?
Fly to New Chitose airport, then take the airport train into the city.
- Tokyo to Sapporo by air: about 1.5 hours in the air, roughly 80 flights a day across Haneda and Narita, fares reported at $97 to $290 (¥15,000 to ¥45,000), budget carriers lower.
- New Chitose to Sapporo Station by JR Rapid Airport: about 37 minutes, $8 (¥1,230), running from around 06:38 to 23:21. One copy of the timetable says $7 (¥1,150).
- By bus: about 1 hour 14 minutes, $8 (¥1,300) (Chuo) or $10 (¥1,500) (Hokuto).
- By taxi: roughly $77 to $83 (¥11,900 to ¥12,900), about 1 hour 20 minutes, unconfirmed.
Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate.
The Hokkaido Shinkansen does not reach Sapporo yet; the extension is reported as not before the late 2030s. By rail from Tokyo you take the Shinkansen to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (about 4 to 4.5 hours) and go on to Sapporo, roughly 7.5 to 8 hours in total (unconfirmed). Only do that if you want the journey.
Check the official fares and timetables before you go.
When should you book a room?
Now, with free cancellation. The dates are fixed, and a refundable room costs nothing to hold while you sort flights. No official lead time or 2027 hotel prices are published, so any firm “book this far ahead” figure quoted elsewhere is a guess.
Odori and Susukino are the two evening sites, so a room near Sapporo Station or in the Odori and Susukino area keeps your nights simple. Walking times between sites are not sourced.
To verify Hotel prices and sell-out timing for festival week are not published for 2027. Check booking sites for your dates and read the cancellation terms before you pay.
What can you add around the festival?
A crab hotpot dinner in Susukino is listed at about $52 (¥8,000) at one restaurant, with lunch near $19 (¥3,000); see Sapporo crab hotpot. That is a single listing, and a reviewer advises booking months ahead. Ganso Ramen Yokocho runs roughly 11:00 to 03:00, though stalls vary and some close in the afternoon.
The Sapporo Beer Museum is free to enter, open 11:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:30) and closed on Mondays, which includes Monday 8 Feb inside festival week, so check the museum page. TV Tower costs $8 (¥1,200) for the deck or $11 (¥1,700) for a day-and-night ticket, and gives a view over Odori before you walk down.
Is it worth a trip on its own?
A night or two, yes, if you are already in Hokkaido in early February. A flight just for it is hard to justify if skiing is the goal, because the festival is a city event.
How does it fit with skiing?
Niseko’s peak lift pricing runs 24 Dec to 28 Feb, which covers festival week. Prices are in Japan ski lift pass prices 2026-27, and route options are in Hokkaido in winter. More destinations are in the Destinations hub.
Questions
4 to 11 February 2027, Thursday to Thursday. The official site lists all three sites on the same dates and says details will follow, so check the official page for hours and events.
Not announced. The organisers have published no 2027 admission statement, and the official site says details will follow. Check the official page for paid areas and stage events.
One evening covers Odori and Susukino. Tsudome needs a daytime slot (10:00 to 16:00 per one guide). The festival fits as a night or two inside a longer Hokkaido trip.
Now, with free cancellation. The dates are fixed, and no official lead time or 2027 hotel price is published.
On paper, yes: about 1.5 hours by air plus 37 minutes by airport train each way. That leaves little of an evening, so stay a night.