Every year in February, the capital of Hokkaido Island, the northernmost of the Japanese islands, hosts an unusual "matsuri" (祭り): the snow festival. Get out your mittens and hats, we're heading to Sapporo!
The first Yuki Matsuri (雪祭り)
The first Yuki Matsuri (雪祭り) was held in 1950 and the idea of organizing a festival around snow statues was inspired by a similar festival held since 1935 in a local elementary school.
During the first edition, six snow sculptures were created by middle and high school students. The National Railways also displayed their own snow sculptures in front of Sapporo Station.
The size of the sculptures was initially limited to 7 meters, but in 1953, one of the high schools surprised everyone with a 15-meter sculpture whose design used blocks of snow as building stones. This was the starting point for the giant sculptures that can be seen today, the construction of which requires mechanized means.
Photos: https://www.snowfes.com/english/about/poster/
A snowball effect
The first Yuki Matsuri (雪祭り) was a great success, and year after year the festival grew in importance. The 1972 Winter Olympics marked a turning point, propelling the snow festival onto the international stage, and this unique festival attracted the attention of foreign tourists. From 6 sculptures and 50,000 visitors in 1950, the festival now boasts over 250 statues and welcomes 2 million visitors from all over the world!
In 2013, the snow festival achieved a world first by incorporating video mapping technology, bringing the sculptures to life by creating optical illusions. It was a resounding success, and in 2014, the total number of visitors reached a historic record (2.4 million!).
The Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (札幌雪祭り) today
Photos: https://www.snowfes.com
For one week, it is possible to enjoy this magnificent festival, which takes place on 3 different sites, for free (which is a nice bonus!).
- Odori This is the main and historic site, where you can admire the most monumental snow sculptures.
- Susukino This site is home to about a hundred ice sculptures
- Tsudome The newest site (since 2009), this multi-purpose hall is very popular with families as it brings together many fun activities such as a snow maze, ice slides or toboggan runs.
Of course, matsuri (祭り) means yatai (屋台)! These unmissable open-air food stalls are set up everywhere – much to the delight of your stomach!
Finally, we recommend taking the time to discover the sculptures at night. The specially designed illuminations and light shows will leave you speechless.
Note: Due to COVID-19, the 2021 festival will take place online. More information is available on the official website (in English): https://online.
