Five winter days built around the Sapporo Snow Festival: the old city on foot first, a day in Otaru with its snow lights, the great snow sculptures of Odori Park in the middle of the stay, the lit ice of Susukino, and the family snow site outside the center.
5 daysAnyoneEarly FebruaryEvent: Sapporo Snow Festival18 places
Copy this plan to your own trips, then change anything you like.
DaylightSunset about 5:04 PM. Daylight is short, so plan the views for the early afternoon.
HappeningThe Sapporo Snow Festival is usually held for about a week in early February, with the Otaru Snow Light Path around the same days. Dates change each year, so check ahead.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: cold days with plenty of snow score highest (a coarse weather grid stands in for the mountain, so snow is approximate). Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
This plan works for 2 to 6 days
Tap a number and the same city is rearranged to fit, with the must-sees kept.
Before Day 1. The festival usually runs for about a week in early February, so book early and check the dates for your year.Details
The date rule
The Snow Festival is usually held for about a week in early February, and the exact dates are set each year. Check the official dates before you book flights, because hotels around Odori Park tend to fill early and trains and planes are busy.
Dress for the cold
Daytime can be well below freezing, around minus five to minus ten Celsius or colder, and the wind makes it feel worse. Wear layers, a hat, gloves, a scarf and warm socks, with boots that grip on ice. Hand warmers are sold in shops and help on long outdoor nights.
Being a good guest
The sculptures are the work of teams who carve for days. Look, do not climb or lean on them, keep to the marked paths and step aside for others to take photographs. Keep the sites clean and carry your litter to a bin.
Getting in, then Day 1
Sapporo is reached from the New Chitose airport by a train that runs into the center. Snow and wind can delay trains and flights, so do not set a tight connection on the day you land or the day you leave. Day 1 starts on the Hokkaido University campus, an easy first walk.
Day 1. The old city: the campus, the red brick office and the Clock Tower
4 stops · 3.4 km
A gentle first day among the historic buildings of Sapporo, with short rides between them. A quiet university campus, a red brick government office, the famous Clock Tower and a brick brewery, with warm places to step into every hour or two.
1
MorningWorth the time
Hokkaido University
A large campus on the north side of the city with a long avenue of trees, old brick buildings and wide lawns. In winter the avenue is white and calm, and the paths can be icy. A quiet start while your body gets used to the cold.
Go whenMorning, when the paths are quiet and the light is low.
Local tip Walk the long avenue of trees slowly and mind the ice on the paths. Keep to the roads and paths, because this is a working campus. Ask before photographing students.
A red brick building in the American style from the late nineteenth century, with a white dome and a garden in front. The inside holds displays about the history of the island. It is a warm, quiet break from the street.
Go whenMidday, as a warm break between the cold walks.
Local tip Walk around the garden first and look at the red brick and the dome from outside. Then go in to warm up and look at the old rooms.
A Sapporo dish of a thin, spiced curry soup with large pieces of chicken or vegetables and rice on the side. Small cafes across the center serve it, and it warms you through.
Local tip Choose how spicy you want it, and start mild. Tell the staff about any allergy first.
A small white wooden building with a clock in a gable, set among tall office towers. It is smaller than people expect, but it is one of the symbols of the city. See it from the street, then step inside if you like.
Go whenAfternoon, when the low sun is on the white front.
Local tip It is smaller than most people expect, so take your photograph from the street and spend your time elsewhere. Go in only if you want a warm break.
A brick brewery building of the late nineteenth century, now a museum about beer and the city that made it. A good warm evening stop. Check ahead for tours, and have a ride ready, because it lies a little way northeast of the center.
Go whenEvening, after a day of cold walking.
Local tip The brick building is the main sight. Ask at the door which tours are on, and have a ride arranged back, because the walk is cold and the roads can be icy.
Slices of lamb and vegetables grilled on a domed iron pan at the table, a dish of Hokkaido. Smoky and rich, and a favorite on a cold night, often eaten with beer.
Local tip Sit away from the smoke if you can, and wear clothes that you can wash, because the smell clings.
If it rains. Heavy snow and wind slow the walking but do not stop it. The government office and the beer museum are indoors, and the Clock Tower is a short stop. Mind ice and swap the campus walk for the Botanic Garden greenhouse if it is icy.
Day 2. Otaru: the canal, glass and the Snow Light Path
4 stops · 34.2 km
A day out by train to the harbor town of Otaru, with the festival of snow lamps there in the evening. Old stone warehouses, a street of glass and music boxes, and a canal lit by small lanterns after dark. Snow can delay the train home, so keep the evening easy.
Drive from Sapporo Beer MuseumAbout 44 min by car32.5 km
Where Day 1 ended.
1
MorningWorth the time
Sakaimachi Street
The main shopping street of Otaru, lined with old stone buildings that now hold glass workshops, music box shops, sweets and small cafes. Walk it slowly and warm up in the shops.
Go whenMorning, as the shops open and the street is calm.
Local tip Pop into the shops to warm up and look at the glass. Pavements here can be icy, so wear boots with a grip and look where you step.
Lunch
Sushi in Otaru
Otaru is known for sushi made from fish landed along the Hokkaido coast. Counters near the old streets serve it by the piece, and the fish follows the season.
Local tip Ask the chef for what is good that day, and tell the staff about any shellfish allergy first.
About 5 min walk0.4 km
2
MiddayWorth a short visit
Otaru Music Box Museum
A big shop at the end of Sakaimachi Street with thousands of music boxes of all sizes. Wind a few and pick out a tune you know. A warm place to wait out the coldest part of the day.
Go whenMidday, as a warm break from the street.
Local tip Wind a few boxes and listen for a tune you know. It is crowded at busy times, so take your time and keep your bag in front of you.
The old streets of Otaru are full of cake shops, and Hokkaido dairy goes into soft cakes, cream puffs and cheesecake. A small sweet with a hot drink is a good break from the cold.
Local tip Share one, because the shops are many and it is easy to eat too much.
About 13 min walk1.0 km
3
AfternoonWorth the time
Otaru Canal
A curved canal lined with old brick and stone warehouses, once the heart of the herring and shipping trade. In winter the banks are white, the warehouse windows glow and the path can be icy. Walk the full length slowly.
Go whenAfternoon, as the light softens over the warehouses.
Local tip Walk the whole length of the stone path, but watch for ice at the water edge. The wind off the harbor can be sharp, so cover your face and hands.
A winter event that usually runs for about ten days in February, when snow lamps and small ice lanterns line the canal and the old railway line, with candles floating on the water. Volunteers keep the flames lit. Dates and routes change each year, so check ahead. Dress warmly, because standing in the cold goes on longer than you think.
Go whenEvening, with a warm meal first, and the last train home kept in mind.
Local tip Dates and routes change each year, so check ahead. Stand back from the candles, do not touch the lanterns, and keep your hands warm. Snow can delay the train, so build slack into the evening.
Dinner
Hot snacks at the Light Path
Food stalls along the event routes usually sell hot, simple food and warm drinks in the cold air. A cup of something hot in your hands is half the point.
Local tip Use the stalls for a small bite and keep a proper meal for later, in a warm place.
If it rains. Snow can delay the train to Otaru and home, so go early and keep the evening flexible. The shops and the music box museum are indoors. Check that the Snow Light Path is on that evening, and skip it in a storm.
Day 3. Odori Park: the great snow sculptures
4 stops · 34.6 km
The festival day, in the middle of the stay. A quiet shrine in the morning, a market lunch, a view down over the park from the tower, and then the long park itself, lined with huge snow and ice sculptures that are lit after dark. Keep the lit evening for the end, and leave slack to warm up.
Drive from Otaru Snow Light PathAbout 41 min by car29.3 km
Where Day 2 ended.
Breakfast
Dairy and bread in the morning
Hokkaido is known for its milk, butter and cheese, and bakeries in the center sell fresh bread and warm pastries. A simple breakfast for a day of standing in the cold.
Local tip Eat well before the outdoor day, and bring a hot drink in a flask.
1
MorningWorth the time
Hokkaido Shrine
A quiet Shinto shrine in a wooded park on the west side of the city, reached by a long approach under snowy trees. The air is still and the snow is clean. Walk the approach slowly, because the path can be icy.
Go whenMorning, when the grounds are quiet.
Local tip Walk the full approach under the trees. Bow slightly at the gate, keep your voice low and ask before photographing people at prayer. The gravel can be icy underneath the snow.
A market of stalls and small shops near the center, known for fresh seafood, crab and the produce of Hokkaido. A friendly place for a warm lunch before the long afternoon outdoors.
Go whenLate morning, before the lunch rush.
Local tip Ask before you take a photograph of a stall or a seller. Tell the staff about any shellfish allergy before you order, since many dishes use crab and shrimp.
Lunch
Seafood rice bowl
A bowl of rice topped with raw fish, crab, salmon roe and sea urchin, depending on the catch. Small counters in and near the market serve it, and the market is the heart of the dish.
Local tip Tell the staff about any shellfish allergy before you order. Ask for a smaller bowl if the portion is large.
About 4 min walk0.4 km
3
AfternoonWorth a short visit
Sapporo TV Tower
A tall tower at the east end of Odori Park, with an observation deck. From above you see the whole length of the park and the sculptures laid out below. The view depends on cloud and snowfall, so do not count on it.
Go whenAfternoon, for a look down over the park before dark.
Local tip Go up for the view of the whole park and the sculptures if the air is clear. Falling snow and cloud can hide the sight, so do not count on it.
The main site of the festival, a long, wide park in the middle of the city. It usually fills with huge snow and ice sculptures, with stages, food stalls and lights that come on after dark. This is usually the best time to see them lit. Sites, dates and lighting times can change each year, so check ahead. Look, do not climb, and keep to the paths.
Go whenEvening, when the sculptures are usually lit.
Local tip Look, do not climb, and keep to the paths. The crowds are large and the ground is icy, so move slowly. Wear boots with a grip, and warm your hands every hour or so.
The festival site usually has food stalls with hot Hokkaido snacks, soups and drinks. A warm bowl between sculptures makes the evening longer.
Local tip Take turns holding places and warming hands. Keep dry gloves in a pocket, and put litter in the bins.
If it rains. Snow on the day of the sculptures is normal, and the sculptures stay on show unless it is warm or stormy. The market and the tower are indoors. Warm up every hour, and shorten the evening if the wind is hard.
Day 4. The family snow site, Moerenuma Park and the ice of Susukino
3 stops · 21.0 km
A day for snow play outside the center and ice in the lights. The family site with the snow slides in the morning, a snowy design park in the afternoon, and the lit ice sculptures of the entertainment district in the evening. Long rides between the first two stops, so take one fewer if the cold is wearing.
Travel from Odori ParkAbout 17 min by car or transit6.7 km
Where Day 3 ended.
1
MorningCheck ahead
Sapporo Community Dome
The Tsudome dome in the east of the city, which usually hosts the family site of the festival, with snow slides, a snow maze and play areas. Sites can change from year to year, so check ahead before you go. A good morning for anyone traveling with children.
Go whenMorning, with children, before the crowds.
Local tip Sites change from year to year, so check ahead that this dome is used this year. Go by bus or ride from the nearest station, and bring dry gloves, since the slides leave them wet.
The Sapporo bowl: wavy noodles in a rich miso broth with pork, corn and sometimes butter. Many small shops serve it, and a bowl steams away the cold.
Local tip The broth is rich and salty. Tell the staff about any pork or soy allergy first.
About 14 min by car or transit4.6 km
2
AfternoonWorth the time
Moerenuma Park
A huge park designed as sculpture, with hills, a glass pyramid and wide white lawns. In winter it is a place for a long slow walk or, where it is allowed, for playing in the snow. The paths are long and the wind is open, so go in layers.
Go whenAfternoon, in daylight, and back before the cold deepens.
Local tip The park is large and the wind is open, so walk a part of it. Wear layers and a face cover, and keep to the cleared paths where you can.
Dinner
Grilled seafood and scallops
Hokkaido scallops, squid and fish grilled over charcoal with butter and soy, a taste of the cold northern sea. Izakaya and small restaurants near Susukino serve them.
Local tip Tell the staff about any shellfish allergy first, and ask what is fresh that day.
About 23 min by car or transit9.8 km
3
EveningCheck ahead, lit at night
Susukino
The big entertainment district of Sapporo, where the festival usually places a row of lit ice sculptures along the main street at night. Some are very detailed, and carving contests may be held. Look, do not touch, and give the carvers room. Sites and times can change, so check ahead.
Go whenEvening, after dark when the ice is lit.
Local tip Look, do not touch, and give the carvers room if a contest is on. The street is busy at night, so keep your things close and watch for ice on the pavement.
If it rains. Moerenuma Park is open to the wind, so swap it for an indoor stop from the extras on a stormy day. The dome site is partly indoors. Keep the ice in Susukino for the evening and warm up between viewings.
Day 5. Mount Moiwa, ramen and the station
3 stops · 10.4 km
A softer last day. A ropeway up the small mountain for a view of the city, a bowl of noodles in a famous alley, and the station area, which is close to the train home. Keep it light, with room for a delay.
Travel from SusukinoAbout 13 min by car or transit4.5 km
Where Day 4 ended.
Breakfast
Rice, miso soup and grilled fish
A plain Japanese breakfast of rice, a bowl of miso soup, grilled fish and pickles. A warm, steady start that stays with you on a cold morning.
Local tip Tell the staff about any fish allergy first. Many hotels offer a western breakfast too.
1
MorningCheck the weather first
Mount Moiwa
A small mountain on the southwest edge of the city, reached by a ropeway and a small cable car. At the top there is a wide view over the city and the plain. The ropeway can stop in wind or heavy snow and the view depends on cloud, so check ahead and keep this stop flexible.
Go whenMorning, on a day with clear air, or the evening for the lights.
Local tip The ropeway can stop in wind or heavy snow, and the view depends on cloud. The top is colder than the city, so wear a warm layer and keep this stop flexible.
A short lane of small ramen counters in Susukino, a Sapporo habit since the postwar years. Each counter has its own broth, and the hot steam inside is welcome on a freezing day. A kind of place, not a single address.
Go whenMidday, out of the wind.
Local tip Choose a counter, take a seat when one opens and be ready to share a space. Tell the staff about any allergy first, since the broths often use pork and miso.
About 19 min walk1.5 km
3
AfternoonA warm place to wait
Sapporo Station
The big railway station at the north end of the center, with shopping malls, an observation deck and underground passages that join it to Odori. A warm place to shop, wait and sort out the way home before the journey.
Go whenAfternoon, near the end of the stay.
Local tip Walk the underground passage toward the center to stay out of the weather. Sort out the way to the airport here, and leave room for a delay.
Izakaya, the casual Japanese pubs, serve small plates and hot pots to share, and they are lively places for a last evening. Choose one with a warm, busy room.
Local tip Order a few plates at a time. Tell the staff about any allergy first.
If it rains. The ropeway can stop in wind or heavy snow, so keep it flexible. The ramen alley and the station are indoors. Leave extra time for the journey home, since snow can delay trains and planes.
Departure day
After the last day. Snow can slow the trains and planes, so leave room.Details
Check-out
Most hotels will keep your bags for a few hours after check-out if you ask. A late start on the last morning suits a stay of long, cold evenings.
To the airport
Leave more time than the distance suggests, because snow can slow the train and the airport can be busy. Look at the flight status the evening before and again in the morning.
If you have a few hours
A warm bowl of noodles and a walk through the underground passages near the station is easy, and keeps you out of the wind. Keep anything with a fixed start off the last morning.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Sapporo?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, January to February and December are the best months for skiing in Sapporo. This plan is built for early February, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 5 days in Sapporo, planned for early February. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
Each day has about 1.7 to 14.4 kilometers between its stops, and 30.7 kilometers in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
8 days in Hokkaido: a summer road trip from SapporoAbout 40 km awayAn easy add-on
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