Travelazine

Held yearly over seven days in February, The Sapporo Snow Festival is an event that showcases the amazing talents of Japan’s finest snow sculpters. Dating back to 1950 when six local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park, the festival’s popularity is such that it now attracts up to 2 million visitors per year.

The life of a snow sculpture starts with the construction of a wooden frame that is filled with tightly packed snow. Once the snow has hardened, the frame is removed and the carving carefully undertaken using hatchets and shovels. Many of the artists work at night as the sculptures become fragile during daytime temperatures.

The 58th annual festival will take place from 6th-12th of February 2007 at the Odori Site, Susukino Site, and Satorando Site. The official Sapporo Snow Festival website recommends all visitors wrap up warm as February is the coldest month of the year.

View The Sapporo Snow Festival Slideshow

Festivals, Holidays, Japan, Sapporo, Snow, Winter