Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: Dates, Where to Stay and Airport Transfer (Feb 4-11, Hours by Site)

2027 dates and the three sites

According to the official announcement, the 2027 Sapporo Snow Festival runs for eight days from Thursday, February 4 to Thursday, February 11, 2027 (a national holiday).
Odori site: Odori Park from Nishi 1-chome to 11-chome (about 1.1 km), centered on five large snow sculptures plus medium and small ones, with the International Snow Sculpture Contest at 11-chome.
Susukino site: ice sculptures line Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and 6-jo.
Tsudome site: the Tsudome sports facility offers snow play such as giant slides and indoor food booths, which makes it a good choice with children.

The Tsudome site is open 10:00-16:00 according to the official 2027 information, and some attractions may stop taking visitors early when crowded. Take the shuttle bus from Sakaemachi Station on the Toho subway line, or walk about 15 minutes.
Until now, the Odori site has been lit from sunset until 22:00 and the Susukino site until 23:00 (per the Sapporo Tourism Association night view guide). Check the official website again for the exact 2027 hours.
The Odori site is right by Odori Station on the Namboku, Tozai and Toho subway lines, and the Susukino site is right by Susukino Station on the Namboku line.
Detailed 2027 programs for each site are scheduled to be published on the official website from mid-December 2026.

If you want to see the sculptures lit up at night, stay between Odori Park and Susukino, or anywhere within walking distance of both sites. The two sites are one stop apart on the Namboku line, so either side is easy.
If you will travel to the airport often or plan a day trip to Otaru, the area around JR Sapporo Station is convenient. Both the airport trains and trains toward Otaru stop there.
The festival draws more than two million visitors from Japan and abroad, so demand for rooms is high. Once your dates are fixed, it is safest to lock in a free-cancellation rate first and then compare prices.
February 11 is a Japanese national holiday (National Foundation Day), so many domestic travelers visit around the last day. To avoid the busiest days, put your weekday visits early in the festival.

The JR Rapid Airport train is the fastest option. The fare to Sapporo Station is 1,230 yen, and the trip takes from 33 minutes on the Special Rapid or from 37 minutes on the Rapid.
In the daytime (9:00-16:00) there are six trains an hour, and a Special Rapid leaves New Chitose Airport as late as 23:21. You can simply tap an IC card such as Suica at the gate.
If you want a guaranteed seat, use the reserved u-Seat in car 4. It costs a reserved-seat fee of 1,000 yen (800 yen ticketless) on top of the fare.
If heavy snow delays or stops the trains, you can take the airport bus (about 70-90 minutes, about 1,500 yen) or a taxi, but JR Hokkaido notes that these alternatives become extremely crowded. Leave plenty of time on your departure day.

Sapporo White Illumination: November 20, 2026 to March 14, 2027, in Odori Park and other locations.
Chitose-Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival: January 30 to February 23, 2027, at Lake Shikotsu Onsen.
Otaru Snow Light Path: February 6-13, 2027, around the Otaru Canal, overlapping with the Snow Festival. Airport trains run straight through to Otaru, so it fits well into a day trip.
Before you go, check the snow on the Susukino crossing and Sapporo Station live cams on this site's Sapporo page, and look for hotel and tour deals on the coupons page.

Last updated: 2026-11-06. Rules and regulations can change, so check the official websites again before you go.