A festival where creations of snow and ice bring Asahikawa's winter to life
Asahikawa Winter Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Early February / Every year
- Area
- Hokkaido・Asahikawa City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A winter celebration where visitors can enjoy Asahikawa's snow transformed into enormous snow sculptures, community snow sculptures, and ice sculptures.
About Asahikawa Winter Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: 日本語版ウィキペディアの京浜にけさん File:Asahikawa Winter Festival Snow Statue 1.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 日本語版ウィキペディアの京浜にけさん The uploader photographed itDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Asahikawa Winter Festival is a winter celebration that makes use of Asahikawa's harsh winters and abundant snow.
It is held in early February, around the beginning of spring, under the theme “A Festival of Snow, Ice, and Light.”
Large snow sculptures and sculptures created by local volunteers bring the venue to life, and the event has long been cherished for showcasing the appeal of Asahikawa in winter.
Source: 旭川冬まつり公式サイト
Festival highlights
Seeing the enormous snow sculptures up close is one of the major highlights of the Asahikawa Winter Festival.
The main snow sculpture is 140 meters wide and 20 meters high, and sculptures created by local volunteers are also on display.
Along with snow and ice creations, visitors can enjoy a venue decorated with lighting and ice sculptures.
Source: 旭川冬まつりの歴史 | 旭川市
A festival where creations of snow and ice bring Asahikawa's winter to life
What to expect
At the venue, visitors can enjoy winter activities while viewing the enormous snow sculptures, community snow sculptures, ice sculptures, and more.
Depending on the year, the festival has featured stage events, a winter market, fireworks, and a snow maze.
Some editions have also included activities such as snow-sculpting workshops, where participants carve snow into shapes.
Source: NEWS - 旭川冬まつり公式サイト / 旭川冬まつりプレイベント～目指せ雪のアーティスト！～ 参加者募集！ - 旭川冬まつり公式サイト
How to take part
You can take part as a visitor and enjoy the snow sculptures.
The application details and requirements for activities open to the public, such as making snow sculptures and taking part in events at the venue, vary with each edition.
Information about applications to participate in 2027 will be provided once details are decided.
Location and access
- Address
Asahikawa City
Host municipality 北海道旭川市
This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.
Dates and season
2027年の旭川冬まつりは開催決定が告知されています。
It is usually held in early February, around the start of spring.
Details of the dates and activities at the venue are expected to be announced in future updates.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Hokkaido / Asahikawa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
In February, Asahikawa experiences severe cold, with average temperatures below freezing.
As you may need to walk on snow or ice, it is a good idea to wear cold-weather gear suitable for a frigid climate, such as warm clothing and shoes with good traction.
The program may change depending on the weather, so please check the day's announcements before visiting.
Nearby attractions
上川神社
北海道旭川市にある神社
写真：No machine-readable author provided. Shoyuramen assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
中原悌二郎記念旭川市彫刻美術館
北海道旭川市にある美術館
写真：K. Takeda at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
井上靖記念館
北海道旭川市にある博物館
写真：K. Takeda at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
北鎮記念館
北海道旭川市にある資料館
写真：下記参照 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
旭川市旭山動物園
北海道旭川市にある動物園
写真：Mamusi Taka / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Asahikawa Winter Festival
The origins of the Asahikawa Winter Festival can be traced back to 1946, when the Asahikawa Police Station struggled to find a use for piles of snow created by road clearing.
A proposal by the head of the tourism association led to the creation of snow sculptures, and following the 1951 Asahikawa Snow Festival, the 1st Asahikawa Winter Festival was held in February 1960.
Since then, it has continued as a winter event making use of snow and ice.
Official information
The official Asahikawa Winter Festival website has announced that the 2027 festival will be held and provides information about upcoming events.
Past festival programs and history can also be checked on Asahikawa City's official website.
Asahikawa Winter Festival at a Glance
The Asahikawa Winter Festival is a winter celebration that makes use of Asahikawa's snow to create enormous snow sculptures, community snow sculptures, and ice sculptures.
Building on the idea of making snow sculptures that dates back to 1946, the event has continued as the present-day winter festival since 1960.
2027年の開催は決定しています。
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
