【2025-2026 Winter 】30 Recommended Snow Festivals and Winter Festivals in Japan: Summary of Event Dates and Highlights

*AI Translated

A classic winter feature in Japan is its "snow and winter festivals"! These events are packed with unique Japanese winter charm, from beautiful giant snow and ice sculptures and magical light-ups of frosted trees and frozen waterfalls, to warm street food.

This article carefully selects and introduces 30 recommended snow and winter festivals across the country for the 2025-2026 winter season. We've compiled a guide to a diverse range of spectacular winter events, including Japan's three great snow festivals, featuring everything from snow and ice sculptures, frosted trees, frozen waterfalls, light-ups, and winter fireworks, with easy-to-understand information on festival dates, main attractions, and locations.

Let's enjoy the heartwarming Japanese winter festivals that can be best experienced in the cold winter season!

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What are "Japan's Three Great Snow Festivals"? How to Enjoy Japan's Winter Snow Festivals

Japan's winter is beautifully adorned by "snow and winter festivals," primarily held in heavy snowfall regions such as Hokkaido, Tohoku, and the mountainous areas of the Chubu region. For example, the representative snow festivals known as the "Japan's Three Great Snow Festivals" are the "Sapporo Snow Festival" in Hokkaido, the "Yokote Kamakura Festival" in Akita, Tohoku region, and the "Tokamachi Snow Festival" in Niigata, Chubu region. There are many other snow festivals, each offering its own unique and elaborate ways to be enjoyed.

Among them, some festivals focus on artistic charm, featuring various winter expressions like snow sculptures made from snow, ice statues and carvings sculpted from ice, and snow lanterns and candles that add color with light. You will be captivated by the diverse expressions, such as the intricate snow sculpture works at the "Sapporo Snow Festival," the artistic ice carvings at the "National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival" in Nagano Prefecture, and the warm glow of snow lanterns and candles that envelop the venue at the "Hirosaki Snow Lantern Festival" in Aomori Prefecture.

Additionally, there are festivals where you can appreciate the beauty of natural landscapes. You can view spectacular scenes created by the severe cold, such as the frost-covered trees called "ice monsters" in the Zao area spanning Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures, and the frozen waterfalls of "Sounkyo" in Hokkaido.

Furthermore, some festivals offer special attractions like fireworks and light-ups. Winter fireworks set against a snowy landscape create a magical world different from that of summer, providing a moving experience.

The charm also lies in festivals where you can experience the unique traditional culture of the land. At events like the "Yokote Kamakura Festival" in Akita Prefecture, with its 450-year history, you can get a sense of traditional winter life through warm hospitality and local cuisine.

Besides viewing the snowy scenery, you can enjoy a variety of activities such as snowshoeing and snowmobiling, dining inside a kamakura (snow hut), and enjoying warm local gourmet food and regional dishes at food stalls. Make sure to dress warmly and create special memories unique to Japan's winter.

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• Experience a Magical Winter Wonderland! 7 Snow Festivals in Tohoku Region

List of 30 Snow and Winter Festivals Across Japan for Winter 2025-2026

From here, we will introduce 30 selected snow and winter festivals held throughout the country in order of their event dates. We have summarized the highlights and content, such as the presence of snow sculptures, ice statues/carvings, snow lanterns/candles, light-ups, and winter fireworks, in a list format.

The information published in this article is a guide based on previous years, so please be sure to check the official websites of each spot before you go.

Recommended Snow Festival Day Tours (kkday)

• 【Hokkaido】Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival & Hoshino Resorts Tomamu Ice Village Day Tour from Sapporo (Depart from Sapporo)