Freezing temperatures hit record highs!” The Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival in Hokkaido has kicked off

By / MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Department

Now in its 40th year, the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival runs from late January through March. Located within Daisetsuzan National Park, Sounkyo is the most popular hot spring resort and hiking destination in the Central Hokkaido (Dōou) region. The festival is held annually on the bed of the Ishikari River in Yunokawa Onsen, Asahikawa City, where illuminated icefalls and ice and snow sculptures create a fantastical winter wonderland each night.

In winter, Sounkyo dons a silvery white coat, instantly transforming from vivid hues to an ethereal allure. Especially when most snow festivals wrap up by mid-February, in this coldest part of Hokkaido, the waterfalls cascading down cliffs freeze solid, turning into massive icefalls. A one-of-a-kind ice extravaganza grandly opens at the end of January and continues through the end of March, marking the most vibrant festival of the year in Sounkyo.

The venue of the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival is located in the town’s hot spring district. Utilizing the area near the Ishikari River after it freezes thickly in winter, the one-million-square-meter site features a main exhibition area that stands 15 meters tall, along with about 80 other ice structures of various sizes, including bridges, corridors, slides, tunnels, bars, and observation decks built from ice. There is also a unique ice shrine.