Winter Wonderland in Hokkaido: Head to Snowy Hokkaido for a Festive Escape

The romantically white snowy land of Hokkaido is the top winter travel destination, featuring various festivals held in the biting cold, such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, Shirakaba Gorge Ice Falls Festival, Asahikawa Snow Festival, Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing Icebreaker Cruise, Lake Akan Ice Festival, as well as activities like skiing, snowshoeing, and ice fishing, attracting travelers from all over. Where to go for Chinese New Year? Let’s head to Hokkaido to play in the snow together!

Towns across Hokkaido, big and small, host ice and snow-themed festivals during the harsh winter. Take the Sapporo Snow Festival centered around Odori Park, where the entire venue resembles a stunning white gallery of ice sculptures. The designs often draw inspiration from internationally famous architecture or beloved Japanese anime characters, resulting in vivid, lively, and spectacular creations. Giant ice sculptures illuminated by colorful laser lights create a magical interplay of light and shadow, while a variety of performances keep the atmosphere lively from day to night.

The Lake Shikotsu Winter Festival, not far from New Chitose Airport, is equally enchanting. Held for about 10 days from mid-to-late January to mid-February every year, the Shikotsu Lake Ice Festival features ice mazes and slides built from blocks of ice. The most spectacular part comes at night when lights in red, green, or purple are cast upon the ice sculptures, transforming the venue into a colorful crystal palace — a truly novel experience for visitors from subtropical regions.

Viewing drift ice is another highlight of winter tourism in Hokkaido. Located at 44 degrees north latitude, Abashiri marks the southernmost point where the Sea of Okhotsk freezes in winter. Each year during the bitter cold, water from the Heilongjiang River (which forms the border between China and Russia) flows into the Sea of Okhotsk. Due to differing salt content, a thin layer of ice forms on the sea surface. This ice gradually expands as ocean currents push it southward. As temperatures continue to drop, around mid-to-late January, this frozen expanse becomes visible along the Sea of Okhotsk coastline, heralding the annual start of the "icebreaker cruise" sightseeing season.

Aside from enjoying ice and snow, the most exhilarating winter activity in Hokkaido is soaking in a “snow-viewing hot spring.” Surrounded by a world of silver white, you soak in the warm waters with only your shoulders submerged, while fluffy snowflakes drift down onto your head. Watching the snowflakes melt into the steam rising from the hot spring is an extraordinarily romantic experience. After the soak, you can also enjoy a carefully prepared crab feast at your ryokan. Hokkaido is home to many types of crabs, but the most popular among Taiwanese travelers are the “tanner crabs” with their massive legs and the incredibly sweet “snow crabs.” After a full day of playing in the ice and snow, returning to your hotel to unwind in the hot spring is truly one of life’s great pleasures!

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Read More: Shirakaba Gorge Ice Falls Festival in Hokkaido (Provided by Tripass Attractions)