Itinerary
Sapporo Winter Lights & Snow Festival
5 days · 12 stops · ¥80,000–¥140,000
Wed, Feb 10 – Sun, Feb 14
Five days of Hokkaido winter magic — snow sculptures, candlelit canals, drift ice, and a volcanic onsen day in the mountains.
Days
Eckhard Pecher / CC BY 2.5
Sapporo Snow Festival
Hokkaido
Schedule
Day 01 of 05Land at CTS · Wed, Feb 10 · from JFK · 1 traveler
Renting a car? Check the license rules
Some licenses (FR/DE/CH/BE/TW) need a JAF translation, not an IDP — 5-min guide.
Stay
Sapporo · 3 nights
Wed, Feb 10 → Sat, Feb 13 · 1 guest
17:00
EXPLORE
Eventさっぽろ雪まつり
Stay ~2h
Your first evening in Sapporo — wander the 1.5 km of snow and ice sculptures, all lit against the night sky.
~13 min on foot
19:00
EXPLORE
Eventすすきの氷祭り
Stay ~1h
Just south of Odori, Susukino's ice sculptures glow in neon alleys — grab a hot sake from a yatai stall.
Getting around, region by region
Your route mixes city and countryside — here's the best mode for each leg.
Sapporo & Otaru · Days 1–3
Dense rail network — trains and the metro beat driving here.
Kushiro & Akan · Day 4
Rural — a rental car reaches spots no train or bus serves.
Sapporo & Otaru · Day 5
Dense rail network — trains and the metro beat driving here.
Getting around
🚄
JR Hokkaido Rail Pass (7-Day)
Matched to your route — one pass instead of point-to-point tickets on the rail legs.
View JR Hokkaido Rail Pass (7-Day) →🚗
Rental car recommended
Several stops on this route are in rural areas with limited rail access. A rental car from the nearest city hub gives you the freedom to reach places no bus serves.
Browse rental cars on Klook →01 / 05
Journey map
Trip budget · お見積り
¥15,000–¥30,000 / person / day
¥75,000–¥150,000 total
💴 Carry ~¥5,000/day in cash — many hidden spots are cash-only.
Estimated from 11 travel legs, 4 hotel nights and 3 ticketed events. International flights not included. Typical prices, not quotes.
Before you go
Passes for this trip
✓ Matched to your route
JR Hokkaido Rail Pass (7-Day)
Covers the rail legs on this route — one pass instead of point-to-point tickets.
View this pass
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Get Around
Shinkansen, regional rail passes, and city transit — sorted before you land.
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Stay Hidden
Sleep in a centuries-old ryokan. Tatami floors, onsen, and a 7-course kaiseki.
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Travel Light
Ship luggage ahead on the shinkansen route. Explore every day completely hands-free.
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