Japan is a country known for offering its own uniqueness in each of its four seasons! While cherry blossoms bloom in Spring, festivals fill the streets in Summer, and the fall foliage appears in Autumn, the Winter months of Japan provide beautiful landscapes and special experiences to enjoy the Winter Season. There is so much to discover when the months turn cold, and in this blog we hope to show you some of the best places you absolutely can’t miss when visiting Japan in the Winter!
Snow sculpture–Photo Credit: Sapporo Snow Festival
Sapporo Snow Festival (Hokkaido)
No place in Japan does winter better than its most northern prefecture, Hokkaido! And it’s here that one of the world’s largest snow festivals is held annually. The city of Sapporo hosts the 3 main sites of the festival, each providing its own special experience.
Odori Park Site
The Odori Park Site is home to the Giant Snow Sculptures that can be seen over a 1.5-kilometer stretch. The Sapporo Snow Festival boasts world-class artist creations of snow sculptures ranging from miniature pieces to artworks that reach sizes of 15 meters tall. Additionally, these sculptures are also used as canvases for projection mapping shows at night, adding an extra layer of magic to this already winter wonderland.
Location: Odori Park
Susukino Site
Located in the entertainment district of Sapporo, the Susukino Site is home to all the ice sculptures of the Sapporo Snow Festival. Unlike the Odori Park site, the Susukino Site has an area where you can interact with art pieces by entering ice sculptures or ordering drinks from ice sculpture bars.
Location: Susukino St
Tsudome Site
For a truly interactive experience at the Sapporo Snow Festival, the Tsudome Site is a large playground made of snow. This family-friendly playground has snow slides, toboggan runs, and even snow mazes, just to name a few.
Location: Tsudome
Dates: February 4 – 11, 2026
Kids riding snowmobile–Photo Credit: Bibai Snowland
Bibai snowland (Hokkaido)
Located about 40 minutes away from Sapporo, the City of Bibai in Hokkaido hosts Japan’s biggest snow playground on a former 27-hole golf course. The Bibai Snowland has several activities that can be enjoyed without the larger crowds of major ski resorts in Japan. From riding a snowmobile or a hovercraft, or taking a tethered hot air balloon ride to take in the views, there are several activities to be enjoyed at the Bibai Snowland.
Location: Alpen SNOWLAND BIBAI
Dates: December 6, 2025 – March 22, 2026
Night illumination at the Blue Pond–Photo Credit: Biei Tourism
Blue Pond in Biei (Hokkaido)
Located in the center of Hokkaido is the Blue Pond in Biei. This pond is famous for its blue color that is formed from the high levels of chemical concentration from the nearby Shirahige Falls. The vibrant blue color and the submerged forest create a magical atmosphere that can be seen in the winter season. Additionally, there is a night illumination show that happens during this period.
Location: Shirogane Blue Pond (Aoiike)
Illumination Dates: October & November: 5:00 PM -9:00 PM
December: 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM
December 31 – January 3: 2:00 AM
January: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
February: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
March 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM until April 22, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Shikaribetsu Ice Village–Photo Credit: Shikaribetsuko Kotan
Lake Shikaribetsu Ice Village (Hokkaido)
The Ice Village is built from scratch each year with new designs that offer a new experience each visit over the frozen Shirakaribetsu Lake. This village is a phantom village, which means it only exists for about 2 months before it disappears due to melting. This in itself is a symbol of the Japanese aesthetic of Mujo, which represents impermanence. Aside from the uniqueness of the place itself, it offers activities such as ice glass making workshops and places to relax, such as an ice bar and even an open-air onsen built over the frozen lake.
Location: Shikaribetsu Igloo Village
Dates: January 24 – March 15, 2026
Lights lined up along the Otaru Canal – Photo Credit: Visit Hokkaido
Otaru Snow Light Path Festival (Hokkaido)
The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival is a visually stunning event that provides a more romantic and tranquil atmosphere. Among an approximately 300-meter path is a mix of snow-filled streets brightened with gas lamps and thousands of candles flickering along the Otaru Canal. This festival is not only restricted to this path, as many local restaurants and shops place their own candles and participate to create one of Japan’s most romantic winter events.
Location: Otaru Canal
Dates: February 2026 (exact dates TBA)
Kamakuras lit up at night–Photo Credit: Tohoku Tourism
Yokote Kamakura Festival (Akita)
Beginning over 450 years ago, the Yokote Kamakura Festival in the prefecture of Akita provides an ethereal experience across the Janosaki River Beach. In this festival, kamakuras – which are igloo-shaped snow huts – are found all over the city with people inside to offer warm snacks like grilled mochi or warm rice-wine as an expression of Yokote’s hospitality. Over 3,500 mini-kamakuras are lit across Janosaki River Beach, and over 100 large-sized kamakuras are found within the city, often creating the image of a Milky Way.
Location: Janosaki River Beach
Dates: February 13th and 14th, 2026
Train crossing the Tadami River Bridge–Photo Credit: Tohoku Tourism
Tadami Line (Fukushima)
Experience one of the world’s most romantic railways in the wintertime: the Tadami Line in Fukushima and Niigata. Connecting from Aizu-Wakamatsu in Fukushima all the way to Koide in Niigata, the ride passes through several art-like sceneries created by the valleys, mountains, and rural villages. The most iconic spot you should not miss is the moment the train crosses the Tadami River Bridge, a sight to behold all year round, but under the blanket of winter, the scene becomes truly magical.
Location: First Tadami River Bridge
Dates: Late December – Late February
Marunouchi Illumination–Photo Credit: Varun Goregaonkar
Marunouchi (Tokyo)
One of Tokyo’s most famous spots during the winter season is the Marunouchi Illumination in Tokyo’s luxury district. Spanning 1.2 kilometers along Naka-dori, 820,000 LED lights illuminate the street in its Champagne Gold colour to create an elegant and luxurious atmosphere in the heart of Tokyo. Fun fact: this illumination is 100% powered by clean energy sources such as solar power or wind power.
Location: 1 Chome-5 Marunouchi
Dates: November 13, 2025 – February 15, 2026
Gassho-zukuri in the snow–Photo Credit: Denise Elbs
Shirakawa-Go (Gifu)
Another one of Japan’s well-known UNESCO spots is also one of its most iconic winter landscapes. Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture is home to the Gassho-zukuri (houses shaped as hands in a praying style), which were originally created to handle the heavy snowfall the region gets annually. On some evenings in January and February, Shirakawa-go has an illumination event that plays across the entire village.
***This activity is reservation-only and must be booked in advance to attend.
Location: Shirakawa-go
Dates: Jan 12, Jan 18, Jan 25, Feb 1, (2026)
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Ginzan Onsen covered in snow–Photo Credit: Sristi Saha
Ginzan Onsen (Yamagata Prefecture)
One of the best ways to fight the cold weather is by dipping into Japan’s famous onsens. The Ginzan Onsen is famous for being one of the biggest inspirations for the famous Studio Ghibli film, Spirited Away. Enjoy an authentic Japanese winter onsen experience by entering an outdoor hot spring bath known as rotenburo, while the snow falls above you. Best of all, this onsen village is secluded and is pedestrian-only, creating an atmosphere of only the natural sounds of nature.
Location: Ginzan Onsen
Dates: December – March
Juhyos in Zao Onsen Ski Resort–Photo Credit: pen_ash
Zao Snow Monsters (Yamagata)
Experience the natural phenomenon of frost-covered trees called Juhyo in the Yamagata prefecture. The Zao Onsen Ski Resort is famous for its “Zao Snow Monsters,” created by the super cold temperatures that form the Juhyos. The resort is one of the largest in the Tohoku region and is one of the world’s only locations where you can ski or snowboard within the formations of the “Snow Monsters”. Don’t forget to end the day of snow activities by watching the Night Illumination or by dipping into an onsen at one of Japan’s oldest hot spring towns.
Location: Zao Onsen Ski Resort
Dates: Late December-Late February
Japanese Macaques in an Onsen–Photo Credit: Shino Nakamura
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park (Nagano)
See a rare sight of Japanese Macaques bathing in onsens in the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park in Nagano this winter. The park’s name, Jigokudani, which means “Hell Valley,” comes from the atmosphere created by the steam and boiling water that is produced in this area. The Japanese Macaques that bathe in these onsens are not tamed and are completely wild animals. They have learned the behavior of entering onsens by observing human visitors in ryokans in the area starting from 1960 and have since then adopted the practice of entering onsens for their own relaxation.
Location: Jigokudani Valley
Dates: December-March
Though Japan is famous for its summer festivals and spring cherry blossoms, don’t forget to experience the beauty Japan’s winter has in store! From the world-class snow sculptures to natural phenomena like the Zao Snow Monsters, there is so much to explore in Japan’s winter season! If you are visiting Japan this winter, contact us to create a tour that will make your winter fairytale in Japan come to life this season!
Featured Photo Credit: Tohoku Tourism
