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Anyone from Oz, been to the Snow Festival earlier this year? I wonder if my current plan to stay one night in Sapporo, will be sufficient to see all this festival has to offer? With very young ones, and photo opportunities were the only attraction I can think of. Don't know if there is a street parade?

I've been put off for staying more than one night, as the travel agent has quoted the hotel rates at nearly double the normal winter rates in that town.

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Hi Alx

 

We went to the Snow Festival this year. We also nearly died at the hotel prices during the festival. We stayed 2 nights but I think you can probably do it all in the one day.

 

We got up bright and early and headed out. I enjoyed it during the day but think that it had WAY more atmosphere at night when they are all lit up.

 

Early in the day they tend to be cleaning the sculptures and readying it for later on (around 9am), it didn't sort of get going until around 11am, there are also heaps of school children during the day, which we found fun as they all stopped us to do there questionnaires.

 

We didn't go out to the surrounding Ice Festival Activities we just did the ones at Odori Park and then the surrounding ones that we could walk to.

 

Go onto the official Sapporo Snow Festival Website that will give you heaps of information.

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We haven't been (school is back in session by then-so we have to be home), but the eldest son is going this year (Uni term starts later the lucky bugger!) - he is doing a day trip from Niseko, and the bus comes back at night so you still get to see the Ice Sculptures lit up at night before heading back.

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Thursday - I'm back in rural West Australia. Good waves, amazing wildflower season, easy work, but no snow.

 

I'm getting very sentimental now looking up the JMA weather page for Sapporo. I used to be glued to it. And tonight I see the first (I think) snowman icon looming. I remember seeing the first snowman icon pop up on my Mac with free Leopalace internet last year in my flat near Mount Moiwa. Very exciting stuff after a long summer and beautiful autumn.

 

To anyone in Sapporo or elsewhere in Japan getting revved up for the season, good luck and God speed.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Snowhuntress ... or anyone else who had previously organised their accommodation at Sapporo ... can you help me with a useful url to a travel aggregater?

 

I'm struggling to locate a website where I can book and enquire on accommodation at Sapporo ... especially for the week of the SnowFestival.

 

Thanks in advance.

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks all for your tips ... I've settled & booked with the Washington Hotel ... a small little place, a few mins walk from the JR station. The rate is a little higher than normal due to the snow festival, but only by about 20% ... not the 200% premium that my travel agent was saying!

If only I knew that it was more sensible I would have scheduled two nights at Sapporo instead of the short 20 hours that I'll be there.

 

Feb can't come around soon enough. :-)

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20 hours should be more than enough. Not that much to do in Sapporo really (that you can't do in any other city in the world) especially with a family in tow. Now if you were on your own there are some places in Susukino I could suggest.... razz

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