Yuki Matsuri - Snow Festival

This festival is held every February in Sapporo, Japan. If you've lived in an area that receives a large amount of snow every year, this may not be the trip for you. However, if you're from a warmer climate, this may be one of the most interesting places to visit if you're in Japan in February.

For those that are in other areas of Japan, reaching Sapporo can be surprisingly cheap. In Japan, there is a program in almost every continental airline that will allow foreigners to fly anywhere in Japan for around $100 per ticket. If you would prefer to do more sight-seeing, there is also a rail pass that will allow you to take virtually any train. There are different durations for how long the pass lasts, but the cheapest for an adult is around $280 for 7 days. Compared to how much each individual ticket would cost to travel all over Japan, this pass is a steal. 

If traveling on a budget, I would highly recommend staying at Jimmyz Backpackers. This hostel is in an incredible location, close to the center of the entertainment district by foot and close a subway entrance. The price for one of these beds is around $30 a night, but the owner offers discounts if you stay for a week or more. For the location and the quality of the hostel, this is an incredible deal. Having stayed here myself for two weeks, I can confidently say that this is THE place to stay in Sapporo on a budget. The owner speaks English fluently and is very kind. He also shows each guest what the hotspots are in Sapporo and marks them on a map for them. The place is VERY clean. I stayed there long enough to know that the owner cleans every room every day.

As for food, Hokkaido has some of the best sea food in the world. If you are a sushi fan, this is the place to eat it. It is not overly expensive, especially compared to the prices of real sushi in America, and it is the freshest fish you will ever eat.

Soup curry is also a famous dish in Sapporo. On cold days, this stuff will warm you right up! There are many restaurants that serve this, but I found that the family-owned ones were the best. My personal favorite was chicken and vegetable.

 

If you're a fan of beer, then you might also be interested in taking a tour of the Sapporo Beer factory. You can try this world-famous beer right off of the production line!

Itenerary

Day 1) Enjoy everything there is to see at the Snow Festival during the day

            Take pictures, view the snow statues, etc.

            Eat something WARM! 

            If there is a concert or even at the festival, attend

            

Day 2) If there are any different events at the Snow Festival, or if something was not seen yesterday, 

             attend again. Maybe try ice skating

             Shop at Sapporo Station (a huge mall above the rail system)

             Make sure to eat sushi at least once before leaving!

Snow Festival website (English) - http://www.snowfes.com/english/

Jimmyz Backpackers - http://www.jimmyzbp.com/english/

Guide for discounted continental flights in Japan - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html

Japan Rail Pass - http://www.japanrailpass.net/