[2025 Otaru Attraction] Travel Guide for Otaru Snow Light Path (Updated May)

Hokkaido's winter is filled with numerous winter festival activities, making it a must-visit for travelers to Japan during this season. Today, we bring you a preview of Hokkaido Sapporo's winter events. [⭐Main Events] 1. 2025 Sapporo Snow Festival (75th Edition) This is a must-attend event in Sapporo, featuring various ice and snow sculptures displayed throughout the park. The sculptures are illuminated at night, creating a magical atmosphere. 📆: February 4, 2025 - February 11, 2025 📍: Odori Venue, Odori Park, Tsudome Venue, Tsudome, Susukino Venue, Sapporo Station Front Street 2. 2024 Sapporo White Illumination An annual white illumination festival where every place is adorned with dazzling lights. 📆: Ⅰ: November 22, 2024 - December 25, 2024 Ⅱ: November 22, 2024 - February 11, 2025 Ⅲ: November 22, 2024 - March 14, 2025 📍: Ⅰ: Odori Park Ⅱ: Sapporo Station Front Avenue Ⅲ: South 1st Street 3. 2024 Sapporo Munich Christmas Market Coinciding partially with the White Illumination Festival, this market offers various Christmas-themed goods, food, and drinks. 📆: November 22 - December 25 📍: Odori Park, Satellite Venues 4. Otaru Snow Light Path Every February, a 'Snow Light Path' is illuminated with candles, creating a fairytale-like town. 📆: February 8, 2025 - February 15, 2025 📍: Otaru Canal, Former Temiya Line, Asarigawa Onsen 5. Sapporo Culture and Arts Festival This festival hosts numerous events, including the 'Sapporo Theater Festival' by various groups and some musicals. 📆: November 1, 2024 - November 30, 2024 📍: Sapporo Station Front Avenue Underground Walkway, Sapporo Civic Exchange Plaza, Various Theaters in Sapporo 6. Jozankei Snow Light Path Locals create snow lanterns that line the entire road, offering a romantic and warm atmosphere. 📆: Late January to Late February 2025 📍: Jozankei #WhereToGoOnHoliday #TravelJapan #JapanTravelGuide #HokkaidoJapan #SapporoHokkaido #Sapporo #SapporoSnowFestival #HokkaidoSnowFestival #OtaruSnowLightPath #OdoriPark #HokkaidoSnowFestival

Otaru's Snow Light Path is held every February. It's fantastic, quiet, and very beautiful☆°｡⋆⸜(* ॑꒳ ॑* )⸝ You can go there as a day trip from Sapporo♡ #Useful travel information#Recommended in December#Historical sites#Couple trip#Tourism support#Breathtaking views

The short holiday is coming! Want to travel to Japan? Here's a 6-day custom tour guide to make your trip freer and more exciting! Check it out! -------- 🌟Advantages of a Custom Tour:🌟 - 【Top-notch Experience】Pure play, no compromises, no hidden costs. We value your travel experience! You decide on hotels and transportation! - 【Flexible Itinerary】Time and route are up to you, stop and go as you please. Wherever you want to go, you're in charge! - 【In-depth Travel】No tour groups, in-depth travel, leisurely experience the local customs, and say no to superficial sightseeing. - 【Worry-free Communication】Traveling abroad, Chinese-speaking guides and drivers provide online translation for barrier-free communication! - 【Hidden Gems】Local cuisine, cost-effective hotels, and niche secret spots, we'll reveal them all to you! -------- 🛤️Itinerary Overview: DAY 1: Arrive at New Chitose Airport—Private transfer to Noboribetsu onsen hotel—Enjoy onsen, snow viewing, and dining at the hotel DAY 2: Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura—Noboribetsu Jigokudani DAY 3: Otaru Denuki Koji—Otaru Canal—Otaru Snow Light Path Festival DAY 4: Niseko Ski Resort—Check in to Sapporo hotel in the evening DAY 5: Shiroi Koibito Park—Tanukikoji Shopping Street DAY 6: Return trip, private transfer to New Chitose Airport, have a safe flight🛫 -------- 📌Trip Highlights: 1️⃣ Snow Feast: At the edge of the snow, lakes, distant mountains, and the sea paint a magnificent picture. 2️⃣ Dreamy Snow Light Path: Stroll along the Snow Light Path, with flickering candlelight along the Otaru Canal and twinkling glass bottle lamps, it's incredibly romantic. 3️⃣ Skiing Paradise: Hokkaido's powder snow is like cotton, with abundant ski slopes, a winter wonderland for ski enthusiasts. -------- Enjoy Japan, customize your unique journey! Follow me to discover more hidden secrets of Japan travel.

#Travel itinerary ##Otaru ##Otaru travel Otaru 1 night 2 days travel course – Romantic canal and retro city Day 1 – Exploring the classic charm of Otaru 08:00 – Depart from Sapporo • Take the JR Hakodate Main Line from Sapporo Station (approximately 35 minutes, 750 yen) • Walk after arriving at Otaru Station 09:00 – Stroll around Otaru Station & Merchen Intersection • Take a leisurely walk after seeing Otaru Station • Admire Otaru’s European-style buildings at **Merchen Intersection (Merchen Square)** • Visit Otaru’s famous Kitaichi Glass Workshop (you can shop for glass crafts) 10:30 – Tea time at LeTAO Main Store ☕️ • Visit the main store of LeTAO, a representative dessert brand in Otaru • Have the famous Double Fromage Cheesecake and a cup of coffee 11:30 – Shopping & sightseeing on Sakaimachi Street • Visit various shops including glass crafts, music boxes, and chocolate • A street where you can feel the vintage atmosphere of Otaru 12:30 – Otaru specialty sushi lunch 🍣 • Recommended: Masazushi (政寿司) or Otaru Takinami (滝波食堂) • A sushi set with fresh Hokkaido seafood 14:00 – Otaru Canal Walk & Cruise 🚢 • A sentimental walk along the Otaru Canal, the symbol of Otaru • Take a canal cruise and enjoy the atmosphere of Otaru at a glance (daytime cruise: approx. 1,500 yen) 15:30 – Visit Otaru Music Box Museum 🎵 • A historical music box store with over 100 years of history • View and purchase various music boxes 17:00 – Hotel check-in & rest • Recommended accommodation: Otaru Furukawa Hotel (Canal) View & hot spring available) 18:30 – Night view of Otaru Canal & Dinner 🌙 • Otaru Canal becomes more romantic when the sun sets • Dinner recommendation: Otaru BEER Restaurant (Hokkaido beer & seafood) 21:00 – Relieve fatigue in the hotel hot spring ♨️ ⸻ Day 2 – Enjoying Otaru’s nature and culture 07:30 – Check out after hotel breakfast 08:30 – Enjoy the view of Otaru from Tenguyama Observatory ⛰️ • Take the Tenguyama Ropeway from Otaru Station (round trip 1,400 yen) • A view spot with a panoramic view of Otaru City and the ocean 10:30 – Visit Otaru Triangle Market & have a light meal • A market where you can eat fresh seafood right away • Recommended menu: Seafood rice bowl (kaisendon) or crab dish 12:00 – Last walk in Otaru & souvenir shopping • Sakaimachi Street & Stop by Kitaichi Glass Studio again for some light shopping 13:30 – Return to Sapporo • Take the train to Sapporo from JR Otaru Station (about 35 minutes) ⸻ 📌 Overall Review & Tips ✔ An itinerary that allows you to fully enjoy the canal and classic street atmosphere ✔ A more leisurely trip is possible if you choose a hotel with a hot spring ✔ Maximize the romantic atmosphere with the night view & cruise ✔ A food tour where you can fully enjoy seafood and desserts

Located not far from Sapporo, Otaru is a must-visit destination for travelers from all over the world visiting Hokkaido! Once the commercial hub of Hokkaido, Otaru has preserved many historical brick buildings, attracting tourists all year round. In summer, you can enjoy the leisurely holiday vibe of this port city, while in winter, the snow-covered landscape transforms Otaru into a fairytale-like European town. The Otaru Canal, one of the city's landmarks, is a must-see spot for all visitors! Stretching 1,140 meters to the sea, the Otaru Canal was once an important unloading route for merchant ships. After the port was renovated, the canal was transformed for tourism purposes. There are 63 uniquely designed gas lamps along the canal, which light up at sunset, creating a completely different atmosphere from the daytime. During the winter, the canal hosts the Otaru Snow Light Path Festival, where the snow-covered scenery becomes even more enchanting. When visiting the Otaru Canal, don't forget to take a ride on the Otaru Canal Cruise. The scenery is different during the day and night, and the 40-minute boat ride offers a unique perspective of Otaru's beauty.

What should you know before your first trip to Hokkaido? Check out this article for everything you need to know before you go. When it comes to traveling to Hokkaido, the first thing that comes to mind is probably skiing in winter. However, Hokkaido is a summer resort with mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, and abundant natural resources. It is a vast land with a sparse population and rich products, where people carefully protect the most primitive and natural land and ecology. If you want to eat and play naturally in Japan, Hokkaido is the place to be! Tourist Areas Central Hokkaido: Including Sapporo and Otaru, this is the most densely populated central area, where you can experience the bustling yet uncrowded Sapporo and the retro and romantic Otaru. Southern Hokkaido: Including Hakodate and Shikotsu-Toya National Park, the former has the famous historical building Goryokaku, and the latter is known as the Natural Volcano Museum. The famous Niseko Ski Resort will be explained separately in the skiing section. Eastern Hokkaido: Mainly composed of Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, Akan-Mashu National Park, and Shiretoko National Park, it is the best area to experience the "great" nature of Hokkaido. Travel Time Hokkaido is a highly seasonal destination. Although there are sights to see and outdoor activities to enjoy all year round, it is important to know your "goal" in advance. Peak Season February: The peak skiing season, and also the time of the "Three Great Winter Festivals" (Sapporo Snow Festival, Asahikawa Winter Festival, and Otaru Snow Light Path Festival). Accommodation prices in Sapporo and nearby ski resorts may increase by 50% to 200%, so be sure to book in advance.

trip ง่ายขึ้นด้วย Trip.com

Hokkaido's top three winter festivals, the Sapporo Snow Festival, Otaru Snow Light Path, and Asahikawa Winter Festival, attract over 2 million visitors annually. Why not join your friends and family for a romantic snowy adventure? - **Sapporo Snow Festival**: This festival began in 1950 when local students built six snow sculptures in Odori Park. It has since evolved into a grand event featuring snowball fights and snow sculpture exhibitions, drawing 50,000 attendees in its first year. The Sapporo Snow Festival is not only Japan's most famous winter celebration but also one of the world's top three snow festivals, with 2.73 million visitors in 2019. The main venue at Odori Park showcases over 200 large snow sculptures and international competition entries, illuminated at night for a magical experience. The Susukino site focuses on ice sculptures, with events like ice sculpture lighting and ice bars. Concurrently, the Sapporo White Illumination Festival lights up Odori Park, Ekimae-dori, and Minami 1-jo Dori. Don't miss it! Dates: February 4-11, 2024. - **Otaru Snow Light Path**: Inspired by Japanese author Sei Ito's "Snow Light Path," this festival emphasizes "human interaction." Crafted by Otaru residents, it celebrates its 26th edition in 2024. The main venues are the Otaru Canal and the Temiya Line ruins, where historic streets are bathed in warm yellow snow lights, reminiscent of bygone days. Floating glass lanterns on the canal resemble stars and galaxies in the night sky. As a major event in Otaru, Asarigawa Onsen and various city locations also light up, offering a less crowded experience than the main venues. Dates: February 10-17, 2024. - **Asahikawa Winter Festival**: Tracing back to 1946, under the guidance of sculptor Kiyoshi Kato, Asahikawa's snow-covered roads were transformed into art. Officially starting in 1960, the festival celebrates its 65th edition in 2024, featuring the world's largest snow and ice sculptures, as certified by Guinness. The main venue at Asahibashi offers ice slides, snowmobiles, hot food, concerts, and dance performances. Heiwa-dori Shopping Park, the main street through Asahikawa's center, displays exquisite ice sculptures that sparkle under colorful lights at night. Dates: February 7-12, 2024. #Hokkaido #SapporoSnowFestival #OtaruSnowLightPath #AsahikawaWinterFestival #JapanTravel #HokkaidoTravel #SkiingInJapan

#summerdream Hokkaido Travel by yourself Otaru Snow Light Path Festival is an annual festival held in Otaru City, Hokkaido, Japan. The festival is held in early February for 10 days. During the festival, Otaru City is lit up with lights and snow lanterns. Many types of snow lanterns are displayed throughout the city, including animal sculptures, fairy tale characters, and abstract shapes. Some of the lanterns are made of shaved ice, while others are colorful. In addition to snow lanterns, there are many other activities to enjoy during the festival, such as snow sledding, ice skating, and skiing. There are also many restaurants and shops open during the festival. The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival is a beautiful and romantic festival, perfect for those who want to experience the beautiful winter atmosphere of Hokkaido.

Sapporo goes to JR in Otaru, and the name of the station is very poetic and romantic: piano, hand rice, rice ear, cold, star, star, money, Chaoli, Xiaoyan. But these names are beautiful, and they can't explain the charming appearance of the city's lanterns. Around the winter of February, there will be tens of thousands of candles in the city of Otaru, forming a road of snow lights, illuminating this city full of nostalgic atmosphere, the dreamy atmosphere will be surrounded by people, in which It seems to be a dream of a fairy tale. When I was sorting out the materials, I turned out a travel brochure for the 2009 Otaru. At that time, the winter snow road was already one of the four seasons. The Xiaoyan snow light is more like a sister who responds to the Sapporo Snow Festival. One is the majestic grandeur, and the other is the warm and graceful jade. I can see the winter scenery in these two places in one day, I have to say that I am really lucky. Otaru Canal Hall in February, Snow Country Powder Snow is beautiful, the beautiful Otaru Canal will float a glass float that was once tied to the fishing net, with candles in the float, shining on the water of Otaru Canal Candlelight. This float glass is actually the "floating jade" used in marine lighting in the early small-scale fishery. This glass-filled jade represents the rise and prosperity of Xiaoyan, and it is also closely related to Xiaoyan's whistle workshop. The Japanese like to combine the old objects that can represent their glorious history with the current festivals, which is very similar to China, which is separated by water. In addition to the floating jade on the river, during the snow festival, the canal will be filled with candles on both sides of the canal, echoing the special shape of the snow lanterns. Under the blue sky and clear water, the romantic index of the Xiaoyan Canal reached the peak of the year.