Sapporo Snow Festival
Studio Ghibli bathhouse owner, other anime characters recreated in snow and ice at annual Hokkaido event.
Star Wars, anime favourites, and tennis pro Naomi Osaka all make an appearance at this year’s event.
Come for the fire-breathing dragon vs. Dragoon action, stay for the iconic victory fanfare.
Towering snow sculptures pay homage to Final Fantasy and Osamu Tezuka’s beloved anime characters.
Missing out on the 67th Sapporo Snow Festival? Check out some of the snow sculptures that have been popular on Twitter!
It’s less than a month till the Snow Miku 2016 festival! And even more fans will be delighted this year, as Miku teams up with μ’s from Love Live!
The key difference between being an idol singer and a pop diva is warmth. Even if you’ve got perfect pitch and unshakable rhythm, if you want to succeed as an idol, you still need a heart-melting smile. Really, as long as you’ve got the smile, idol fans will even cut you a lot of slack on not having the other two.
So it’s a little unusual to gaze upon this trio of anime idols and feel a chill run down your spine, and not just because they’re made of snow.
The annual Sapporo Snow Festival held in Japan’s northernmost prefecture has been delighting tourists and locals for over six decades. Each year, artists from around the world are invited to show off their talents constructing enormous structures out of ice and snow.
To commemorate the release of the seventh installment of the Star Wars series, The Walt Disney Company has collaborated with festival officials to design what looks to be the most epic large-scale snow sculpture yet, featuring enormous snow versions of Darth Vader, three Storm Troopers, a TIE fighter, and the Death Star.
Last year we brought you a firsthand account of the 2013 Sapporo Snow Festival, with more images of snow and ice sculptures than you can get your tongue stuck to. This year, we’re sad to say we couldn’t make it out to the annual event up in Japan’s northernmost prefecture, so we’ve been living vicariously through Twitter users. Some of the images we’ve seen are too good not to share, so we decided to give you a little taste of the snow festival through the following gallery of images from Twitter.
MOST POPULAR
Now
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
This quiet forest cafe in Japan lets you read all day in the house of a famous author
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
What makes a good boss in Japan? Workers sound off in survey
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Sushi cars are the newest crazy cool dream from Japan’s Tomica line
Here’s what our bachelor writers ate over the New Year’s holiday in Japan
Kyoto to introduce “empty home tax” for vacation houses and unused homes
Majority of Japanese mayors say foreign residents are essential but most see good and bad effects
Weekly
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Cup Noodle tries an authentic Jiro-style ramen, but something’s not quite right
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
The best Starbucks Japan Frappuccinos we want to drink again in 2026
We revisited Sweets Paradise after a decade to see if Japan’s dessert buffet still delivers
That time Seiji called JASRAC to ask why he didn’t get paid royalties for his song being on TV
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party- Majority of Japanese mayors say foreign residents are essential but most see good and bad effects
Monthly
- Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Sushi cars are the newest crazy cool dream from Japan’s Tomica line
Here’s what our bachelor writers ate over the New Year’s holiday in Japan
Kyoto to introduce “empty home tax” for vacation houses and unused homes
Majority of Japanese mayors say foreign residents are essential but most see good and bad effects
New world’s biggest Muji just opened in Japan, and we paid it a visit【Photos】
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Rock star Yoshiki donates to Meals on Wheels, asks why coronavirus cases in Japan are so low
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
McDo…raemon! McDonald’s Japan offering Doraemon Shake and pie for festival season
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Fukuoka’s Inaba Udon chain comes to Harajuku and we slurp up every last drop of it
-
