Snow Sculpture Preparations for Sapporo Snow Festival Progressing Smoothly, Organizing Committee Conducts Midpoint Check

The 76th Sapporo Snow Festival is an annual winter event held in Sapporo, Japan, renowned for its massive, intricate snow and ice sculptures. First held in 1950 when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park, it has grown into a major international festival attracting millions of visitors. The festival celebrates winter creativity and culture, featuring spectacular displays, ice slides, and illuminated sculptures at multiple sites across the city.

Odori Park is a large public park in central Sapporo, Japan, originally established in 1871 as a firebreak to divide the city into north and south sections. It is now the iconic site for the annual Sapporo Snow Festival and serves as a major green space hosting various seasonal events and markets throughout the year.

Chuo Ward is one of Tokyo’s 23 special wards, located at the heart of the city and known as a major financial and commercial center. Historically, much of its land was reclaimed from Tokyo Bay during the Edo period (1603-1868), and districts like Nihonbashi and Ginza have been pivotal centers of commerce, culture, and trade for centuries. Today, it is home to the historic Tsukiji Outer Market, the upscale Ginza shopping district, and the Bank of Japan, blending traditional landmarks with modern skyscrapers.

Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido, Japan, founded in 1868 as a planned modern settlement during the Meiji era’s development of the northern frontier. It is now internationally famous for hosting the 1972 Winter Olympics and its annual Sapporo Snow Festival, which began in 1950. The city’s history is also closely tied to its beer brewing industry, with the Sapporo Beer Museum marking the site of one of Japan’s oldest breweries, established in 1876.