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Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival

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Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival

One of Hokkaido's three major winter festivals, where ice sculptures are fantastically lit up.

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Supervised by :  Sounkyo Tourism Association

The Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival is held annually from late January to mid-March at Sounkyo Onsen, one of the premier hot spring destinations in Hokkaido. Utilizing the riverbed of the Ishikari River, the festival spans an area of about 10,000 square meters, lined with various sizes of ice sculptures, making it one of Hokkaido's three major winter festivals.

Taking advantage of the severe natural cold, around 30 ice sculptures are crafted over approximately three months, featuring a variety of forms including ice rooms, pyramids, and the "Ice Waterfall Shrine," which enshrines spirits made of ice. The "Ice Bar," where even the counter and seats are made of ice, is popular for enjoying drinks. A resting area equipped with stoves offers hot drinks and light meals for purchase.

During the festival, there are 32 fireworks displays. The colorful fireworks launched into the clear winter sky are a stunning sight. Since the venue can be quite cold, it's recommended to dress warmly and wear shoes with slip-resistant soles.

Highlights

  • An ice sculpture light-up event counted as one of Hokkaido's three major winter festivals.
  • About 30 ice sculptures are fantastically lit up.
  • During the festival, 32 fireworks displays are launched, especially on weekends.

Photos

  • The ice sculptures, meticulously crafted over about three months, are truly a sight to behold.

    The ice sculptures, meticulously crafted over about three months, are truly a sight to behold.

  • There are also paid spectator seats available, offering a close-up view of the fireworks right in front of you.

    There are also paid spectator seats available, offering a close-up view of the fireworks right in front of you.

Reviews

1

Some reviews are AI-translated.

  • 黃國棟
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    If you're visiting Hokkaido in winter, I really recommend adding the Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival to your itinerary! It's one of Hokkaido's three major winter festivals, held every winter at Sounkyo Onsen. The roughly 10,000-square-meter snow and ice venue is built on the riverbed of the Ishikari River.

    There are ice sculptures and ice huts of all shapes and sizes. With the colorful lights, the entire icy world looks incredibly magical, and at night it's so beautiful you won't want to leave. Besides admiring the ice sculptures, you can play on the ice slide or rent a tube and have fun sliding on the snow.

    There are also fireworks at 8:00 p.m., which look especially romantic against the snow and ice. Although it was absolutely freezing, the beautiful scenery made it completely worth it! You really have to experience the charm of winter in Hokkaido for yourself.

Details

Name in Japanese
層雲峡温泉氷瀑まつり
Address
Sounkyo onsen, Sounkyo, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
Telephone
01658-2-1811 (Sounkyo Tourism Association)
01658-5-3350 (Sounkyo Tourism Association Information Center) 10:30am - 5pm
01658-5-3000 (Ice Waterfall Festival Venue) 5pm - 9:30pm
Event Dates
January 25, 2025 (Sat) - March 9, 2025 (Sun)
Access
About a 5-minute walk from the "Sounkyo Onsen" bus stop.
Official Website
Official Website (Japanese)
Hokkaido Tohoku Kanto Chubu Hokuriku Kansai Chugoku Shikoku Kyushu Okinawa