Best Winter Festivals in Japan 2017-2018

(Updated 2018-2019)

Winter in Japan means snow, festivals, illuminations, and food. There are different festivals that are worth visiting in Japan on winter, some of it includes the European themed Christmas markets filled with lights and Christmas food, Snow festivals like the Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival, Sapporo Snow Festival, and festivals like Dosojin matsuri. Winter in Japan is also known for its Illuminations, some of the most popular spots include Caretta Shiodome Illuminations and Rikugien Garden Illuminations. Here is the list of best winter festivals in Japan for 2018-2019.

Christmas Markets

Japan's Christmas festivities can be seen through lights lighting trees around Tokyo, but even more when the Christmas markets come to town. 5 Christmas markets take place in Japan in December. European themed markets selling traditional Christmas food, where you can just enjoy the food and feel the festive atmosphere Tokyo has to offer. The market will take place through December until Christmas day. Tokyo's Christmas markets have got to be one of the must-sees if you ever visit Tokyo during winter.

Solamachi Christmas Market - Oshiage

Located right next to Tokyo Skytree, this market is one of the most popular Christmas markets. Stollen, Glühwein, holiday trinkets are sold in wooden stalls, combined with the illumination giving the festival the downtown cityscape feels, and really is something worth-visiting.

Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival

Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival is held annually on the 15th and 16th of February in Yokote, a city in the prefecture of Akita, and has taken place since 400 years ago. Kamakura or igloo-like houses made from snow built all across the city is the main feature of the festival. While along the Yokote river, candles-lit mini kamakura in the size of a lantern is made along the Yokote River from dusk until around 9 pm and it adds more beauty to the festival with the sea of light. Everyone is welcome to enjoy rice cakes and warm rice wine inside the kamakura during the festival, and all one has to do to enjoy the experience is by making an offering to the water deity. This festival is absolutely one you can’t miss when visiting Japan during winter. Yokote can be reached by taking the JR Ou Line to the Yokote station from the Akita station, continued with a shuttle bus.

Dosojin Matsuri (Nozawa Fire Festival)

Dosojin Matsuri is the one winter matsuri that will warm you up! It is held in the Nozawa onsen village in Nagano prefecture, where 100 of men of the age groups of 25 and 42 builds a wooden structure which is then set on fire as a cleansing ritual as both age groups are deemed as unlucky in Japan. The festival got people gathering to drink sake and watch the giant bonfire in the cold of winter.

Caretta Shiodome Illuminations

Talking about illuminations, the Caretta Shiodome Illuminations definitely the one you shouldn’t miss since it is the biggest scale Winter Illumination in Tokyo, it is so popular that it runs from November to January. The shows start at 5 pm and end at 11 pm, taking place every 20 minutes and features approximately 250,000 LEDs light. Take the time to visit this mesmerizing illumination on your visit to Japan.

Roppongi Hills Artelligent Christmas

On the Azabu side of the Roppongi Hills, Keyakizaka street displays the big illumination with 1,200,000 LEDs alternating between “Snow and Blue” theme to “Candle and Red”, lighting up the streets of Roppongi. The beautifully lighted street can be seen from November 14th until Christmas day from 5 pm to 11 pm everyday. The streets itself is within a walking distance from Roppongi Station, and what’s better is you can enjoy this beautiful view for free. Walking through the lighted street of Roppongi is one of the musts when traveling to Japan in Winter.

Illumination at Rikugien Garden

Near the Komagome station, a beautifully designed Edo garden called Rikugien Garden is full of beautiful lights annually in the illumination event. The lights brings out beautiful colours of autumn leaves in the garden, flooding you with the breathtaking sight of autumn colours, and definitely a great way to spend your winter night in Tokyo. To enjoy the view you just have to pay 300 yen and it is free for children to enter. The Komagome station is located along the Yamanote line, conveniently connected to other great destinations in Tokyo.

Otaru Snow Light Path

Otaru is located 30 minutes away from Sapporo, and just like how Sapporo has its snow festival, Otaru has its canal decorated with snow sculptures that are lit up with lights! The light and the snow definitely gave Otaru an enchanting feel along with a magical atmosphere and not to mention romantic. The festival itself runs for 10 days and also coincides with the famous Sapporo Snow Festival and more importantly, cost nothing to enjoy.It is located ten minutes away by foot or two minutes by bus down the main road from Otaru station. So if you ever visit Sapporo during the winter, you should not miss these two of the most beautiful Japanese winter festivals.

Sapporo Snow Festival

One of the largest events in Hokkaido for which more than 2 million people visit annually. Plenty of events where you can encounter huge snow and ice sculptures only to be found in an environment rich in snow.