SAPPORO—The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of Hokkaido’s most popular ... visitors from around the world until Feb. 11. The Odori Park venue features a row of five snow statues each more than ...

In normal years, more than 2 million people visit the event, which began in 1950 as a one-day festival with six snow statues built by local junior and senior high school students in Odori Park.

Pools of melted snow formed in Odori Park, one of the main festival sites. Organisers moved quickly to adjust, but the warmer weather had already taken its toll. One of the event's centrepiece ...

Held annually since 1950, Hokkaido’s winter tradition has featured about 200 ice and snow sculptures and statues at Odori Park and two other venues. The festival has attracted more than 2 ...

The festival first began in Sapporo’s Odori Park in 1950, when the snow sculptures were made by local high school students. By 1974, it had gained international recognition and added a contest ...