Where to Stay for Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: 5 Areas Compared

Sapporo Snow Festival 2027 runs from Thursday, February 4 to Thursday, February 11 (a national holiday) at three sites — Odori, Susukino and Tsudome — according to the official festival site. This guide answers one question: where to sleep. It compares five bases by nearest festival site, subway line and underground walkway, plus the train from New Chitose Airport to each.

The three festival sites and their nearest stations

Odori: on top of the main site

• ●Nearest site: the Odori site itself — Odori Park from Nishi 1-chome to Nishi 11-chome, lit until 22:00.
• ●Subway: Odori Station — Namboku Line (N07) and Tozai Line (T09) at Odori Nishi 4-chome, Toho Line (H08) at Odori Nishi 2-chome. It is one stop from Sapporo Station on the Namboku or Toho Line.
• ●Underground in winter: Pole Town (400 m) runs from Odori Station to Susukino Station. Aurora Town (312 m) runs east from Odori Station under Odori Nishi 1- to 3-chome. Chi-ka-ho (about 520 m) links Odori with Sapporo Station.
• ●Why stay here: you can return to your room to warm up between a daytime look and the evening light-up.

Susukino: ice sculptures and late evenings

• ●Nearest site: the Susukino site, on Ekimae-dori from Minami 4-jo to Minami 6-jo. Susukino Station is listed at Minami 4-jo Nishi 4-chome, at the Minami 4-jo end of the site.
• ●Subway: Susukino Station, Namboku Line (N08) — one stop from Odori, two from Sapporo.
• ●Underground in winter: Pole Town connects Susukino Station with Odori Station. Sapporo's official tourism site says JR Sapporo Station and Susukino Station are linked underground in a straight line (Chi-ka-ho, then Pole Town).
• ●Late evenings: the official FAQ says the Susukino site is lit until 23:00 (22:00 on the last day). The 2027 hours are due from mid-December.

Sapporo Station: airport trains and day trips

• ●Nearest site: the Odori site, through the Chi-ka-ho underground walkway — about 520 m and about a 10-minute walk, according to Sapporo's official tourism site, which also says it connects directly to Odori Park.
• ●Subway: Sapporo Station on the Namboku Line (N06) and Toho Line (H07). Odori is one stop on either line. The Toho Line runs straight to Sakaemachi (H01) for Tsudome, six stops away.
• ●Airport: JR Rapid Airport trains from New Chitose Airport stop here, so there is no transfer with luggage.
• ●Walkway hours: Sapporo's official tourism site lists Chi-ka-ho as open 5:45–24:30.
• ●Day trips: JR Hokkaido says some Rapid Airport trains run on to Otaru — check the destination before boarding.

Nakajima-koen and Hosui-Susukino: one stop further out

• ●Nearest site: the Susukino site (Ekimae-dori, Minami 4-jo to Minami 6-jo).
• ●Nakajima-koen Station: Namboku Line (N09), listed at Minami 9-jo Nishi 4-chome — one stop beyond Susukino, three from Sapporo.
• ●Hosui-Susukino Station: Toho Line (H09), listed at Minami 6-jo Nishi 2-chome — one stop from Odori, two from Sapporo, and on the same line as Sakaemachi for Tsudome.
• ●Winter walking: Pole Town ends at Susukino Station, so from these stations expect to walk at street level. Shoes with good grip help on icy pavements.

Near Tsudome (Sakaemachi): for a Tsudome-first trip

• ●Nearest site: Tsudome (Sapporo Community Dome), Sakaemachi 885-1, Higashi-ku.
• ●Subway: Sakaemachi Station, Toho Line (H01), the end of the line. From there, take the shuttle bus or walk about 15 minutes, says the official FAQ.
• ●Opening hours: Tsudome is open 10:00–16:00 in 2027. Some attractions may stop taking visitors early when it is crowded.
• ●Trade-off: Odori is seven stops away on the Toho Line, so the evening light-ups mean a ride back. A Toho Line base in the centre (Sapporo, Odori or Hosui-Susukino) reaches Sakaemachi without changing trains.

New Chitose Airport to each area

Which area for whom

FAQ

Are the underground walkways open late at night? Sapporo's official tourism site lists Chi-ka-ho (Sapporo Station to Odori) as open 5:45–24:30. The official site of Pole Town and Aurora Town gives shop hours of 10:00–20:00 and does not state when the passages close, so check on arrival before planning a late walk underground.

Is there an airport bus instead of the train? Yes. Sapporo's official tourism site says Hokkaido Chuo Bus and Hokuto Kotsu buses leave New Chitose Airport every 10–15 minutes and take about 70 minutes to central Sapporo. The JR Rapid Airport is faster to Sapporo Station (fastest 37 minutes).

Should I stay near Tsudome? Only if Tsudome is the main reason for your trip. It is open 10:00–16:00, while the Odori and Susukino sites are lit in the evening. A hotel near a Toho Line station — Sapporo, Odori or Hosui-Susukino — reaches Sakaemachi without changing trains.