Admission fee: 500 yen
On the way to go to the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival
(Japanese: Sounkyo Hyobaku Matsuri, 層雲峡氷瀑まつり） from the hotel.
Near the entrance of the festival. It was very fantastic!
Snow huts
Firework of Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival
It was such a beautiful moment. We forgot the coldness!
Ice sculpture of Salmons in the snow hut
Coins were embedded in the ice sculptures.
Ice sculpture of cute character in the snow hut
Ice sculpture of Jizō/Ojizō-sama in the snow hut
Ice sculpture of Mercy Goddess in the snow hut
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the other side of the river
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Inside an ice cave
There were so many icicles inside the ice cave when we looked up.
Illumination inside the ice cave
Ice pub inside the ice cave
There was a big Sake barrel made in Asahikawa on the icy bar counter.
There was an icy stairs to go up to the roof of the ice cave.
The view from the roof of the ice cave.
How fantastic!
This is the big main ice cave.
One of the entrance was shaped like a dragon.
Shinto shrine torii (gate) of Hyobaku shrine
Icy egg inside the snow dome of Hyobaku shrine.
Ice rock climbing
Snow tubing
We can buy and est some snacks & hot drinks at the warm place.
icy river of Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival
Episode of Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival
First step to go to the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival, you need to pass through icy stairs till the entrance. It is very slippery. Some people were falling down from the icy stairs while we were going down. Tomo & Chouchou succeeded to go down icy stairs and arrive at the entrance somehow. There were many snow huts near the entrance so we were about to visit. Then firework started. So we enjoyed the firework first, then we visited snow huts. Inside the snow huts, we could find interesting ice sculptures. You may find your favorite one.
Next, we went to the other side of the river. We found a huge ice cave. We could enter inside the ice cave. Inside the ice cave was also lit up with many colors. We also found many icicles inside the cave. It was scary at the beginning. We felt they might drop on us.... But, actually, inside the cave, illumination was too beautiful to be afraid of that. We were eager to take photos of the beauty of illumination inside the cave. So we easily forgot our fear and coldness.
There was an ice pub. Unfortunately we couldn't drink there. It would be nicer and more enjoyable if we can really drink Sake in the ice pub!
Not only inside but also above the ice cave was very fantastic. It was amazing to look down all the colorful snow huts from the roof of the ice cave!
It was the first time for us to enjoy such an icy world in Japan! It was very exciting. Snow festival is more famous but actually ice festival is also super nice! We liked Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival a lot. Please enjoy such a fantastic ice festival !
Tomo & Chouchou's advice for the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival
1)To go to the entrace, we must go down the icy stairs. It was very slippery and scary. Some people were falling down from the icy stairs. You had better wear non-slip shoes!
2)There are some attractions such as ice rock climbing, snow tubing. For family, especially for kids, it would be enjoyable to do.
3)If you feel easily cold, you can enter the store to warm up yourself. There is a stove inside the store. You can get some warm foods and hot drinks there.
Episode of Hotel in Sounkyo
Tomo & Chouchou thought we would stay at Hotel Taisetsu because the photo of that hotel was on the travel brochure and it looked very nice. However only our group of this tour, people of the same bus, had to stay at Sounkyo Kanko Hotel.
So we were a bit disappointed... however Sounkyo Kanko Horel was very close to the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival. After 3 minutes walk, we could arrive there. So as a result, it was very convenient to walk on an icy road at night.
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Travel Itinerary of Hokkaido Snow Festival tour Tomo & Chouchou joined
Travel agent：Club Tourism International Inc.
Date: Feb in 2016 (2 nights 3 days)
1st day: Arrive at Wakkanai airport ⇒ Scallop lunch at Wakkanai station which has northernmost railroad track ⇒ Snow activities such as snow rafting, snow mobile, snow tube at Soya Fureai Park (Japanese: Soya Fureai Koen, 宗谷ふれあい公園） ⇒ Visit Cape Sōya (Japanese: Sōya-Misaki, 宗谷岬), where is the northernmost point of Japan. Visit Drift Ice Hall too. ⇒ Watch Russian musical ensemble at Wakkanai Sakhalin Hall (Japanese: Wakkanai Sakhalin Kan, 稚内サハリン館) ⇒
Stay at Hotel Meguma in Wakkanai. Enjoy Wakkanai hot spring and Soya crab dinner course.
2nd day: Visit Lake Kutcharo (Japanese: Kutcharo-ko, クッチャロ湖) in Hamatombetsu (浜頓別). ⇒ Go to Cape Drift Ice / Cape Ryuhyo (Japanese: Ryuhyo-misaki, 流氷岬) in Monbetsu (紋別). Bord on the drift ice crusher "Garinko Ⅱ". ⇒ Stay at Sounkyo Kankou Hotel (層雲峡観光ホテル). Enjoy 41th Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival at night.
3rd day: Enjoy snow sculpture and ice sculpture of 67th Sapporo Snow Festival. ⇒ Eat Sapporo Ramen (Japanese: ラーメン, which is a Japanese noodle soup) at New Chitose Airport Terminal (Japanese: Shin Chitose Kuko, 新千歳空港) ⇒ Fly back to go home.
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Travel review of Hokkaido Snow Festival group tour
Tomo & Chouchou had dreamed of traveling to the snow festival in Hokkaido. Our dream came true with this tour!
There are so many snow festivals in Hokkaido. Sapporo Snow Festival is the most famous one. With this tour, we could go to two festivals "Sapporo Snow Festival" and "Sounkyo Hyobaku Festival". Normally it costs a lot to travel to Hokkaido during snow festival season. With this group tour, we could travel at a relatively reasonable price. So we were very lucky. We could also visit the northernmost point of Japan and board the drift ice crusher. Even though we couldn't see the drift ice, 2016 was not so enough cold to see the drift ice, it was enjoyable to look for the drift ice. All the foods that we ate were good. We were really satisfied with this tour.
Relating article
other winter festivals in the world
* Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido, Japan
* Montreal Snow Festival, Canada
* Quebec Winter Carnival, Canada
* Winterlude & Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, Canada
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