Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival, a dazzling showcase of ice and artistry that lures millions to far northern Hokkaido prefecture each winter, almost did not happen this year. A month of record-breaking warmth left organisers scrambling, until a last-minute cold front swept in, allowing them to breathe a collective sigh of relief – at least for now.
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The festival, which officially opens on Tuesday, is more than just a hugely popular seasonal attraction. It is also an economic lifeline for Sapporo, injecting an estimated US$430 million into the local economy each year.
But for locals and experts alike, warmer winters in northern Japan are sounding alarms about the future of the festival.
“They got very lucky this year,” said Makoto Watanabe, an academic from the nearby city of Eniwa. “There was a lot less snow than usual in January, but a lot fell over the three days just before the festival opened.”
The event could usually rely on snow trucked in from Hokkaido’s mountains to build its famous ice sculptures, Watanabe said. But as temperatures rise, snowfall is not the only issue. There is also the stability of ice sculptures to worry about.
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“The problem is when temperatures, especially during the day, are above zero and the snow and ice begin to melt,” Watanabe said. “When that happens, the very biggest statues can become unstable and dangerous.”