20260206 - one of the locations for the sapporo ice festival. Once you arrive at sakaemachi station, you can pay 200 yen to get on shuttle bus to location. This location focuses more on activities such as tubing down ice slide (which has long queue of 45 min), or snow rafting. There are also few snow sculptors. You can also get some rest and food indoor. Nice to come experience for once.
Normally it's a community center, where different events take place. For the snow festival, there's a ton of vendors, and family-fun activities.
Very family friendly and fun. Every attraction was free except for one snowmobile ride, which is completely understandable. The food inside was amazing as well as affordable. Can't see myself being in Sapporo during the Snow Festival and not bringing my family back here.
Visited during the recent Sapporo Snow Festival in February 2025. Took a shuttle bus from the subway station for 200 yen, arriving at a lively outdoor snow experience that was free for all. There were snow slides for everyone, with the longest one requiring a ticket due to long queues, but still free of charge. Plenty of activities were available, especially for children, including ice carving and snowman making. Snow rafting was also an option, priced at 1,000 yen for adults and 600 yen for kids (see image). Inside the dome, a food extravaganza awaited, along with various poster showcases.
On Sunday Feb 10, 2019, inside the Dome’s nearest subway station, there were people welcoming the Snow Festival visitors and at Chuo bus (costing 100 Yen) waiting at the Exit. The sculptures generally looked good as it was cold (-6 degrees Celsius) and my hands got numb, not wanting to take shots probably because I helped a serious couple for too long with the mobiles and professional cameras. On my way out, I noticed that there were Chuo buses (costing 210 Yen) to the O-dori or Susukino sites and of course I got onto one of them to save energy and keep warm!
Postscript
On Feb 10, 2025, I came again, this time with my wife. Shuttle bus to the venue, costed 200 yen (cash only). We watched the children having fun with all the activities, from snow maze to snow rafting. For passive visitors, there weren’t much to see.
Tsudome is Sapporo's largest indoor sports facility and convention center located in Higashi Ward. During the Sapporo Snow Festival, Tsudome serves as the third venue featuring family-friendly snow activities, indoor exhibitions, and food courts, making it a popular winter destination for tourists and locals.
To reach Tsudome from Sapporo Station, take the JR Toho Line to Sakuragicho Station (15 minutes), then board shuttle bus #100 directly to Tsudome (10 minutes). Alternatively, take subway Tozai Line to Kanjo-dori Higashi Station, then take bus #中央バス to Tsudome. Total travel time is approximately 30-40 minutes.
During Sapporo Snow Festival, Tsudome is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission to Tsudome Snow Festival venue is completely free, including access to outdoor snow slides, snow rafting, and indoor exhibition areas. Some food vendors and souvenir shops inside operate independently with separate pricing.
Tsudome offers exciting winter activities including giant snow slides, snow rafting, snowshoe walking, and tube sliding for all ages. Indoor attractions feature warm rest areas, local Hokkaido food court, souvenir shopping, cultural exhibitions, and stage performances. The venue combines outdoor snow fun with comfortable indoor facilities perfect for families.
The best time to visit Tsudome is during the Sapporo Snow Festival (early February) when special winter activities are available. Weekday mornings are less crowded than weekends and afternoons. The venue typically gets busiest between 11 AM-3 PM on weekends, so arriving early morning or late afternoon provides a better experience with shorter wait times for activities.
