Visited the Sounkyo icefall festival on 27 February 2023, and was pleasantly surprised by the larger scale of the event than I had expected
There were numerous ice art pieces, most of which were small buildings that you could walk into, providing an immersive experience.
However, there were quite a few slippery stairs, so wearing appropriate footwear is recommended. While the ice bar was interesting, it didn't stand out to me as much as the other ice art pieces. Additionally, there was a convenient stall within the festival area, although it was not made of ice.
Overall, it was a unique and enjoyable experience, and I would recommend a visit to the Sounkyo icefall festival.
The venue is moderately sized and full of photo spots. Beautiful fireworks this year starts at 8.30 pm.
There is also a booth selling snacks, so you can drink sake when it gets cold.
28 Jan - 12 Mar 2023 Open 17:00 - 21:30 Admission fee ¥500
The ice festival on Sounkyo, it was unexpectedly wider area than expected, don't underestimate the cold though, I went on February it was very darned cold that i was freezing, the inside was marvelous though, there were a lot of buildings and sculptures made of ice illuminated with bright and colorful lights. The floor surface also was very slippery, take care when going here especially the staircase.
This is my first time enjoying this festival. I had a good experience here. The castle is magnificent and colorful, so I think you should come here once to feel
This festival that runs during the winter months is okay. There's a bunch of ice sculptures and formations lit up in different colors. There's some level of kitsch with some of the ice sculptures, and some other pieces are impressive. There's a small tubing area where snow tubes are available for rental and there are some food options available.
Is it worth making a day trip to Sounkyo from Asahikawa? Probably not. You would need to stay in a nearby hotel overnight, go to the onsen, take advantage of the nearby skiing, hike around the nearby mountains to make the trip worthwhile. The festival starts at 4 PM, and if you need to make it back to Asahikawa the same day, you need to take one of the buses around 530 and then catch a train from Kamikawa station. It's a long journey and hard to recommend just for the ice festival.
