Otaru Snow Light Path Festival

What to know

The 2026 Snow Light Path Festival ended on February 14.

The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival (小樽雪あかりの路, Otaru Yuki Akari no Michi) is a winter festival held every February in Otaru, during which the city becomes decorated in lights and small snow statues. The festival usually runs at a similar time as the nearby Sapporo Snow Festival, making it possible for travelers in Hokkaido to visit both festivals on the same trip.

The combination of the snowy town and the glittering lanterns creates a very pleasant atmosphere. The main festival venues get lit up daily from 17:00 to 21:00 and include three venues in the all-walkable city center and one on the mountain overlooking the city. In addition, smaller venues prepared by local residents are spread across the city.

The Canal venue (Unga venue) is the most prominent venue, located along 300 meters of the town's iconic Otaru Canal. The restored warehouses and gas lamps along the canal make for a romantic setting, and the canal itself is covered with small buoys that hold candles. Along the path beside the water there is a row of small snow statues that also hold candles. The canal is about a ten minute walk from Otaru Station along the main road leading from the station.

Between the canal and the train station is the Temiyasen venue, which stretches for about half a kilometer along the former tracks of the abolished Temiyasen railway line. During the festival, the pleasant pathway gets lined by many lanterns and illuminated snow statues, as well as a few food stands. Between the two before-mentioned venues lies the Otaru Art Base venue, a plaza in front of the museum of the same name. It features a snow slide, more illuminations and an event stage. Finally, the Tenguyama venue is located around the upper ropeway station on Mount Tenguyama, which overlooks the city with spectacular views.

The Canal venue beside Otaru Canal is a ten minute walk straight down the main road from Otaru Station, while the Temiyasen venue lies about half way between the station and the canal, running parallel to the canal. The Tenguyama venue is located around the upper station of the Tenguyama Ropeway (2000 yen round trip), whose lower station can be accessed from Otaru Station in a 20 minute ride by bus number 9 (240 yen one way, every 30 minutes).