Sapporo Snow Festival Faces Cut in Giant Sculptures

May 20, 2025 | News On Japan

SAPPORO - Starting in 2027, the number of giant snow sculptures produced by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) for the Sapporo Snow Festival will be reduced from two to one, due to increasing demands on personnel for disaster response and winter training.

Each year, the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) has created two of the massive snow sculptures at the festival’s Odori site in response to a request from the City of Sapporo. However, on May 19th, the GSDF formally proposed reducing its involvement to just one sculpture beginning in 2027, citing the need to secure more time for training and disaster preparedness.

In addition to the two SDF-made sculptures, three others are usually created by nonprofit organizations and other groups, making a total of five. But Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto suggested that the overall number may fall to four, as replacing the SDF’s contribution with an additional private-sector sculpture could prove difficult.

"While we want to avoid reducing the number, realistically it may be very challenging for the private sector to take on another giant sculpture," said Akimoto.

Sapporo City plans to hold discussions with the festival’s executive committee to determine the path forward.

Source: 北海道ニュースUHB

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