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Sapporo Snow Festival to Feature Mandalorian Giant Snow Sculpture

Jan 08, 2026 | News On Japan

SAPPORO - A safety prayer ceremony was held ahead of the construction of giant snow sculptures at the Odori site, one of the main venues of the 76th Sapporo Snow Festival, which opens in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on February 4th.

The ceremony took place at the UHB Family Land area at Odori 10-chome, where UHB President Tsuruí Toru and others offered words of encouragement to members of the sculpture production teams.

At this venue, giant snow sculptures exceeding 10 meters in height will be created, featuring the Mandalorian, the protagonist of the latest Star Wars film, to coincide with the release of the new movie.

Regarding the giant snow sculptures, the Self-Defense Forces have previously been responsible for producing two of the five major works, but citing the need to secure sufficient training time, they plan to reduce their involvement to one sculpture starting in 2027.

The Sapporo Snow Festival will run for eight days from February 4th to February 11th.

Source: 北海道ニュースUHB

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