Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival - 【Official】Hokkaido Central Tourism Guide

One of Hokkaido’s premier winter events, the Sounkyo Onsen Icefall Festival is held on a roughly 10,000‑square‑meter site utilizing the Ishikari River riverbed. The venue features about 30 ice sculptures of various sizes, a 13‑meter‑high ice room, an observation deck, a tubing slide, and the Icefall Shrine, among many other attractions. The ice formations, crafted over approximately three months to take advantage of the deep canyon terrain at the foot of the Daisetsuzan Mountains, are illuminated in seven colors at night, creating a magical atmosphere. Throughout the festival a variety of stage events take place, and fireworks light up the frigid night sky.

Basic Info

Location: 〒078-1701
北海道上川郡上川町層雲峡
Business hours: Weekdays 17:00~21:30 (last entry 21:15)
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 11:00~21:30 (last entry 21:15)
Telephone number: 01658-2-1811 (Sounkyo Tourism Association Weekdays 8:30-17:30)
Other contacts: ➀01658-5-3350 (Sounkyo Tourist Association Information Center 10:30-17:00)
(2)01658-5-3000 (Icefall Festival Venue 1/24-3/8 17:00-21:30)
Fee: Cooperation fee: 1,000 yen
Parking lot: Please
use the Sounkyo public parking lot.
Access: By
car, about 90 minutes
from Asahikawa, about 150 minutes
from Sapporo, about 90 minutes from Kitami, about 150 minutes

from Obihiro If
you come by bus, from
Asahikawa about 1 hour and 55 minutes by Hokkaido Bus "Sounkyo/Kamikawa Line" (from JR Asahikawa Station)
・From
Sapporo, highway bus "Sounkyo/Asahikawa Line" ( Hokkaido Bus-Hokkaido Chuo Bus) is in operation (there may be seasonal operation).
Or change to a local bus in Asahikawa.
・From
Kitami, the intercity bus "Limited Express Ishikita" (Hokkaido Kitami Bus and Hokkaido Bus) stops at the "Sounkyo" bus stop.
・From
Obihiro　The "North Liner" (Tokachi Bus, Hokkaido Bus, Hokkaido Takushoku Bus) stops at the "Sounkyo" bus stop.
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