What’s On This Week: Jan 26 – Feb 1

おはようございます

We’re now in the week leading up to the Snow Festival. Yesterday’s heavy snowfall disrupted transportation across the city, and nearby areas are also buried under tons of snow. I can hear the snow removal crews working since last night and continuing into this morning. Bus service within the city is suspended, and JR Hokkaido is busy clearing the lines, with service expected to resume around 1 PM today. So the subway lines are packed this morning.

As we dig out and prepare for the festival, a few events are still moving ahead around the city:

Snow Rafting & Tubing at Maruyama Park (Weekends)

Running every weekend until Feb 7 & 8

Time: 10:00–11:30 / 13:30–15:00

Fee: ¥500 per person

Get to Know Japan’s Milano 2026 Winter Olympic Athletes on Jan 31

Location: Underground passageway near the Kita 3 corner

Time: 11:00–15:00

There will be exhibits and displays related to the upcoming Olympics.

That’s it for now as the city gears up for the big event next week. With visitors arriving from all over the world, we may see more than 2 million people this year based on past festivals. The fresh snow will probably be a boon for visitors, though I hope transportation stays stable once they arrive.

Have a great week!