Winter season only! 3 winter wonderland festivals in Niigata, Japan

Winter brings snow to Niigata, Japan where there are several unique snow festivals that celebrate the winter scenery. You can enjoy breathtaking views like fireworks in the night sky or colorful balloons floating among a white, snowy background. Come visit a snow-covered Niigata and make some heartwarming memories.

※Photos are from past events and may differ from 2025 events

Snow and light create a work of wintry art at Nagaoka Yukishika Festival. Can’t miss Nagaoka’s famous fireworks!

Nagaoka Yukishika Festival is a winter staple in Nagaoka, Niigata. It’s a magical event unique to a snowy climate. Giant snow figures and cute lanterns decorate the venue. When the sun sets, they light up, and the beauty of it all will take your breath away. Several areas will have food stands where you can try local foods and delicacies, so you can enjoy the festival all day long. Walk among the wintry artwork that blends snow and light. It’s a kind of winter you can only find in Nagaoka. Nagaoka is the city of fireworks, and a winter fireworks display is scheduled to take place, so you can’t miss it.

Event period	February 15th, 2025 – February 16th, 2025 Winter fireworks display: 15th, 5:45PM – 6:15PM (projected)
Address	Senshugahara Hometown Forest 3-315-1 Senshu, Nagaoka-shi, Niigata Prefecture
Access	(To Senshugahara Hometown Forest) Tsubame Sanjo Washington Hotel: 25-min. car ride from the hotel
URL	https://honyaku.j-server.com/LUCNAGAOKA/ns/tl.cgi/https%3a//www.city.nagaoka.niigata.jp/kankou/event/yukishika.html?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=utf-8&XJSID=0

Colorful balloons in the winter sky. See a moving display at Ojiya Balloon Ikki.

Every year, Ojiya, Niigata is home to the Ojiya Balloon Ikki. In this magical event, you can see colorful hot air balloons in the clear, winter sky. The hot air balloons are illuminated by sunlight as they float into the air. At night, they light up along some fireworks. Last year, the event was downsized due to bad weather, but because of that, the locals and tourists are even more excited for this year. You can also enjoy local foods and delicacies and enjoy experiences. Enjoy a special moment to yourself as you look up to the sky, surrounded by a winter landscape.

Event period	February 22nd, 2025 – February 23rd, 2025
Address	111 Hirasawa, Ojiya-shi, Niigata Prefecture
Access	(To Hirasawa venue) Tsubame Sanjo Washington Hotel: 35-min. car ride from the hotel
URL	https://www.city.ojiya.niigata.jp/site/kanko/ojiya-fusenikki.html

Take a magical trip this winter at this local festival: Tokamachi Snow Festival

The Tokamachi Snow Festival held in Tokamachi, Niigata is a major event that is unique to this area with heavy snowfall. Beautiful snow sculptures made by local residents are scattered throughout the city and attract many visitors. In the main area, there are traditional Japanese performances and singers to bring more excitement to this winter wonderland. The finale is a fireworks display above the snow and is a must-see. Large fireworks burst in the clear night sky and paint the winter landscape with bright colors. Come through to Tokamachi Snow Festival and experience breathtaking views and a warm welcome.

Event period	February 15th, 2025 – February 16th, 2025
Address	Main areas: Tokamachi Nishi Elementary schoolgrounds, Tokamachi Museum/Tokamachi Information Center area
Access	(To Tokamachi Station) Tsubame Sanjo Washington Hotel: 60-min. car ride from the hotel
URL	https://snowfes.jp/hp/contact/tokamachi-snow-festival/