Comparison
Where to go for snow this winter? 10 cities compared
Want snow or skiing this winter? We compare 10 cities, including Sapporo, Harbin and Almaty, by snow, ski and festival highlights and Dec-Feb normals.
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How to choose a snow trip this winter
Snow trips are not all alike, and where you go depends on what you want to do. This post lines up 10 cities for snow, skiing or snowy scenery in December to February, along with clothing, footing and transport cautions and the climate normals.
There are three broad options. For walking through snowy cityscapes, look at Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate and Kanazawa. For ice and snow festivals and serious cold, look at Harbin and Yanji. For skiing or mountain snow, look at Almaty, Interlaken and Vancouver. Toronto is also cold and snowy in January-February.
Festival opening dates, ski seasons and cable car operating periods change every year. Even where this post gives a date, check the official schedule again before you go.
Snowy cityscapes — Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate and Kanazawa
December-February is popular in Sapporo for snow scenes and winter festivals, but prepare for sub-zero temperatures and icy streets. You can walk underground from Sapporo Station to Odori and Susukino, which helps a lot on cold days.
In February, Otaru holds the Otaru Snow Light Path festival, lighting the canal and an old railway line with snow candles. It is scheduled for February 6-13 in 2027, but always check the official schedule. Otaru winters bring heavy snow and icy streets, and some facilities close or shorten hours in winter.
In Hakodate, the Christmas Fantasy lights up the Bay Area in December (check the official schedule). Hakodate winters bring snow and icy streets, and the Mt. Hakodate road closes to vehicles in winter. Kanazawa is known for snowy scenery and winter seafood, and at Kenrokuen ropes (yukitsuri) are put up in winter to protect the trees from the weight of snow.
Ice and snow festivals and deep cold — Harbin and Yanji
In Harbin, winter is the season for ice and snow sights. Harbin Ice and Snow World and the Sun Island snow sculpture expo open only in winter, and the China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival is held every winter. Check each season's official announcement for opening dates and ticket prices.
Buying Ice and Snow World e-tickets in advance through official channels cuts queues, and entering around 15:30-16:00 is recommended to see the sculptures in daylight and then the lights. Harbin police warn that in early winter the Songhua River is not fully frozen and there can be open channels under the ice, so do not walk on the river ice.
Yanji's winters are long and very cold (freezing period November-March), so avoid them unless snow is the goal. If snow is your goal, it is an option, but in winter the Changbai Mountain (Baekdusan) West Slope summit road and steps can close due to snow, so check operations and fees officially.
Skiing and mountain snow — Almaty, Interlaken and Vancouver
In Almaty, you can ski at Shymbulak in winter. Medeu is a high-altitude outdoor skating rink at 1,691 m, and a cable car climbs from there to Shymbulak at about 2,260 m, about 30 minutes from the centre. Ski seasons and cable car periods change every year, and the mountains are much higher than the city, so the weather changes quickly.
In Interlaken, December-March is ski season. Lake Brienz boats pause in winter, though, and some lines such as the Schynige Platte railway run only in summer. The Jungfraujoch is all about the weather: check the official webcams, move slowly at altitude and bring warm layers.
Vancouver has sea and snowy peaks right next to downtown. Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver is reached by aerial tram and offers snow fun in winter, and Whistler, about 2 hours by car along the Sea to Sky Highway, is famous for winter skiing. Check official road conditions and admission information in winter.
Clothing, footing and getting around — common cautions
Clothing: Harbin Ice and Snow World recommends three layers, a fast-drying base layer, a fleece or light down mid-layer and a thick windproof, snowproof down jacket, plus snow boots, thick gloves, a scarf and a hat. For Otaru, bring gloves and a hat; for Toronto, a warm coat and gloves.
Footing: in Sapporo, sidewalks are icy and very slippery in winter (December-March), so wear shoes with good grip, plus slip-on ice cleats sold locally if needed. Pack non-slip shoes for Otaru, Hakodate, Kanazawa, Yanji and Toronto too.
Getting around: if you have never driven on snow, skip a winter rental car in Sapporo and use trains or bus tours. Sapporo's airport bus can be slow in heavy snow. Toronto's January-February highs are around -1°C and lows around -9°C, so use the PATH on bitter days.
At a glance — December-February normals
Average high/low temperatures for December, January and February by city, rounded to whole degrees. Sources and stations differ, so treat this as a rough comparison.
Of the cities in this post, Harbin's January average low of -22°C is the lowest, while Kanazawa and Vancouver keep average lows above zero in all three months.
- Sapporo — Dec 2/-4°C, Jan 0/-6°C, Feb 0/-6°C (Japan Meteorological Agency, Sapporo station, 1991–2020)
- Otaru — Dec 2/-4°C, Jan -1/-6°C, Feb 0/-6°C (Japan Meteorological Agency, Otaru station, 1991–2020)
- Hakodate — Dec 3/-4°C, Jan 1/-6°C, Feb 2/-6°C (Japan Meteorological Agency, Hakodate station, 1991–2020)
- Kanazawa — Dec 10/4°C, Jan 7/1°C, Feb 8/1°C (Japan Meteorological Agency, Kanazawa station, 1991–2020)
- Harbin — Dec -10/-19°C, Jan -12/-22°C, Feb -6/-18°C (China Meteorological Administration submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), Harbin station, 1991–2020)
- Yanji — Dec -5/-15°C, Jan -6/-18°C, Feb -2/-14°C (China Meteorological Administration submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), Yanji station, 1991–2020)
- Almaty — Dec 2/-6°C, Jan 1/-8°C, Feb 3/-6°C (Kazhydromet (National Hydrometeorological Service of Kazakhstan) submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), Almaty station (Almaty OGMS), 1991–2020)
- Interlaken — Dec 4/-2°C, Jan 3/-3°C, Feb 5/-3°C (MeteoSwiss (Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology), Interlaken station, 1991–2020)
- Vancouver — Dec 7/1°C, Jan 7/1°C, Feb 8/2°C (Environment and Climate Change Canada, Vancouver International (Airport) station, 1991–2020)
- Toronto — Dec 2/-5°C, Jan -1/-9°C, Feb 0/-9°C (Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto Pearson (Airport) station, 1991–2020)
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FAQ
Where can you ski?
Almaty (Shymbulak in winter), Interlaken (ski season December-March) and Whistler near Vancouver (about 2 hours by car). Ski seasons and cable car operations change every year, so check official information.
Which of these is the coldest?
Of the cities in this post, Harbin. Its January average high is -12°C and low -22°C (China Meteorological Administration submission · WMO normals collection, 1991–2020), so you need three layers, snow boots and thick gloves.
Are snow festival dates fixed?
The Otaru Snow Light Path is scheduled for February 6-13 in 2027. For Harbin Ice and Snow World and the Sun Island snow sculpture expo, check each season's official announcement, and check every official schedule again before you go.
Can I drive a rental car in winter?
In Sapporo, skip a winter rental car if you have never driven on snow and use trains or bus tours instead. The Mt. Hakodate road closes to vehicles in winter, and for the road to Whistler, check official winter road conditions.
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ⓘ Photo credits
- Odori Park, Sapporo · Nkns / CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saint Sophia Cathedral, Harbin · N509FZ / CC BY-SA 4.0