Otaru Snow Light Path Festival 2018

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I are planning to be traveling around Hokkaido during the first two weeks of February.

On Sunday Feb 12th (during long weekend if I'm not mistaken), we will be traveling down from Niseko towards the direction of Sapporo. We are contemplating whether it'd be worth it to stop and spend a night in Otaru during the Snow Light Path Festival or only make it a pit stop and just continue on to Sapporo late night after satify with the festival.

By the way, the hotel room rate for Otaru that night is about 50% higher than where I'm planning to stay in Sapporo.

Should we spend the night in Otaru? Please advise. Thank you so much.

VL

On Sunday Feb 12th

Feb 12th is Monday. Is it 12th Monday or 11th Sunday? Is this the last night in Hokkaido? Or will you stay a bit longer in Sapporo? The Sapporo Snow Festival will end on 12th Monday and I think it is more spectacular as compared to the festival in Otaru. As I checked the hotel rate in Sapporo and Otaru, both are equally expensive due to the festivals. So if you are satisfied with the hotel you are thinking, I would suggest it will be better to go to Sapporo, especially it is 12th Monday.

On Sunday Feb 12th

Feb 12th is Monday. Is it 12th Monday or 11th Sunday? Is this the last night in Hokkaido? Or will you stay a bit longer in Sapporo? The Sapporo Snow Festival will end on 12th Monday and I think it is more spectacular as compared to the festival in Otaru. As I checked the hotel rate in Sapporo and Otaru, both are equally expensive due to the festivals. So if you are satisfied with the hotel you are thinking, I would suggest it will be better to go to Sapporo, especially it is 12th Monday.

Thank you so much for replying.

My mistake, 12th is Monday. So let me restate my question.

We are traveling down from Niseko on Sun Feb 11th and will stay in Sapporo on the night of the 12th no matter what because we have a domestic flight to cath out of Chitose on the morning of 13th. Now, the question is whether we should spend both nights (11&12) in Sapporo or stop and spend the night of 11th in Otaru and the night of 12th in Sapporo.

PS. We've actually already reserved all the rooms for both outcomes. Just have to decide and cancel the one we don't need after asking you guys here.

Thanks again
VL

Though I have never been there on the snow festival season, I visited both several times. I prefer Otaru because of the nostalgic feel of the town. I think the Snow Light Festival is nice to see the town of Otaru. Therefore, if you have 2 nights, one night in Otaru and one night in Sapporo will be better.