Asahikawa Winter Festival
(Asahikawa Fuyu Matsuri)

Official Website: Asahikawa Fuyu Matsuri

The Asahikawa Winter Festival began in 1947 and was known as the "Iyomante" (Bear festival in Ainu).

It's primary purpose was to allow people to find some way to enjoy the cold and snow during the coldest month of the long Hokkaido winter. The name changed to the Asahikawa Winter festival in 1960 and since then, many activities have been added to make the Asahikawa Winter Festival one of the most well known winter festivals in Japan.