Starting in two weeks in Hokkaido is the annual Sapporo Snow Festival (www.snowfes.com), which started as a high school student showcase in the 1950s and is now in its 64th year. One of Japan’s largest winter festivals, it attracts more than two million people who come to see an array of ice and snow sculptures at exhibition sites around town. This year’s event takes place Feb 5-11 at three main locations: Odori Park at downtown Sapporo, the grounds at Tsudome and the main street on Susukino. THAI Airways now operates direct flights from Bangkok (roundtrip from B28,060) so it’s easier to get there.