Yokote Snow Festival (Kamakura)
横手の雪まつり
Snow huts built for the water god in Yokote's February snow festival.
Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-06 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
The Yokote Snow Festival is held every February in central Yokote, Akita, and has three parts. The kamakura are snow huts, a Little New Year custom said to be about 450 years old: inside each is an altar to the water god, and children invite passers-by in to pray and offer them amazake and rice cakes. Bonden, on 16–17 February, is the offering of richly decorated bonden poles at Asahiokayama Shrine. And since 1939 there have been snow sculptures made by neighbourhoods and companies. The kamakura and the bonden are often set against each other as the festival's quiet and lively sides.
As a trial from 2026 to 2029, the kamakura are held on the second Friday and Saturday of February, so check the year's dates before you plan. Yokote Station on the Ōu Main Line is about 650 m away in a straight line, and Yokote Castle about 800 m.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Kamakura-yuki — （社）横手市観光協会 · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- Kamakura at Kidogorobe-mura 202402b — Rarisan · CC0 · source · resized
- Kamakura at Yokote Castle 202402 — Rarisan · CC0 · source · resized
- Mini Kamakura at Janosaki riverbed of Yokote River 202502 — Rarisan · CC0 · source · resized
- Yokote Kamakura Festival at Yokote EAST — 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
What this place is
The Yokote Snow Festival (横手の雪まつり) is held every February in central Yokote, Akita Prefecture. It is made up of three parts. Kamakura, a Little New Year custom said to be about 450 years old, are snow huts with an altar to the water god inside, where children invite passers-by in to pray and offer them amazake and rice cakes. Bonden, on 16–17 February, is the offering of richly decorated bonden poles at Asahiokayama Shrine. And snow sculptures made by neighbourhoods and companies have been displayed since 1939. Kamakura and bonden are often contrasted as the festival's "quiet" and "lively" sides. As a trial from 2026 to 2029, the kamakura are held on the second Friday and Saturday of February.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-06 · Yokote tourism: kamakura festival
Background text translated from Japanese Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Landmark
Nearby station
Nearby station: Yokote (Ōu Main Line), about 650 m from the spot in a straight line.
Worked out on 2026-09-14 from this place’s map position, using HeartRails Express station data and station names from Wikidata. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route, and says nothing about buses, transfers or timetables — plan the trip on Google Maps.
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