Enhancing the Sapporo Snow Festival Experience with Edge AI Technology
Introduction
The Sapporo Snow Festival, known for drawing tourists from across the globe, will be taking a significant step towards enhancing visitor experience in 2026 by utilizing cutting-edge edge AI technology. This initiative will be powered by AWL Corporation, a startup recognized for its innovative image recognition technologies and edge AI camera solutions. Collaborating with J:COM Sapporo, they aim to provide real-time crowd information through their advanced AI analytics at the J:COM Square.
Background and Objectives
Creating a safe and efficient environment is of utmost importance for any event, especially one as popular as the Sapporo Snow Festival. The festival has previously implemented crowd visualization strategies, which gained significant media attention, including features from BBC News. Building on this success, AWL and J:COM Sapporo are set to offer improved prediction of crowd dynamics throughout the event, especially in high-traffic areas, allowing visitors to minimize wait times in cold conditions. This year's enhancements focus on creating a more comfortable and smarter festival experience by providing timely crowd updates.
About the 2026 Event
From February 4 to February 11, 2026, the festival will showcase specific crowd monitoring at two heavily frequented attractions: the “Aroma Foot Bath” and the “Snowboard Activity.” The edge AI camera systems will analyze and broadcast real-time crowd data directly, ensuring that visitor privacy is maintained, as all processing occurs locally without sending footage to the cloud.
Event Details:
- - Event Duration: February 4 (Wednesday) - February 11 (Wednesday, National Holiday)
- - Location: J:COM Square, Sapporo Snow Festival, Odori 1-chome
Technical Features
The edge AI technology deployed by AWL will include real-time assessment of visitor flows. This means that accurate AI predictions related to the number of individuals waiting and their wait times for both the Aroma Foot Bath and Snowboard Activity will be available to attendees.
Information Distribution
For visitors looking for updates and live interactions regarding the festival's crowd status:
- - Special Site: Sapporo Snow Festival J:COM Dedicated Site
- - Broadcasting and Live Streaming:
About J:COM Sapporo
- - President: Reiji Kanesaki
- - Location: 7-20 Tsukisamu Higashi 2-jo, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
- - Website: J:COM Sapporo
About AWL Corporation
Founded in June 2016, AWL Corporation specializes in edge AI video analysis solutions, extending their technology reach beyond retail into manufacturing and service industries. Their collaboration with a leading drugstore chain in Hokkaido has enhanced their practical implementation capabilities, as evidenced by their recent deployment of the face recognition solution “FaceWatch” in major restaurant chains nationwide, alongside systems aimed at theft prevention for retailers. These advancements underscore AWL's commitment to utilizing unique technology to address labor shortages in various sectors, and its determination to tackle societal challenges on a global scale.
- - Contact:
- Sapporo Office: 4-1-20 Kitajo 8-jo Higashi, Sapporo, Hokkaido
- Website: AWL Corporation
- - Inquiries: contact - Tsuchida and Wada, [email protected]
Topics Entertainment & Media）
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