December 14, 2024 10:29 (IST)
Sapporo (Japan) holds its annual Snow Festival in February
Tokyo, Jan 20 (notintown.net/IBNS): The annual Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (Sapporo Snow Festival), a big tourist attraction in Japan, will begin on Feb 5.
Sapporo is the capital of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. It is known for its beer, skiing and snow festival. The city hosted the 1972 winter Olympic Games.
The snow and ice sculptures for the festival are made by the special unit of the Self Defence Force, Sapporo City Hall staff, local volunteers, citizen’s groups, people from the private organizations, and teams participating in the International Snow Sculpture Contest.
In particular, the large snow and ice sculptures at the Odori Park are made by the special unit of the Self Defence Force and an experienced local volunteer group.
The sculptures at Odori Park will be illuminated from sun down to 10pm.
Besides Odori Park, the festival will also be held at the Tsudome and Susukino.
At Tsudome, there will be large snow slides and a snow rafting area outside the community dome.
The theme for the festival at Susukino is 'Enjoy the Ice'. Ice sculpture show and Ice Sculpture Contest are two of its key attractions.
One can also visit Susukino’s plaza, 'Fureai Hiroba', to ride on the ice sculptures, take photos in the Illumination Street, or have hot drinks at the Ice Bar.
Although the festival at the Odori Park and the Susukino will end on Feb 11, that at the Tsudome will conclude on Feb 18.
The ice sculptures are destroyed immediately after the festival.
The first Sapporo Snow Festival was held in Odori Park in 1950, with only six snow statues made by local high school students. But over the years, the Snow Festival has become immensely popular, with nearly two million people attending it every year for the past few years.
Source: www.notintown.net
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Thailand announces E-Visa facility for Indians from New Year
Wed, Dec 11 2024
IndiGo connects Bengaluru to Ayodhya with daily-direct flights
Thu, Dec 05 2024
Uber rolls out Shikara service for travellers in Srinagar
Tue, Dec 03 2024
Pompeii: Lying under the ashes
Tue, Nov 19 2024