Sapporo Snow Festival Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
The Japanese talent for reshaping nature is unmatched. The country that raised ikebana (flower arranging) and garden design to high art also transformed the weeklong Sapporo Snow Festival (Yuki Matsuri) into a world-famous show where mammoth snow and ice sculptures depict universal icons ranging from Michelangelo’s Pietà to Hello Kitty. Ice palaces and a host of other fantasy shapes are created from more than 38,000 tons of snow that must be trucked in from the nearby mountains by Japan’s armed forces. Some sculptures that reach more than 130 feet in height and 80 feet in width are begun weeks before the festival’s early-February opening. The highlight is the Snow Sculpting Contest, where teams compete from around the world, often from unlikely destinations such as Hawaii and Singapore.
The festival was established in the 1950s, after the dismal years following World War II, when local students built six snow sculptures in Odori Park in downtown Sapporo, still the main venue for today’s festival. It really caught on in 1972 when Sapporo, Japan’s newest major city, gained global attention as the site for the Winter Olympics. The city serves as an excellent base for exploring ski resorts within a 2-hour drive, such as Niseko, or Hokkaido’s wild national parks, including Daisetsuzan and the Shikotsu-Toya.
Don’t leave town without heading to the 19th-century brick brewery that still produces the liquid gold Sapporo beer for which the city is famous. Flagons of ale go perfectly with the barbecued lamb dish known as Ghengis Khan served at the beer hall next door. During the Sapporo Summer Festival, Odori Park is transformed into a beer garden under the trees. There’s live music and a chance to sample food from across the island. Big bowls of miso-based ramen (soup noodles) with a variety of toppings are the local specialty.
Sample Masterpieces
Where: 594 miles/955 km northeast of Tokyo. Visitor info: www.snowfes.com/english. Where to stay: The classy Sapporo Grand Hotel is still one of the city’s best Western-style hotels. Tel 81/11-261-3311; www.grand1934.com. Cost: from $245. Best times: Jun–Sep for the clearest weather; early Feb for the Snow Festival; late Jul–Aug for the Summer Festival.
i want to travel around japan
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