Sapporo Snow Festival: Snow Sculpture Creation Begins at Odori Park

Jan 29, 2024 | News On Japan

SAPPORO - As Sapporo prepares for the opening of the "Sapporo Snow Festival" on February 4th, citizens have begun crafting small snow sculptures in Odori Park, located in the heart of the city. Odori Park, the main venue of the festival in Sapporo's Chuo Ward, will feature not only large snow sculptures exceeding 10 meters in height but also approximately 80 small snow sculptures created by citizens selected through a lottery.

Blessed with clear skies, the creation of snow sculptures commenced on Sunday. Participants, while checking their blueprints, marked the pre-prepared 3-meter-high blocks of snow with spray paint. They then proceeded with caution, using shovels and chisels to carve the snow and brooms to sweep away the fine particles.

According to the executive committee, this year's festival will include a piece themed around Shohei Ohtani, who recently joined the Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. A man working on a seal snow sculpture with his colleagues mentioned, "The key is to skillfully carve out the roundness of the head. We want to work hard to bring out the essence of Hokkaido." Additionally, a woman creating a penguin sculpture said, "The snow is harder than I expected, and it's quite challenging. Since this is my first time making a snow sculpture, I want to progress by observing others around me."

The "Sapporo Snow Festival" will be held from February 4th to 11th.

Source: NHK

Typhoon No. 18 Moves Past Okinawa, Strong Winds Persist

Strong Typhoon No. 18 was gradually moving away from Okinawa and the Amami Islands on August 26 after disrupting flights and bringing violent winds, rough seas and heavy rain, although Okinawa's main island and Amami Oshima remained at risk of sudden downpours, powerful gusts and waves exceeding 6 meters through around midday. As of 4 a.m. on August 26, the typhoon was located about 80 kilometers west-northwest of Okinoerabu Island and was moving west-northwest at 15 kilometers per hour.

Mystery Deepens with 39 Kg Bread Trail Across Tottori

A series of mysterious illegal dumping incidents involving about 39 kilograms of sliced bread has been reported around Mount Daisen and other parts of Tottori Prefecture in August, with officials investigating whether the food may have been deliberately placed to attract wild animals.

Osaka Couple Donate 400 Million Yen for Giant Myaku-Myaku Statue at Expo Site

An 85-year-old couple have donated a combined 400 million yen to Osaka City with a request that the money be used to create a giant Myaku-Myaku statue about 20 meters tall at the former site of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, envisioning a landmark that could become a lasting symbol of the event and of renewed prosperity for Kansai and Japan.

Lawson to Cut Onigiri Prices by 10 Yen

Lawson plans to cut prices on its main line of onigiri rice balls by 10 yen from September 29 as falling rice prices begin to feed through to retail costs.

Taiji Boosts Security Against Anti-Whaling Activists

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

ANA-JAL Cooperation Signals Possible Shift in Japan's Airline Industry

ANA Holdings' All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines will begin coordinating departure times on the Haneda-Okayama route from October 25, an unusual move by Japan's two largest airline groups as weak business travel, a weaker yen and rising fuel and labor costs put increasing pressure on domestic operations.

Haneda Airport Unveils New Boarding Area With Wood-Finished Gates

Haneda Airport has unveiled a new boarding area at Terminal 1 that will begin operations in September, featuring extensive wood interiors and self-driving transportation within the facility.

220-Meter Skybridge Opens at Biwako Valley in Shiga

A new 220-meter pedestrian suspension bridge has been completed at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, offering visitors sweeping views of Lake Biwa from mountains about 1,100 meters above sea level.

Taiji Boosts Security Against Anti-Whaling Activists

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins.

Typhoon No. 18 Disrupts Flights as ANA Cancels 119 Services

Air travel in Okinawa is beginning to be disrupted by the approach of Typhoon No. 18, with All Nippon Airways canceling 119 flights and more than 20,000 passengers expected to be affected.

Kyoto Expands Night Tourism

Kyoto is stepping up efforts to capture Japan's growing nighttime economy, with Toei Kyoto Studio Park extending its hours to 9 p.m., a new theater drawing visitors near Kyoto Station and nighttime tours expanding in Gion as the city seeks to encourage tourists to stay out longer and explore more areas after dark.

Hokkaido Town Keeps Its Steam Railway Heritage Alive

The whistle of a steam locomotive still echoes through the mountains of Engaru in northeastern Hokkaido, where the historic Amemiya No. 21 continues to run through a region once sustained by forestry.

Foreign Tourist Attacked by Bear at Lake Towada in Aomori

A foreign tourist was injured after being attacked by a bear near an observation deck on the shore of Lake Towada in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, on August 22, suffering a bite to his right arm and a bruised right shoulder.

< 2 3 4 5 >