:Sapporo Ice and Snow Festival
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When it comes to Japan's most famous ice and snow festivals, it's safe to say that Sapporo is the only one. The Sapporo Snow Festival will be held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 11 and is divided into three venues: Daido, Bono and Tsumugi.
This is the 70th time Sapporo has held the snow and ice festival. The large snow and ice sculptures in the city center are the hallmarks of the festival, as the first festival began with snow sculptures in 1950.
The themes of this year's snow and ice sculptures remain colorful, including a popular image of Hatsune Miku and a freight train that transports Hokkaido's agricultural products to thousands of Japanese homes. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Finland, the Daido VII, which undertakes an annual international friendship mission, will build a spectacular Helsinki Cathedral out of snow.
If you want to see beautiful ice and snow sculptures and colored lights, you can't miss the Daido and Bono venues. For a great day out in the snow and ice, you'll want to choose the TUSTOMU arena, which has a wide range of outdoor facilities, including snow slides, ice slides, toboggans, snow golf, snow mazes and more.
Don't regret it even in bad weather. There are also many indoor programs for visitors to enjoy.
Www.snowfes.com, official website
Yokote Snow House Festival
(Yokote)
Want to feel the warmth of the locals at a cute snow house? Then go to Yokote Yukiya Festival in Yokote, Akita Prefecture. The Hands Yukiya Festival has a history of 450 years and is the "Koshogatu" of the locals. Children prepare sweet wine and rice cakes at the yukiya and welcome passers-by into the yukiya. Everyone worships the god of water and shares the joy of the festival on a cold winter's day.
The 2008 Yokosuka Yukiya Festival will be held on February 15th and 16th. On that occasion, igloos will be set up from 6 to 9 p.m. each day in many places, such as Shizenji Park, Yokosuka Park, Gojia Wutong in Urakuro Town, and Gaku Wutong in Ye'er Town, and circulator buses will be put into service for the convenience of visitors.
Koumyouji Park, across the street from the igloo hall, will also host an igloo-making experience during the day, where you can experience the whole process of building an igloo with your family and friends. In addition, the "Brahma Contest" will be held during the day on the 16th at Festival Square in front of the main hall of the city hall.
Banzan refers to the Japanese custom of erecting an altar at the top of a pole to honor a deity and ward off evil spirits. Each 5-meter-high, 30-kilogram Brahma is uniquely decorated for the day. If you can stay in Yokosuka on the 17th, you can also see offerings to the Brahma at the 300-year-old Hsuoka-yama Shrine.
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:Raw peeling oni shiboritate festival
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The name of this terrific ice festival is one of the Roku-Ohio's five major ice festivals, which takes place on the Kōkō Peninsula in Akita Prefecture. It will be held this year from February 8 to 10 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. each night.
In contrast to other snow festivals, this one is not directly related to snow and ice, but it is full of special local cultural elements and is held in the snow at night, giving it an otherworldly, mysterious atmosphere.
"Ghost Stripping" has been a folk event on the Lunan Peninsula since ancient times, and is held every New Year's Eve in Lunan City. People wear scary masks and parade around the houses to scare the children and punish evil things, expel disasters and bring blessings. "Shibayashi" refers to the 900-year-old Shibayashi Festival of Mayama Shrine.
Beginning in 1964, the buck created a sightseeing festival that combines sengoku peeling and shiba lanterns, and is held from the second Friday through Sunday of February every year.
Performers wearing raw oni peeling masks beat drums and dance amidst the flames lit by the Jinzan Shrine **** with the preservation of this rare cultural heritage to be passed on to future generations.
/sedo/,official website
:Zao Tree Ice Festival
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When it comes to ice festivals in Japan, most of them last between a few days and a week or two, so you'll have to catch them at the right time. Yamagata's Zao Tree Ice Festival can be very sympathetic, spanning three months.
This winter's Tree Ice Festival has
The so-called Tree Ice is a festival in which strong winds blow excessively cold water droplets and snow against large white-leafed fir trees in the mountains when temperatures drop below freezing between November and December every year, causing them to adhere to the trees and form "ice trees" of various shapes and sizes.
The Ice Festival is held at the same time as the Ice Tree Festival, and the best time to see the festival is in February.
Looking at tree ice is a trip to the Zao Hot Spring Ski Resort, which won't be a boring trip. Connect the hot spring street at the foot of the gondola mountain with the ski resort on the mountain. During the day, you can ski and see trees and ice. At night, you can relax at the hot spring inn.
If you catch a good day, don't forget to check out the tree ice that lights up with lanterns at night. Especially in February, it is lit up on all days except Tuesdays.Visitors who come to the top of the mountain from 17:00 to 21:00 can enjoy a fantastic view, and you can also take a snowmobile to see it up close.
Official website: www.zao-spa.or.jp
Yamanakako Fuji Snow Festival
(Snow on Mt. Fuji in Chubu)
Previous snow festivals have been held in Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, where snowfall is abundant, but there is actually another small snow festival in Yamanakako that offers an up-close view of Mt. Fuji. Think about how special it is to enjoy the view of Mt. Fuji while playing in the snow.
This year's Lake Yamanaka Fuji Ice Festival will be held from Jan. 26 to Feb. 17 at the Lake Yamanaka Exchange Plaza Kirara. Perfect for parents and children traveling together. Come to Mt. Fuji for sightseeing and relaxation, you can build snowmen, play sledding, and overlook the snow-capped Mt. Fuji. The perspective is different.
There are two other special events at the Yamako Snow Festival in February. It's "Diamond Fuji Week," and because the weather is more stable in February, there's a higher chance of seeing "Diamond Fuji" in Yamako Village when the sun goes down.
February 16 is the "Ice Candle" event. After the sun goes down, Kirara, the trade fair where the Ice Festival is held, lights a few flickering candles from 17:30 to create a fantastic night view of Fuji.
Www.vill.yamanakako.yamanashi.jp/snowfes,official website
Well, if you're thinking of visiting the area for the Ice Festival, make sure to enjoy the fun that snow and ice bring!