Friday 10 February 2012

Sapporo Snow Festival 2012

I wouldn't usually take a ten hour train ride to a city experiencing sub-zero conditions, but I made an exception this week to go to the Sapporo Snow Festival.

It was more than worth it. Not least because the hotel had a massage chair in the room. But mostly because it was an amazing spectacle. Here's some pictures:

A Japanese castle


An underwater scene


Underwater scene at night


Mickey Mouse


Characters from Japanese cartoon 'One Piece'


The Taj Mahal


My favourite kawaii character, Rilakkuma


A games controller


Mario Kart


Sonic


A monkey


A dragon being carved


A crashing wave being carved


Peacock ice sculpture


Bear ice sculpture


Fish frozen in ice


Suntory Whiskey ice bar


Sapporo Beer ice sculpture


'Illumination Road'


There was loads more too...

Whilst in Sapporo I was reading about the snow and ensuing travel chaos back in the UK. Now, given that I was somewhere you kept seeing bikes in this condition...


...and that I'd got there without any delays, even though this was the view out of the train window most of the way...


...well, 'embarrassing' comes to mind!

I particularly liked this from my local paper:
(click on the picture to maximise)

Attention. Only make essential journeys. There has been a 'smattering' of snow.

The horror.