| Most children who live where it snows enjoy building | | | | of snow and ice can be dangerous to the viewer! |
| a snowman. In Sapporo, in Japan's northern island of | | | | During the seven day festival, Sapporo is |
| Hokkaido, snowmen come in all shapes and sizes, and | | | | transformed into a glittering fairytale land of snow |
| it's adults who do the building. Some of these | | | | and ice sculptures large and small. |
| creations weigh over a thousand tons, and are | | | | For the 1970 exhibition, ancient history was |
| breathtaking in their artistic detail. There also are | | | | represented in a beautifully carved representation, |
| snow creatures, snow gods, snow houses, pagodas | | | | forty-five feet high and one hundred feet broad, of |
| and castles -- a virtual world modeled in snow! | | | | the Abu-Simbel Rock Temple of Egypt, said to have |
| It is a short-lived world, just seven days in late | | | | been built by Ramses II in celebration of his conquest |
| January or early to mid-February. Then all the models | | | | of the Sudan. This was complete with pharaohs, |
| are reduced back to snow. | | | | winged lions and hieroglyphics. |
| The Sapporo Snow Festival, (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri), | | | | Modern history was featured at another exhibition |
| is the biggest in Japan. Though Sapporo is a little less | | | | site, where the visitor could make his 'first big steps' |
| than one hundred and fifty years old, it has | | | | among craters of the moon, but with feet crunching |
| blossomed into a bustling metropolis of 1.75 million | | | | snow instead of moon dust. Alongside, two snowman |
| people, and is now Japan's fifth-largest city. One | | | | astronauts, a snow lunar module and a snow Apollo |
| snow model depicted "Sapporo's One-Millionth Citizen" | | | | 11 rocket lent realism to the scene. |
| as a bleary-eyed individual with just two bottom | | | | More recently, in 2004, there were statues of Hideki |
| teeth. Not a very flattering image of the Sapporo | | | | Matsui, the famous baseball player who plays for the |
| residents! | | | | New York Yankees. |
| Annually the show attracts around 2 million visitors. | | | | Odori Park - Sapporo's central park & playground |
| Sapporo was designed with the aid of British and | | | | hosts the artistic snow sculptures, the festival launch, |
| American town planners, it has wide, straight | | | | and much of the live music and other entertainment. |
| boulevards, and a 330-foot-wide park runs east and | | | | This section is open all day and illuminated each night. |
| west through the center of the city. This is lined with | | | | Two other sites are in use also - the Susukino site |
| lilac and acacia trees, which blend with green lawns | | | | and the Satoland site. |
| and colorful beds of flowers in summer. However, it | | | | What is the weather like? |
| is a contrast in white in wintertime, and especially | | | | It is very cold. Unless the weather is unusually warm |
| during the festival in snow. | | | | expect it to be below freezing. Snowstorms are not |
| This festival dates from about 1950. To brighten the | | | | uncommon. If you visit you're very likely to spend a |
| drudgery of the north's long winter, the children were | | | | great deal of time outdoors, so layer your clothing. |
| organized to build snow models, for fun and exercise. | | | | Consider thermal underwear and take gloves or |
| As the festival grew larger, the city fathers saw big | | | | mittens, a warm hat, and a hooded jacket. For your |
| possibilities in using it to popularize Sapporo. The | | | | feet you need something which will keep the cold |
| festival is now huge. | | | | and water out, so boots are likely to be the best |
| A solid snow platform is constructed for each exhibit, | | | | option. |
| and wooden scaffoldings are anchored into this base. | | | | In 2009, the Snow Festival will be held from February |
| These must be sturdy, as a thousand-ton avalanche | | | | 5 through February 11, 2009. |