札幌雪祭り

Sapporo Yuki Matsuri

It doesn’t snow much around this part of Japan in the winter (Yamaguchi is on about same latitude as the top of South Carolina/bottom of North Carolina). This is a stark contract from all the snow that Indianapolis received this year. But I did get to experience four days of proper winter this year. From Febuaray 9-12 Laura, Chris, Anita, and I went to Sapporo for the annual Snow Festival. Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido, the large northern island of Japan. Hokkaido is a ski and snow lover’s paradise. In 1972, the Winter Olympics were held there, marking Sapporo as the first place a Winter Olympics was held in Asia. And Sapporo is indeed where Sapporo beer is made. Every year thousands of tourists come for the Snow Festival. There are about 12 giant snow sculptures, and hundreds of smaller ones, as well as large and small ice sculptures. Also, about 20 or so countries enter into a competition as to which country can make the most unique snow sculpture. The United States’ sculpture was of the Frog Prince. Sapporo was a very relaxed place. The people were relaxed and didn’t hesitate to approach us (and sometimes speak English, even. Shock!) if it appeared that we were confused or in need of assistance. I doubt I will make it back up to Hokkaido while I’m here since it is far away and costly. But it was a lovely experience.

Day 1
Famished.

Snow and Ice Sculptures at Odori Park

Look at the "member" on that one! I was a little in shock.

Likewise, I was in shock when we first stumbled upon these little green men in a souvenier booth. Unbelievable. Read all about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marimokkori

Day 2

Laura, Anita, and Chris headed for the ski slopes and I headed for the Okurayama Ski Jump. Having seen one of these in person, I am more in awe of ski jumpers than I was before. How on earth do they not kill themselves?! It is much steaper than it seems when watching on television. The FIS Nordic World Ski Championship is being held there now through March 4. Unless there is a major event in process, people can take the chairlift to the top of the ski jump where they can look "straight down the barrel", the same view the ski jumpers see before take-off.

Overlook of Sapporo.
The surrounding mountains.

Day 3 and 4

Sato Land

The less centrally located Sato Land Site in Sapporo Sato Land Park is a family oriented site, featuring slides and a maze made out of snow and ice. It is truly a kids' winter dreamland.

Hokkaido AJET Enkai

After a long day of snow-man building, we headed to the Kirin Beer Garden for an enkai sponsored by the Hokkaido AJET. Poor Laura and I were stuck at a vegetarian table all to ourselves. All the other vegetarians were sitting with their friends then kept coming to our table to get food. This lead to those people getting annoyed. But we enjoyed heaps of lovely vegetarian food while all the other tables ate mounds of lamb.

We also had this entire beer tower to handle. Laura's face describes the situation perfectly.
We decided to entertain ourselves and take some silly photos. Laura makes a perfect monster/dinosaur face.
I tried the face and did not have quite the affect. Laura said I looked like a doll.
Thankfully Leanne and Ashley arrived and kept us company.
Ashley was quite excited about the tower.

Unfortunately Laura got an entire glass of beer spilled all on her pants by a very intoxicated girl from Hokkaido. Anita is demonstrating this with the beer in her hand. We all look very sad for Laura (and we all look about 12 years old).
Chris doesn't want to take off his bib, even in the subway.
On the plane, heading back after a lovely several days in snowy Sapporo.