The 57th Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japan's biggest winter event of the year, with approximately two million people turning up to view the glittering ice sculptures created by professional artists in spaces all over Odori Park, Makomanai Park and Susukino (the main shopping district).Few have been more surprised by the current scale of this event than the people who started it all in 1950, when some students left six snow sculptures in Odori Park. This has now grown into an international event, with teams from Japan and all over the world competing in the International Snow Statue Contest, the highlight of the event. Some sculptures are the size of buildings several stories tall.
Below is a replica of the Horyuji Temple. Situated in Ikaruga in Nara, it is the world's oldest surviving wooden structures dating from the 7th century. It was originally built by Prince Shotoku (the son of Emperor Yomei) and Empress Suiko during the Asuka period to fulfill Emperor Yomei's deathbed wish to build a temple and an image of Buddha for the recovery from his illness.
Our favorite snow sculpture was a tribute to Ai Miyazato, a Okinawan professional golfer. Below is a description of the sculpture and what appears to be an advertisement for Okinawa. "Brilliant sunshine" sounded good.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was also very cool...
For more information see:
http://www.snowfes.com/english/place/
