2016 No.19

街歩きにっぽんStrolling Japan

7

Seasonal Beauty from
Hot and Cold Extremes
Sapporo

地図
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Sapporo Snow Festival
Three sites host giant snow sculptures of popular characters and world structures (right above and below), some by teams from around the world competing in the famous annual International Snow Sculpture Contest (left above). Also in good taste is Hokkaido Winter Food Park, a must-do for those eager to warm up with a fine sampler of food from Hokkaido—all in one spot! (Photo: Sapporo Snow Festival Executive Committee, PIXTA)

Odori Park is at peak performance in winter. Every February, about two million people from around Japan and around the world gather for the Sapporo Snow Festival. It likely started in 1950, when middle- and high-school students made snow sculptures from snow cleared from the streets and piled up in a spot on Odori 7-chome. A festival highlight is to see row after row of elaborately carved snow sculptures, from anime characters to World Heritage site architecture.

There are heaps of fun to follow the cool sculptures: outdoor ice-skating, snow rafting, and, if you’ve had your fill of walking but need to fill your tummy, there are food stalls galore. And when it comes to food, choose from a host of local specialties famed throughout Japan: Hokkaido ramen, with its uniquely rich miso soup; Genghis Khan, Japanese barbecued lamb dish made in a special pot; soup and seafood kebabs of fresh scallop, squid, crab or oysters from Otaru and other Hokkaido fishing ports. Last but never least is Hokkaido’s unique zangi, deep-fried chicken. In fact, the snow festival is a mouth-watering opportunity to sample all Hokkaido’s culinary delights in one place.

Miso ramen
Sapporo ramen is a famed, familiar presence on the city food scene: curly noodles float in pork bone (tonkotsu) broth flavored with rich miso. (Photo: SUMIRE Sapporo Honten)

Genghis Khan
Barbecued lamb known as Genghis Khan is Hokkaido soul food, made in a pot with a convex central section. (Photo: Sapporo Beer Garden)

There is no end of the pleasures to be had here—food, sightseeing, art, and more—every season in Sapporo, the city combining the finest delights of city and nature all in one place.

Yosakoi Soran Festival
During the month of June, various locations in Sapporo turn into stages for Yosakoi Soran Festival dancers. (Photo: YOSAKOI Soran Festival Organizing Committee)

Odori Park and Sapporo TV Tower
Odori Park, stretching 1.5 kilometers west from Sapporo TV Tower, is the perfect stage to see the dramatic change of seasons. (Photo: Sapporo TV Tower)

Moerenuma Park
Combining beautiful views of nature and art with seasonal attractions like cherry blossoms, fountains and places to play in water, autumn leaves, and cross-country skiing and sledding. Learn what it means to truly enjoy the delights of the four seasons.

Getting there

Travel in general from Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) to New Chitose Airport should be about 1.5 hours. Travel time by Rapid Airport train is 35 minutes to Sapporo station. Buses take around 70 minutes.

For More Info

» Sapporo Snow Festival Executive Committee
TEL: 011-281-6400
» Yosakoi Soran Festival Executive Committee
TEL: 011-231-4351　 FAX: 011-233-4351

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