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40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos

By Muza-chan on Feb 2, 2010 | In Japan travel | 31 feedbacks »

Between February 5 and 11, in Sapporo takes place the Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri), one of the biggest winter events in Japan. It is estimated that this year more than 2 million visitors will go to Sapporo to see the amazing ice and snow sculptures.

snow festival 2009
Creative Commons License photo credit: hirotomo

The tradition started 61 years ago, in 1950, when a group of high school students sculpted 6 ice and snow statues. Since then, the festival grew and became famous in 1955, when the Self Defense Forces participated with a giant ice sculpture. In 1972, when the Winter Olympic Games took place in Sapporo, the festival became known throughout the world and in 1974 started the first edition of the International Snow Sculpture Contest.

The number of statues reached 400 in 2007. If you want to build a snow statue to last, here are some advices from the official website.

Here are the some of the best Creative Commons photos from Flickr, illustrating the festival highlights from the last years:

Follow up:

For starters, some popular characters: Doraemon…

Doraemon
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

… Domo-kun…

Domo-kun
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

… and Kinnikuman…

Kinnikuman
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Then, of course, some Disney characters…

This thing was huuuge
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
The Disney display
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
R0012325
Creative Commons License photo credit: hirotomo

I like this WALL-E…

WALL-E
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Traditional architecture…

snow festival 2009
Creative Commons License photo credit: hirotomo

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Korean-style
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
So huge
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

A sculpture dedicated to the bid to host the 2016 Olympics…

OLYMPICS RAAAARRRHHH
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
ARRRGGGHHH
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
snow festival 2009
Creative Commons License photo credit: hirotomo

And many more…

Ice house
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Wish
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Yuck
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
The US Navy likes Astro Boy
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
This one was made by Green Peace
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Ferris wheel
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
How utterly macabre
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Another ice bar
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Angel
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Peacock
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Dragon
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Creepy cow
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius
Komainu Sphynxes
Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

Creative Commons License photo credit: daedrius

If you wish to participate, you can find more information on the official website.

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 HenryStradford
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 15:17
 AJStrix
On Twitter:
雪祭り〜。きれいだ。 RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 15:17
 e_takong
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 15:17
 gegaard
On Twitter:
rt @Muzachan 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos ...amazing!!
02/02/10 @ 15:22
 filachan
On Twitter:
Фото с фестиваля снега в Саппоро: RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 15:25
 take_5150
On Twitter:
綺麗♪ RT @AJStrix 雪祭り〜。きれいだ。 RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 15:27
 makinena
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link] - Snow Statues!
02/02/10 @ 15:34
 migoy
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 15:36
 wan_nam
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link] งานซัปโปโร สโนเฟสปีนี้จะเริ่มแล้วน้า XD ( รุปของปีที่แล้วๆ )
02/02/10 @ 15:36
 sachaqs
On Twitter:
Snow and ice sculptures. Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan. [link] via @Muzachan
02/02/10 @ 15:37
 NobitaWorld
On Twitter:
beautiful! RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link] - Snow Statues!
02/02/10 @ 15:51
 kun_san
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 15:57
 sanafu
On Twitter:
雪まつり参加したいなー。雪像づくりで。 RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 16:06
 Chikuwa4649
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/02/10 @ 16:20
 Tarvios
On Twitter:
@Muzachan 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link] - wow...
02/02/10 @ 16:47
 BlogLinkJapan
On Twitter:
40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos: [link] #JBlogs
02/02/10 @ 16:50
 yoshimean
On Twitter:
RT @BlogLinkJapan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos: [link] #JBlogs
02/02/10 @ 16:56
 andre · http://andreeajurna.blogspot.com
wonderful
02/02/10 @ 17:07
 uberVU - social comments
Social comments and analytics for this post
This post was mentioned on Twitter by Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos http://bit.ly/aPcj9i
02/02/10 @ 18:42
 cloudia · http://comfortspiral.blogspot.com
truly wonderful post and pictures!


Aloha, Friend!


02/02/10 @ 22:18
 asiaimages
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/03/10 @ 00:32
 akira_yanai
On Twitter:
I live in Sapporo city.We,Sapporo citizen,are proud of Snow Festival. @Muzachan 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/03/10 @ 09:20
 LuciF
On Twitter:
40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link] (via @Muzachan)
02/03/10 @ 09:45
 AtonalAsterisk
On Twitter:
RT @muzachan 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/03/10 @ 09:58
 naomoon
On Twitter:
雪まつり×初音ミク…最後のは？RT @Muzachan Miku snow pics @ Sapporo Yuki Matsuri [link] via @Japanator (more pics [link])
02/03/10 @ 09:59
 IH39
On Twitter:
Awesome!! RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/03/10 @ 10:39
 rainbowhill
On Twitter:
RT @IH39: Awesome!! RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/03/10 @ 10:41
 Domo_Nation
On Twitter:
And here is a pic from a festival in Japan last year -- I think the bar has been raised! [link] [link]
02/03/10 @ 16:24
 arar2
On Twitter:
Sapporo is my hometown. Photograph reminds me of the winter of childhood.RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/03/10 @ 17:50
 victoriaachin
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos [link]
02/05/10 @ 11:47
 Sapphire · http://asutoraeanooka.wordpress.com/
Oh these pics were taken last year! I went to the festival this year and didn't recognize most of the images in this post! This is definitely an amazing sight and worth traveling to. Loved every second! Here is Part 1 of my snow festival photos: http://asutoraeanooka.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/hokkaido-trip-part-1-sapporo-snow-festival/

Thanks for following me on Twitter and love the blog!
07/09/10 @ 10:27

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