2010 Sapporo Snow Festival

The Snow Sculptures

I'll put these first, since it was the main point of the trip.
They started this tradition back in the '50s when some school kids
built a few sculptures in Odori Park, in the center of Sapporo. The
practice grew, and now there are about 7 or 8 main sculptures, and
dozens of smaller ones. The main sculptures are the size of a large
house... the people in the foreground of some shots show the scale.
The smaller ones are maybe 7 or 8 feet tall.

P1000090.jpg	P1000091.jpg	P1000092.jpg	This was my favorite... a collection of animals from around the world P1000095.jpg
P1000096.jpg	P1000098.jpg	P1000102.jpg	To commemorate the anniversary of some long-running animated TV show P1000131.jpg
P1000132.jpg	P1000133.jpg	This one won first prize... a Thai legend of a warrior who kills a crocodile/demon P1000134.jpg	P1000135.jpg
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Seafood

Hokkaido is perhaps best known as having the best of certain types
of seafood, including crabs of all sorts. There are many different
types (hairy crab, red queen crab, etc) but expensive. In one photo
you can see the prices in yen... over a $100 for a large one!

P1000059.jpg	P1000061.jpg	P1000064.jpg	Some shops also operated a small grill, where they would prepare your choice right there P1000065.jpg
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Otaru

This town near Sapporo was our first stop. Famous for it's glass
and preservation of some of the old buildings

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An old "steam clock" P1000069.jpg	P1000071.jpg	P1000072.jpg	P1000074.jpg

Sapporo Beer Hall / Museum

The home of Sapporo beer, now a museum and beer hall.
signature meal is called a "Ghengis Khan" and features
meat, seafood, and vegetables that you cook youself on
a dome-shaped griddle.

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Susukino

Sapporo's entertainment district, and the site of a large number
of ice sculptures (as opposed to the snow sculptures)

P1000106.jpg	A sort of famous sign for Nikka whisky P1000108.jpg	P1000109.jpg	P1000113.jpg
P1000115.jpg	That's real seafood frozen in the ice P1000116.jpg	P1000122.jpg	P1000123.jpg
P1000125.jpg	P1000126.jpg	They can get some great detail using ice P1000128.jpg

Random Sapporo shots

Near the hotel where I stayed

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And "ice bar" P1000157.jpg

Lake Shikotsu

Yet another site for ice sculptures, this one is at a nearby
lake, which supposedly has the clearest water in Japan. These
sculptures tend to be "interactive"... that is, you can climb
on them, walk through them, etc

P1000159.jpg	P1000160.jpg	P1000162.jpg	P1000163.jpg
P1000164.jpg	P1000168.jpg	P1000169.jpg	Yuki-san, our guide. By coincidence, "yuki" also means "snow" P1000172.jpg
P1000174.jpg	Ice combined with pine branches, giving a unique effect P1000175.jpg	P1000176.jpg	P1000177.jpg
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Cute Kids

Well, ya gotta have cute kid shots...

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