Hokkaido Winter 2013 北海道冬季之旅 - Susukino Ice Festival すすきの氷の 祭典

Visited 11.02.2014

Year 2013 (33rd): 05.02.2013 - 11.02.2013
Year 2014 (34th): 05.02.2014 - 11.02.2014
Year 2015 (35th): 05.02.2015 - 11.02.2015 

Part of the larger Sapporo Snow Festival, an exhibition of ice sculptures is held in the nightlife district of Susukino in the very same week. This annual event is held along ekimae dori, between minami 4 dori and minami 6 dori, which is within walking distance from Susukino subway station. Managed to rush to this site on the last day, just an hour before lights off (2200 hrs)!

Highlights: 

- These works of art were entries for the ice sculpture contest and sculptors were given less than a day to create their masterpieces on the first day of festival. Having visited Heiwa dori shopping street during Asahikawa Winter Festival a few days back, the "wow" factor that these ice sculptures brought to me was definitely not as high as before. Despite that, I still found myself spending quite some time, admiring the fine details portrayed on each piece of ice sculpture. Personally I like to see how sculptors create mythical and fictional creatures, such as dragons and phoenixes, and they look particularly beautiful when they are illuminated at night.

- The most intriguing ice display has got to be this huge ice wall which was frozen together with crabs and fishes! An ice bar, which is constructed out of ice, allows visitors to enjoy ice cold beer/liquor (if you can withstand that in the cold weather) in the event venue. You may also get the opportunity to take a photo with the Ice Queen, the winner of their local beauty pageant. All in all, not a very big scale event, but still worth visiting especially if you are in Sapporo! 

Fishes and crabs all trapped in this ice wall.

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Susukino Ice Festival すすきの氷の祭典
Open to visitors till 2300 hrs, but lights out at 2200 hrs on the last day.
Free admission.

View Susukino Site in a larger map