Sounkyou Hyoubaku Matsuri in Kamikawa Town !

 by Gen, Kamikawa Sub-prefectural Office of Hokkaido Government

Now that Kazu is away to Bangkok or Phi Phi Island in Thailand, I jot down some articles and post it with photos.

This is Sounkyo Area where ice fall festival is held. It is extremely cold in this area, so the river water is used to make the ice statues and sculptures.
Just pumping up the water from Ishikari River and pouring water to the skeletons of the ice sculptures again and again leads to fantabulous  art in the canyon.

Of course, the skeletons of ice statues and sculptures hold the LED light bulbs for illumination. The water flow on the skeletons makes the ice and icicle on them and ice falls with artistic shapes are made in a few days.
Enough preparation for the cold weather is required to walk around the venue of the festival even if comfortable hot spring spas are in the hotels around this area.

The beauty of the harmony of ice statues and illumination may make you forget the temperature of minus 20 degrees in Celsius but do not forget the coldness may lead to death.

Every year many tourists visit there but it is not so famous as Sapporo Snow Festival. Please try the different kinds of art of ice and the hot spring bath after shivering. That is so comfortable and I love to do that !