Otaru Snow Gleaming Path

An hour train ride from Kutchan is Otaru. In February this picturesque little town hosts the annual Candle festival, very cold, very romantic and worth the trip to see it.

Otaru Gleaming Lights Path

Sapporo Yuki Matsuri 2010

Having not left the village the whole month of January, I left in February to see one of Japan's biggest festival - The Sapporo Yuki Matsuri. Large sculpted blocks of frozen snow large as houses, displayed along Odori Koen amongst festival food stalls and omiyagi shops. The largest ones are company sponsored. The smaller ones are made by local groups which bring the festival back to its roots when, in 1950, a group of high school students made just six snow sculptures. Since then the festival has grown in national and international recognition. 

My favourite of the bigger sculptures was made by the Hokkaido Zoo, at the centre of the piece shows a mother polar bear with her cubs surrounded by a few other exotic animals. Disney represented as they have done the last two times I've been, who wouldn't like a bit of Disney? A cute Japanese character line-up sculpture rounded of the display at the end of the strip. There were also German and Korean traditional buildings made of snow - I didn't find these so exciting.

There were the usual range of festival food with an emphasis on Hokkaido specefic foods. Always one to try the special foods, I had the 'kani shiru' - crab soup & the 'kabucha chizu' -  fried pumpkin with melty cheese inside. The latter, a really good alternative to the potato cheezu. Another part of the festival are the ice sculptures, found in Susukino, a brighter, more electric part of the city. Worth seeing, they look pretty cool. This part of the city has more izakaiya style places and ramen alley. 

A trip to the city wouldn't be complete without the usual stops. Uniqlo was disappointing, nothing I liked. Body Shop was successful, strawberry danish from the pastry shop at the station was delicious, Central was delightful, Apple shop, always a pleasure - was hoping to try out the iPad but they didn't seem to have one on display. And, one fillet 'o' fish from Maccers. Since coffee in the village is pretty good, don't feel like I need to visit Starbucks when I go to the city like when was down south. Although, a chai, soy, latte wouldn't be too bad. 

January was same, same in Hirafu, more Australian guests, kids club was full. Have since eaten at a few more places in the village, Steak Rosso Rosso was oh, so good and Luipicia, a specialist tea shop that have just finished building a restaurant just a little outside the village. I watched them build it over the summer and it was one of the best eating experiences I've had. Large, open, wooden building, no one there, great food, decent portion size, good value for money. 

Not going out so much this season, I have managed to be able to buy a few essential items for my snow sports wardrobe, the biggest purchase being a pair of shiny, white, fitted to my feet ski boots. I took them out recently and did them up so tight I couldn't feel my feet, have since loosened them. You'll be pleased to know the ski boots and I are working out just fine.

January & Yuki Matsuri 2010