For the first time in 3 years, the Sapporo Snow Festival is back in Hokkaido, Japan and features over 160 snow and ice sculptures.
Photo: Sony Pictures India
The Sapporo Snow Festival started in 1950 with just six snow sculptures, but has since grown into one of Japan's largest winter events.
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The festival takes place in Sapporo, the capital city of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, known for its heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures.
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The 73rd Sapporo Snow Festival opened to the public this year, having been held virtually for the previous two years due to the pandemic.
Photo: Reuters
The festival features beautiful snow and ice sculptures built by both amateur and professional artists as well as food stalls, music and dance performances.
Photo: AFP
A highlight of the festival is the international ice sculpture competition, where the world's best sculptors compete to sculpt the most beautiful creations.
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Five gigantic snow sculptures over 10 meters tall including dinosaurs and various buildings featured at this year's event.
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The snow festival is known to feature gorgeous displays over snow sculptures, making for the most immersive experience.
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Many popular anime characters also featured at this year's event, including Anya Forger from Spy x Family and Izuku Midoriya from My Hero Academia.
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A scultpture of Japanese Baselball star Shohei Ohtani, nicknamed "Snowhei" also featured at the snow festival this year.
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In addition to the sculptures, the festival also features snowboarding and skiing competitions, as well as opportunities for visitors to try out winter sports.
Photo: AFP
The festival has become a major tourist destination, attracting more than 2 million tourists every year, with 2019 seeing a record 2.74 million people attending.
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