Otaru Lantern Festival

Otaru "is a city and port in Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination." ~ Wikipedia

This is the Otaru Canal. "Otaru Canal (Otaru Unga) used to be a central part of the city's busy harbor in the first half of the 20th century, when large vessels had to be unloaded by smaller ships, which then transported the goods to warehouses along the canal. The canal became obsolete, when modern dock facilities allowed for direct unloading of larger vessels. Thanks to a citizens' movement, however, a part of the canal was beautifully restored in the 1980s instead of being landfilled, while the warehouses were transformed into shops, cafes, museums and restaurants." ~Japan-guide

And now you are about to find out why this is my new favorite city on Hokkaido... maybe in all of Northern Japan... maybe in all of Japan...

Otaru Canal  

Otaru is famous for its glass works. There were a handful of shops where people were actaully blowing glass and you could make your own beads. This was one of those shops, they have the rods of colored glass to pick from then then you sit at these tables and they help you make your own beads.. this kid looks like he is making one for his girlfriend... he looked pretty stressed out! 

There were also dozens of shops that sold the glassworks. Shelves and shelves and more shelves of super delicate tiny glass things... they made me nervous... plus I had a camera bag and a tripod strapped to my back so I was sure I would crash into something... luckily I did not. 

This was on the main strip of shops, art galleries and restaurants right next to the canal... they called it snowman street because every shop had a snowman or two or three built outside... It was the cutest thing. Just imagine you are walking downtown or in your neighborhood and in front of every building there was a little wonky snowman... all lit with candles. It was so cute and intimate and I felt  like I belonged. 

This was in front of another building... snow shelves with mini snowmen and ice lanterns. This is why the festival is called the lantern festival... Because everything is aglow in soft candle light. It was so amazing. 

More ice and snow lanterns but these were located right on the main canal.

Nighttime Otaru Canal... it was so romantic

This is all on a third street in Otaru with glass floats ablaze and snow sculptures everywhere... they however weren't big like the Sapporo ones, they were small and intimate and really cool, the kind of cool that makes you think... "hmm next time is snows I am building this on my porch"

This is why this is my new favorite city!

Reasons Why I Loved the Otaru Lantern Festival:

Romantic Intimate and charming city

Really Delicious Food!!! 

Felt a personal connection like I was a part of the festival not just observing

Super easy to get to from Sapporo via Train

Reasons Why I Didn't Love the Festival:

None

Sapporo Snow Festival

The Sapporo Snow Festival is "one of Japan's largest and most distinctive winter events. In 2007 (58th Festival), about two million people visited Sapporo to see the hundreds of snow statues and ice sculptures." ~Wikipedia

The Snow Festival was cool, literally it was pretty cold... especially at night! No... but really it was. It was interesting as well... I had never thought of snow sculptures as opposed to ice sculpture but these were definitely carved out of snow. They had some ice here and further across town they had a whole exhibit of ice sculptures (post to follow). I think it was really interesting to see the juxtaposition of natural and big city, modern and childish. 

Snow Sculpture in Central Sapporo

  These things had crazy details and they were SO BIG! There were probably 10 different sculptures that were part of giant snow stages! They were crazy. I felt as though it was almost hard to relate to on a personal level. Everything was so big and imposing and overwhelming. You will see a significant difference when I post the smaller more intimate festivals of Otaru and Chitose.

"Tourism of Hokkaido"

There was a ski jump in the middle of the city! 

This is another one of those giant stages but out of ice!

This is a family of a popular japanese cartoon show. It makes me think of the Japanese version on family guy.

This was part of the International Snow Carving Competition. Countries from all over the wold came and sculpted in front of crowds under a time limit to create a winning design... it was like those sugar sculpture contests on the Food Network! Intensity!

There were at least as many food vendor as there were snow sculptures, I really liked this one cause of the floats they hanging from the roof. 

Chu-Hi in front of the Snow Temple... 

These guys were just creepy....

This was a "designated smoking area" made out of ice blocks... I thought it was gorgeous!

View of Sapporo at night from the TV Tower  

So basically I think you have to take the Sapporo Snow Festival at face value... what you see in the pictures is what it is... only alot colder. If I went back I think I would stay only one night in Sapporo, one  day and night is all you need to see everything, then I would spend a couple days in Otaro... cause its so cute and then travel around the rest of the island. I think part of an overall trip the Snow Festival would be great... but not worth the trip if that is all you do.

Reasons why I loved the Sapporo Snow Festival

Crazy sculptures bigger then I ever imagined possible carved out of snow. 

It was fun to be in a big city for a little while 

Reasons why I didn't love the Festival

I dont really like big cities

SO MANY PEOPLE... and the kept touching me

So big and ridiculous it was hard to related to on a personal level.

Ferry and Sapporo Brewery

My parents, some friends, and I all went to Sapporo for the Sapporo Snow Festival. Sapporo is located on Hokkaido, the island just north of us on the main island. There are a several ways to reach Hokkaido, we chose to go via ferry. The ferry like all Japan adventures is interesting and fun! We weren't sure how full it would be with the Snow Festival going on (in 2007 about 2 million people attended the snow festival) so we made advance reservation (through Misawa ITT), I think this was not necessary the ferry was pretty empty, although some other people that went had different ferry experiences... It was only a 7 hour ride... overnight... but just in case you HAVE to shower it did have an onsen!!!! 

Hachinohe Ferry Onsen

An Onsen is a public bath... I was able to sneak a picture since noone had gotten in yet... There are the little shower areas where you wash off first then everyone goes and soaks in the pool of water behind. I think the Onsens are going to be what I miss the most about Japan. Most onsens including this one are only Male or Female but there are some that are co-ed. The nicer onsens have multiple baths of different temperatures, including cold baths, many have outdoor baths which are awesome in the snow, and some even have specialty baths... like wine... or coffee.. or natural sulfur water. 

View of Hachinohe Ferry Terminal... from the ferry 

 We drove to Hachinohe (1 hr) to take the ferry to Tomakamai (7 hr), and then a bus to Sapporo (2 hr). My parents wanted a private room so we got a first class room, that comes with four beds to a room, a sitting area, green tea, pajamas, and toothbrushes. Some of our friends however got the 2nd class room with bed, which was also really nice, there were 18 people to a room but only 4 beds were in each little section and they all had privacy curtains. The third ferry option is the tatami mat room... thats what I did over the summer, for pictures of our summer Hokkaido trip click HERE.

2nd class room with bed on Hachinohe Ferry

There is a bit to do in Sapporo besides the snow festival (which is next on the blog agenda) including... a brewery and chocolate factory. The Sapporo Brewery founded in 1876 is located in... Sapporo... shocking I know. They have a museum, tasting area and a restaurant.

Sapporo Brewery 

And even though I hate beer, I figured I had to have at least one... since I was in Sapporo and all... so I got a Sapporo Beer... it was gross... but they gave me cheese too so I was happy!

Sapporo Brewery Tasting 

After my super awesome beer (not) we went next door to the restaurant for a bite to eat. The buildings of the brewery were really pretty... especially at night. 

Sapporo Brewery Restaurant 

The restaurant was Yakiniku style... which means it served raw meat and veggies with grills in the middle of the table and you cook the food to your liking... dip it... and eat it! Delish!!!! Kendall and I had lamb and mixed veggies. 

Yakiniku 

Not only did we have a delishous Yakiniku dinner at the Sapporo Brewery... we were also serenaded! This guys was busting it out! This picture also shows the whole atmosphere of the restaurant, low light, kinda smoky from everyone burning thier food... it was cool!

Piano Accordionist at Sapporo Brewery 

And a final shot of the Brewery before we headed back to our Ryoken.

Sapporo Brewery

Towadako Snow & Light Fantavista

Winter festivals take place all over Northerns Japan starting in Late January through Mid February...  in the depths of winter up here in Northern Japan... I had yet to see any so this year I tried to go to as many as possible... Towada is the first of five... also I am sad to say my least favorite. And I say that with all the love I can because I love the Lake Towada area... and I am not saying least favorite in that you should not go... but least favorite in that if you can only go to one maybe pick Hirosaki instead. But I will show you everything and let you decide.... Or you can be like me and just go everywhere!

We arrived slightly before sunset (most winter festivals are night events). Just enough time for a walk by the lake, and to realize maybe we didn't wear enough layers... oops. It was cold... if you decide to go to a winter festival... especially at night... bring more then you would ever think to need... cause you can always take off layers.

Lake Towada at Sunset in February

 We then heading into the festival grounds and decided to get our dinner on! Festival food is sneaky... some is really really good... and some was warm three hours ago when they put it out but not so much when you bite into it. 

This is a large bathtub of Ramen... are they really gonna sell all that by the end of the night... or is it just for show?!? I dont know. Here is a fun Japanese fact... that red banner right between the two ladies says "ramen"... sideways triangle with a line over the top... dash... x... sideways line with a dot... that is about the extent of my reading in Japanese... 

Giant Vat of Ramen 

Festival Food on a Stick

The Towada winter festival was the "Towadako Winter Story Snow & Light Fantavista" That is pretty good as far as engrish goes. There were these blue trees everywhere but this particular tree had chimes all hanging off of it that you could walk up and play.

Tree with chimes

 There were igloos everywhere... well they are technically not igloos but snow caves... since they are carved out of a pile of compressed snow instead of being built out of snow blocks... BUT that is not important... these snow caves had various things inside... some had nothing, some had carvings out of the snow... some had bars... this one had a table and chairs

Sitting in the Snow Cave

 There were lanturns everywhere and they looked so cute, gave the whole place a really nice ambiance.

Snow Lanterns

 This is the inside of the Sake Bar. It smelled like Sake inside... it was pretty potent... I am not the hugest fan of Sake but it was a cool place. 

Sake Bar in Snow Cave

 This is the inside of a snow church... a Christian church, with a cross on the outside and everything... something I found interesting since only 2% of Japanese people identify as being Christian (according to a 1997 Agency of Cultural Affairs Publication) AND there are Shinto Omikuji (Forturne Papers) tied up in the church... Japan cracks me up!

Snow Cave Church 

Group Picture... Egyptian Style

 After we left the festivial grounds we headed the the sweet shinto shrine just off in the woods which also happens to be the path to the "statue of the two maidens". I dont particuarily like the statue so I wont be showing it to you. BUT the path was lined first with snow lanturns and then closer to the end it was lined with these super awesome glass float... used by fishermen in Mutsu Bay to hold up nets.

Glowing Japanese Floats

Night Time Torii Gate and Snow Lanterns

Lisa in the Snow Lanterns!

Reasons why I loved the Towadako Winter Story Snow and Light Festival

The super awesome path to the shrine was gorgeous... full of anciant trees and magic.

The festival food was really good and a good variety.

Reasons why I didn't love the Festival

I was not prepared for the cold.

It was kinda small and not much to do... except sit in a snow cave and drink.

Almost everything was lit with bulbs not candles which made it feel less intimate and more industrial.

Shimokita

Shimokita is the furthest northern reaches of the main island of Japan. It is remote and wild. I love it. Here are some photos I took on a recent visit this winter. 

There is something really magical about the beach. I love it. I could go everyday and find new things to entertain me. I really love the beach in the winter with the snow. I love the relationship between the snow and the sand and the water. The water melts the snow leaving a mark of exactly where its been. The snow mimics the past shape of the water. And the contrast of the black sand on white snow makes an even bigger statement. No matter how much it snows there is still that black strip of beach where the water overtakes it. 

Snow Mixing with Sand on a beach near Misawa

 Something else really magical happens in the winter... swans from Russia migrate to Northern Japan to escape the harsh siberian winters. So everywhere you look near fresh water you find swans... they just appear... a few at first... and then hundreds... 

Swans swimming at Rokkasho

 The drive up the coast of Shimokita is one of my favorites... I love that stretch of 338. There are so many cool places and magical spots and of all of those magical spots this is my absolute favorite.

My favorite secret spot on the way up the coast

Squid fishing is really big up here in Northern Japan. In almost every small fishing village you can see squid fishing boats like this one... they are so interesting to me because of their giant lights! They go out at night and shine their lights to attract the squid! And I also find those giant lights washed up on the beach all the time... intact!  

Squid boat at Cape Shiriyazaki

All the way at the north eastern tip of Japan is Cape Shiriyazaki... and at Cape Shiriyazaki are "wild horses" these horses are less wild and more... not owned... they are super tame and super friendly. I love them. They are so fluffy cause they have to survive the harsh winters on the windy cape. I think this one should be a unicorn

"Wild Horses" at Shiriyazaki

Kona also loves the cape... she loves to be wild and run to the cliff tops and feel the wind flop her ears around... 

Kona roaming Cape Shiriyazaki

Shiriyazaki Lighthouse