Colors of Sapporo - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

After the Olympic Games of 1972 which took place in the city of Sapporo tourists from other countries have been associating the city with majestic winter holidays. One of the main events of the cultural life calendar in the city has for more than 60 years been the Sapporo Snow Festival. The event was first held in 1950. A remarkable fact is that festival was established by pupils. Many years ago children created several marvelous snow figures in one of the local parks.

This good tradition was decided to be repeated the next year. However apart from snow figures exhibition the festival was added with various interesting entertainment events and competitions. The Sapporo Snow Festival is held in the first part of December. At present the original winter event attracts more than two millions of foreign guests annually. Traditional entertainments for the guests of the festival are the carnival and a snowball fight. But the main opening event of the festival is still the exhibition of ice and snow figures as many years ago.

The process of creating of ice and snow figures which are decorating the park for the whole winter engages thousands of people. On the eve of the festival the city of Sapporo attracts masters and artists of snow statuary art literally from all the cities of the country. Foreign sculptors are as well engaged in the process of ice carving. The festival turned known to wide public in 1960. The celebration of its tenth anniversary was turned to a fantastic show. Since that time the festival has increased a quantity of its fans and participants. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

One of the most original and interesting celebrations of the festival was held in 1974 when the country survived a grave crisis. The situation in the country was that hard that municipal purse lacked costs to deliver enough of snow and ice to create and carve the figures. However local folks did not altered the traditions and did not canceled the celebration of the festival having figured out an original escape from the situation. To save snow the masters stuck it all over the empty casks and then constructed and created compositions and figures of ultimate beauty. This year the festival first engaged foreign masters for whom this bright and original event has also turned to a good tradition.

Modern festival is already a different holiday than it was for many years ago when held for the first time. To locate all the snow figures three great platforms are equipped in the city. An entertainment program of the festival commonly lasts for seven days and offers various contests and competitions, parades, celebrations and plenty of typical winter entertainments. The festival is considered to be a family holiday. Thus many tourists arrive at the city of Sapporo and attend the event with kids.

In addition to the already mentioned Ice Sculpture Festival, Sapporo is the venue for other fascinating events such as the beautiful one called Yosakoi Soran Matsuri. It is dedicated to the traditional Japanese dance “Yosakoi”. The festival takes place at the beginning of June and occupies an important place in the cultural life of the capital of Hokkaido province. During the event, you can see dance troupes on the central street of the city. Participants are brightly covered in traditional Japanese style. Mandatory attribute of their colorful costumes is the amazing “naruko” – rattles which participants of the festival use in order not to stray from the rhythm. The traditional folk song “Soran Busi” is an essential part of the performance too. The main venue for the festival is the picturesque Ōdōri Park.

The same park is the location for another interesting festival which will be appreciated by lovers of intoxicating drinks. We are talking about the Sapporo Beer Festival, which lasts for a whole month, starting in mid-July and ending in mid-August respectively. During this time a record amount of beer is always drunk. The holiday itself is accompanied by national dances, evening fireworks, and music concerts. Beers from local and foreign producers are presented here, which gives visitors to the festival a chance to choose the most suitable beer for themselves.

One more remarkable event which usually attracts a lot of people who like event tourism is the Hokudai-Sai Festival. The festival consists of several events but the culinary one is considered to be the highlight of it. During it, you can taste dishes prepared by students – all types of cuisine are represented here on account of the fact that foreigners are also allowed to participate. The festival takes place in early June and marks the beginning of summer vacation for students. The university campus is the venue of the event. Other events including costume parades, musical concerts, and student performance are being held on the adjacent streets. It must be borne in mind that during the fest the road to the campus is closed to motor transport for four days.

Autumn Fest is an event which is dedicated to the onset of autumn and takes place in October. The festival glorifies local culinary traditions and marks the end of the harvest. You can taste all the variety of local cuisine in the green area of Ōdōri Park. No less interesting for fans of event tourism is the colorful Big Fun Garden Party. It is held in Toyama Fureai Orchard, which is a picturesque place framed by ponds. Visitors will be able to set up a picnic and have a great time in a private, intimate setting. They can enjoy the magnificent views and a dance program prepared by the best dancers as well. This event has an exciting atmosphere that promotes greater convergence between the festival participants and visitors. The festival takes place in early September.

Hokkaido Shrine Festival is a Shinto event, which takes place in mid-June. It is especially popular among lovers of colorful religious processions. Costume parades start from the Hokkaido Jingu temple and run through the city center every morning for three days. Participants of the festival, dressed in the fashion of the Heian period, carry with them portable temples. It is worth noting that this is one of the oldest festivals of Sapporo – it has been celebrated since the end of the 19th century, which is the reason that the Heian period is chosen for the costume parade. After the procession, the Nakajima Park awaits visitors of the festival. Here they are presented with a rich entertainment program with an opportunity to taste local cuisine and thematic excursions (including the one to the haunted house located in the green zone).

One of the most popular festivals for music lovers is the Rising Sun Rock Festival. It is traditionally held alongside the quay at the Tarukawa Park in mid-August. The name of the festival came about not only because of the country which hosts it – Japan (which as is well known, is also called the “Land of the Rising Sun”) – but also because the fest ends right at sunrise. Among the headliners of the festival are popular Japanese rock and metal bands, which would never let any of the festival visitors to get bored. Lovers of beach parties would enjoy the wonderful Summer Gate Beach Festival, which takes place at the beginning of August. This is a time for electronic music (rave, house, and trance) mixed with a cheerful atmosphere. The fest is a perfect opportunity to relax, and dance to the sounds of incendiary beats played by DJs on the beach. There are two possible venues of the event: the Otaru Dream Beach or Starlight Beach. It is better to check the billboard.

The end of May is the time when Sapporo “drowns” in purple color. Sapporo Lilac Festival is the reason for this. This extraordinary beautiful event owes its entire existence to a simple teacher and missionary, Sarah Smith, who at the end of the 19th century brought lilacs to the city. The flower became so beloved by the locals that in 1959, it was chosen as the national plant of the city. It was precisely at this time that the first festival dedicated to lilacs was held. The brightest areas with incredibly lush vegetation can be seen in the picturesque Ōdōri Park and Kawashimo Park. In addition to the beautiful flower arrangements that can be seen in the parks, musical concerts are held here and food courts are opened. This festival should definitely be visited to enjoy the fantastically beautiful nature just like the Japanese do from time immemorial.