Mom and I arrived in Sapporo last night. We had a layover in Tokyo where they told us it was possible we wouldn't be able to land in Sapporo due to poor weather/snowy conditions. I'm so glad we had a smooth landing! By the time we arrived at the Sapporo train station there was a nice snow falling. Our hotel is only a block from the station, but we didn't realize it was so close, so we took a taxi. I was stoked to find out we could have wi-fi in our room for free! (Japan still isn't a wi-fi friendly country, so I wasn't expecting to be online for a few days). It also appears that there is free wifi around Odori Park. But it's so cold I can barely take pictures with my gloves on, let alone try to text!
This morning wept on all our layers and headed over to Odori Park. Our hotel is 3 blocks from the park. It turns out the park is 12 blocks long! We walked around in the cold for roughly 3 hours. Some of the sculptures were covered in snow from last night, but they were still incredible. The amount of detail is unbelievable. I realized that I spent more time focusing on taking pictures than actually enjoying the sculptures (good thing we have 3 more days to go back!). As the morning went on, I started slipping a lot more- good thing I have good enough balance to catch myself and I never did fall. The entire park is covered in snow. My feet were nice and warm in my socks and uggs. My fingers got the coldest, along with my nose- it was especially painful when the wind blew.
In the afternoon we went shopping at my favorite stores. I'd forgotten how overwhelming stores can be, there's just so much stimulation, lights, and sounds. That's all for tonight. Enjoy the pictures!
Mom in front of the Sapporo TV tower, 3 blocks from our hotel, at the start of Odori park.
Smokers have to go in a ice building! I hope they are freezing!
The first of many kids to ask us questions in English, cute at first, but then it was too darn cold to stand there. Great project for English class, I thought. E looks on their faces when we said we were from Hawaii was priceless.
Ain't no thang, just gonna lay on the snow to do my class work.
Traditional and Modern Taiwan (junk pic). Block 4
Winter sports paradise- of course my favorite because of the figure skater. It evokes the spirit and joy of international competition in support of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the 2017 Sapporo Asian Games.
Block 5
Pretty much the cutest freekin thing of the day!
Can I slide down too?!
Human love, animal love, and love for environment.
Block 7
Sultan Abdul Samad Building- built in 1897 in Malasia
Block 7
Chestnuts
Indian food in Sapporo!? Mom wants to go back for samosas
Tomb of Itmad-Ud-Dula (India- thus the Indian food)
12 meters high, 21 meters wide, 23 meters deep. 2,250 tons of snow used. A method called ice block construction is used, and over 24 kinds of pieces amounting to 1,100 total are put together to create the sculpture. 3,800 people worked together for 30 days to create this sculpture.
Block 8 (hands are freezing by now, can't feel pinky fingers)
I think this is my favorite sculpture
Covers in snow from last night
Was a cool looking horse before the snow
Momotaro fighting the demon. His tale is from my home town, Okayama
Block 9
Brushing the snow off
be Ponkickles is a TV show
Block 10
Says "Yuki matsuri" aka snow festival
Block 11-12
41st International Snow Sculpture Contest
9 teams from all over the world compete.
Thailand
Portland
Represent!
Malaysia?
Owl for Tara
I LOVE ichigo daifuku
Too bad mom and I don't appreciate the abundance of seafood
So sad. Tottoro is covered in snow
Now this is the way to see the snow festival!
Snowboard ramp- back at Block 1.
I had to get this, even though I'm indifferent to hello kitty
-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
This morning wept on all our layers and headed over to Odori Park. Our hotel is 3 blocks from the park. It turns out the park is 12 blocks long! We walked around in the cold for roughly 3 hours. Some of the sculptures were covered in snow from last night, but they were still incredible. The amount of detail is unbelievable. I realized that I spent more time focusing on taking pictures than actually enjoying the sculptures (good thing we have 3 more days to go back!). As the morning went on, I started slipping a lot more- good thing I have good enough balance to catch myself and I never did fall. The entire park is covered in snow. My feet were nice and warm in my socks and uggs. My fingers got the coldest, along with my nose- it was especially painful when the wind blew.
In the afternoon we went shopping at my favorite stores. I'd forgotten how overwhelming stores can be, there's just so much stimulation, lights, and sounds. That's all for tonight. Enjoy the pictures!
Mom in front of the Sapporo TV tower, 3 blocks from our hotel, at the start of Odori park.
Smokers have to go in a ice building! I hope they are freezing!
The first of many kids to ask us questions in English, cute at first, but then it was too darn cold to stand there. Great project for English class, I thought. E looks on their faces when we said we were from Hawaii was priceless.
Ain't no thang, just gonna lay on the snow to do my class work.
Traditional and Modern Taiwan (junk pic). Block 4
Winter sports paradise- of course my favorite because of the figure skater. It evokes the spirit and joy of international competition in support of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the 2017 Sapporo Asian Games.
Block 5
Pretty much the cutest freekin thing of the day!
Can I slide down too?!
Human love, animal love, and love for environment.
Block 7
Sultan Abdul Samad Building- built in 1897 in Malasia
Block 7
Chestnuts
Indian food in Sapporo!? Mom wants to go back for samosas
Tomb of Itmad-Ud-Dula (India- thus the Indian food)
12 meters high, 21 meters wide, 23 meters deep. 2,250 tons of snow used. A method called ice block construction is used, and over 24 kinds of pieces amounting to 1,100 total are put together to create the sculpture. 3,800 people worked together for 30 days to create this sculpture.
Block 8 (hands are freezing by now, can't feel pinky fingers)
I think this is my favorite sculpture
Covers in snow from last night
Was a cool looking horse before the snow
Momotaro fighting the demon. His tale is from my home town, Okayama
Block 9
Brushing the snow off
be Ponkickles is a TV show
Block 10
Says "Yuki matsuri" aka snow festival
Block 11-12
41st International Snow Sculpture Contest
9 teams from all over the world compete.
Thailand
Portland
Represent!
Malaysia?
Owl for Tara
I LOVE ichigo daifuku
Too bad mom and I don't appreciate the abundance of seafood
So sad. Tottoro is covered in snow
Now this is the way to see the snow festival!
Snowboard ramp- back at Block 1.
I had to get this, even though I'm indifferent to hello kitty
-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Sapporo, Japan
Comments
Hope you guys are having loads of fun :)