36th LAKE SHIKOTSU ICE FESTIVAL （2014千歳・支笏湖 氷濤まつり）| Mizu no uta （水の謌）

We went to the 36th LAKE SHIKOTSU ICE FESTIVAL （2014千歳・支笏湖 氷濤まつり） today.

Look at Lake Shikotsu!
How beautiful it is!

Let's go to the festival site!
Because ice objects are made of lake water, which is blessed with minerals, the tunnel looks light blue! Amazing, isn't it?

It was very cold today.
When we went there, the temperature there was -10C!! Just for reference, the lowest one today was -20C!!!! Wow! Wow! Wow!

First, we enjoyed "Ice Falls （アイスフォールズ）"↓
My guests from Hawaii were so excited to see water running from the top!

Let's enter "Moss Cave （苔の洞門）"↓

Tada!!!
See??? It looks like a real moss cave!!! Pine leaves are used for the art work.

At the end of the cave, kokanee salmon are decorated like an aquarium↓

We are so impressed with "Big Mountain （ビッグマウインテン）"! Can you imagine local people not professional artists create these ice sculpture???

Cool!

Let's climb the Blue Chateau （ブルーシャトー）"!

We can enjoy the whole picture of the festival site!!!

How exciting it is!!! Of course, we enjoyed the "Big Slope （ビッグスロープ）" like children!!

The festival site has a shinto shrine, too!!! When you go to the inside,

you will find the offertory box, but......

visitors don't use it. They put coins on the ice directly! Hahaha!

Last but not least, we visited "Mizu no Uta （水の謌）" for desserts!

Their cakes are all delicious. Among them,

"Tarumae san syu （たるまえ山シュー）", puff creams, are the most popular! Yummy x 2!!!

I also recommend this dessert. Do you have any idea what it is? I'll open the lid.

It looks like a pudding, but it is not a normal pudding!!

Voila!
This is "Miso Pudding （みそプリン）"!!!
I'm so happy that my guests also love the desserts!

■Where is "Mizu no Uta （水の謌）"?

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■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?

I'll guide you! Plz click here!

65th SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL （さっぽろ雪まつり）

The 65th SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL （さっぽろ雪まつり） has just started today (Feb. 5th-11th), and I checked it for a tour from tomorrow.

There are several booths serving hot drinks and food free of charge! I'm sure my guests will love it!

I walked from 8 chome to 2 chome along Odori Park （大通公園）, a main venue of the festival.

8 chome
■TOMB OF ITMAD-UD DAULA (India)
If you are interested in Indian food, please enjoy Indian food stalls in this block!

■Sultan Abdul Samad Building
As I love Malaysia, I tries Malaysian food, too!

Look at this booth↓

I love Mie goreng very much!

6 chome
■Hokkaido Winter Food Park
How attempting the food court is!

Among a lot of booths, I chose this Betsukai stall, because I've stayed Betsukai （別海） for one month as an interpreter.

Do you have any idea what kind of burger it is?

Voila!
This is ..............

Scallop Burger （別海ジャンボホタテバーガー）↓
How huge the scallop is! Yummy x 2!!!

5 chome
■Winter Sports Paradise, Hokkaido!
Winter Olympics in Sochi is around the corner. I hope Team Japan will get a lot of medals there!

4 chome
■Traditional and Modern Taiwan
I really love Taiwanese food, and looked for their food stalls, but there are NO food booths here!!! WHY???? Hahaha!

3 chome
■Shiroi Koibito Park Air Jump

I was so lucky to see athletes practicing snowboarding here!

Wow! Wow! Wow!

As I also snowboard, I really enjoyed it!

I'll be back at night!!

Look at the smoking space↓
It is also made of ice!! Interesting!!

2 chome
■Palace of the Heart

It is very cold these days (the highest temperature today is -4C......)
When you come to the festival, please wear a thick jacket!

p.s.
I'll go around several festivals throughout Hokkaido for the next four days with my tour guests, and update pics in each one. Please enjoy virtual festivals through my blog!)

■Where is Odori Park, a main venue of Sapporo Snow Festival?

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■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?

I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Glass Art Gallery （ガラスアートギャラリー） 2013.11.11-2014.1.13／Otaru （小樽）

"Otaru Snow Story （第1章 小樽ゆき物語）" is now held in Otaru, which mainly consist of three events; "Santa Claus Market （サンタ市）"--Nov.30 to Dec.25, 2013--, "machi nabe 100選 (100 selections)"--Dec.13, 2013 to Jan.13, 2014--, and "Winter Shooting Star （冬の流星）"--Dec. 21 to Dec. 23, 2013--..

Look at the "Glass Art Gallery （ガラスアートギャラリー）", one of the special events during the festival↓

Original glass arts created by famous glass studios are displayed at JR Otaru station.↓

Yes! Otaru is sometimes dubbed as a glass city.

This event is held from Nov. 11, 2013 to Jan. 13, 2014.

I should come back here to join other events!!!

■Where is Otaru （小樽）?

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■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?

I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Star Festival and Kyokusui no Utage （七夕と曲水の宴）| Otokoyama Sake Brewery Museum （男山酒造り資料館）| Asahikawa （旭川）

Otokoyama （男山） is a more than 340 year-old sake brewery, and has got gold medals at Sake Competition （酒類コンテスト） for 36 years in a row.

After enjoying this sake brewery museum, tasting awarded sake, I always collect natural water in the compound which is from Daisetsuzan mountain range （大雪山の伏流水） in order to make their delicious sake. This is very delicious, and recommendable!!!

Wow! Wow! Wow! I've found a special event here!
Have you heard "Kyokusui no Utage （曲水の宴）"?

This is how to enjoy this event.

First, write down you wishes on star festival paper strip. Yes, Star Festival （七夕） is held on the 8th of August in Hokkaido, and we have such a custom.

Then wait a sake cup flowing from the upstream, which is regarded as Milky Way in the space.

Use a bamboo bar to catch the cup, and drink sake! Yummy x 2!!!

Lastly, hang up your strip on a bamboo, and make a wish!

We really enjoyed this traditional summer event, and Japanese garden very much!!

■Where is "Otokoyama Sake Brewery Museum （男山酒資料館）"?

View Larger Map

■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?I'll guide you! Plz click here!