carvings amidst the colorful flashing neon of this entertainment district.
Delon's city Liezen
Japan Dictionary
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| Sapporo | ||||||||
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| The City of Sapporo is the economic, cultural and political capitol of Hokkaido. This northern metropolis of 1.8 million residents, the site of the 1972 Olympic Winter Games, is also one of the world's foremost winter cities. No city the size of Sapporo gets more snow; accumulations totalled 632 centimeters (20.7 feet) during the winter of 1998-99, when the low temperature reached - 15.8�C (3.5� F). | ||||||||
| Making Fun of Winter | ||||||||
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Sapporo has got a real handle on winter. This is a city with a spirit that makes the most of what it has most of, and here the snow seems to be only a welcome if chilly challenge. The annual Snow Festival is an example. In 1999, more than two million people from all over Japan as well as overseas observed the 50th anniversary of the Sapporo Snow Festival, celebrating a tradition that has grown from the spirited efforts of high school students who refused to hibernate in winter. In 1950, the students formed six snow sculptures in Odori Park to enliven winter-weary residents, and from that little winter celebration the fun has never stopped. In 1955, mammoth snow sculptures, the hallmark of the festival, were constructed for the first time, and today the festival is the best known winter event in Japan, and one of the top ones in the world. | |||||||
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Sapporo's festival is not all snow statues, however. Winter sports, winter fashion shows, winter music, ice carving contests, international snow sculpting competitions and fireworks are all regularly included in the fun which helps explain why the event has expanded all over the city, and continues to grow. In addition to Odori Park, there are now events in Makomanai Park, one of the main sites of the 1972 Olympic Winter Games, where snow slides for children are built into giant fairy tale and cartoon characters of snow; and in Susukino, with crystal displays of ice carvings amidst the colorful flashing neon of this entertainment district. |
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