The snow festival is held in Sapporo on the first week of February every year.  Sapporo is the largest city on Japan's northernmost island - Hokkaido.  It was really cold there when we arrived and there was tons of snow everywhere, making the countryside look very picturesque.  The city itself is a typical Japanese city, full of high rise but with some interesting historical buildings that have been preserved.  The festival itself is held in Odori Park.  About 7 city blocks dedicated to creating the ephemeral art of snow sculpture.

Here are some of the smaller sculptures.  Watching the people making the pagoda was the most interesting.  They were taking such care and doing some remarkably fiddly and precise work.

    Some people were making unofficial, roadside sculptures.

    This one was quite amazing and was being put together by a division of the Japanese Defense Force.

    Sapporo at night.  We went out to try the bars, which were very good.  Incredibly cold by this time though and snowing quite heavily.

On one of the streets, people were making ice sculptures, using chain saws, electric drills and chisels.

    Snowing heavily and really cold, so time to head back to the hotel!