yuki matsuri! (snow festival in hokkaido)

I realize that I'm a little late getting to this post, but the reality is I have been slightly overwhelmed by it. gomenne.


My trip to Hokkaido for the Snow Festival was amazing. It was refreshing to get away for a bit, especially since it was to a place that really did feel like a winter wonderland. And in addition got to hang out with a bunch of people that came to Ibaraki on JET at the same time as me, but haven’t really had too much of a chance to hang out with since our week in Tokyo back in August and a few odd meetings here and there.

The 15 of us, on the trip, headed out on Thursday evening to Hokkaido, via a 19-hour ferry. I was really dreading this experience but it turned out to be great. We had three 8-person cabins between us all on the ferry. They were cozy but fairly nice, as was the whole boat. We spent the evening hanging around playing some poker, talking, getting kicked out of the kids play ground area (even though there were no children on board and it was 1 am), and eventually an arm wrestling competition was held.

poker


John and I arm wrestling (I won!)


In the morning we awoke and were able to enjoy the on board onsen (public baths in Japan, with: shower facilities, hot bath, sauna room, cold bath). It was pretty amazing actually. I mean to be relaxing in a hot tub looking out the ship windows onto the infinite view of the arctic sea (can’t really complain). We arrived to Hokkaido rested, refreshed, and ready to explore.

view from the very windy ferry






We ventured to the hotel via train from the ferry terminal, dropped are things and took off again. By the time we got to the hotel it was late in the afternoon and we were all pretty hungry and wanting to see the sculptures!

this ones for you dad, haha. like being home at the port right (minus the mountains of snow)


foreigners take over the train station


it was snowing pretty hard when we got in (view from the train)


Our first order of business was finding our way to Ramen Alley!


Hokkaido is famous for miso ramen, and this one alley is full of tiny (I mean about 6 people max could fit in a shop) ramen shops.


We all split up ate and met up afterward around the ice sculptures.

We walked around for the majority of that evening. Taking in the impressive, massive snow sculptures. There were light shows, performances and entertainers all around on these snow sculptures. It was all quite a show.

Narnia?


It's a small world






Tom, Nate, Katie, Emma, Joel, and myself


We lost groups of people along the way to various warmer locations (coffee shops, bars…), I believe that the group I was with lasted the longest outside (but we did find a gigantic starbucks tent along the way that we had to stop by to warm up!)


We eventually met up with a bunch of the other people at some small bar, because it really was pretty cold out! This is the sign that was out front, oh English translations, you have to love them!


Saturday was a very early morning, as we had to head 2 hours out of Sapporo to Niseko to go skiing/snowboarding. I had originally planned not to go skiing, so didn’t actually bring anything with me. But, was convinced at the last minute to go, and had to rent everything! But glad I went, it was gorgeous up in the mountains, and fun to be back on skis. I wish I were a lot better though, still having issues with that feeling not in control thing.



On the lift...




pig on the mountain (petting zoo advertisement)


me in my lovely (too big) rented ski gear





The day was fun. But one friend, actually the guy that I had been hanging out with all day, Joel, cut his leg with his ski somehow. It was actually a pretty bad cut along his shin, but he had no idea it had happened until I pointed it out when we were taking off our skis at the end of the day. He eventually had to head to the hospital and get it stitched up. But no worries, he has healed up fine!

We headed back to the hotel that evening, freshened up then headed back out, of course. A group of us girls headed for kaiten sushi (rotary sushi), which was pretty amazing (such thick pieces of tuna) and ridiculously cheap.


we wandered around a bit. the girls: Brita, Me, Emma, Taryn, and Katie (missing the other emma).


And eventually met up with some others at a Cuban restaurant that served up a delicious drink they called a Capriana (but can’t really say that's what I thought it was). And made by a Japanese, Cuban cowboy? (dont know what was up with the costume)



ok im leaving it at that for now, i have the rest typed up but dont want to post without pics and this has been taking me too long. part two to come soon.