Boldly go where snowman has gone before: Spellbinding pictures show the amazing snow and ice sculptures at the Sapporo Snow Festival 2024

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It’s a frozen fantasia.

The?Sapporo Snow Festival?- an?年次の 祝賀 now in its 74th year - is in 十分な swing.

始める，決める across three main 発生地s in?Sapporo city on the island of Hokkaido - ?d?ri Park, Susukino, and Tsudome - the 雪の降る，雪の多い 解放する／自由な-入ること／参加（者） spectacle is the most popular winter event in Japan, attracting two million 訪問者s each year.

In total, 196 awe-奮起させるing snow and ice sculptures are on 陳列する，発揮する - from fairy-tale 城s to galloping thoroughbred horses, and from grinning dinosaurs to manga heroes.

The centrepieces of the festival are five large-規模 snow sculptures at the ?d?ri 場所／位置, each of which 対策 between 12 (39ft) and 15 metres (49ft) tall, built by the Japanese Grand Self-弁護 軍隊 and hundreds of 国民 volunteers.

The Sapporo Snow Festival - an 年次の 祝賀 now in its 74th year - is in 十分な swing. Above: Asirpa and Saichi Sugimtoto, characters from 攻撃する，衝突する manga show Golden Kamuy

Look at him snow: One of the large-規模 sculptures at Odori Park 描写するs a thoroughbred galloping to glory. Above, by day, below, with light 発射／推定s animating it at night

?A large-規模 ice sculpture of Neuschwanstein 城, also known as ‘Swan 城'

砕く to the people: Photographer Basil Villacortes Sali stands in 前線 of Yuji and Gojo from popular anime series Jujutsu Kaisen

These gargantuan glacial carvings, which took 28 days to build, 含む a diorama of Asirpa and Saichi Sugimtoto, characters from 攻撃する，衝突する manga show Golden Kamuy, which is 始める，決める in Hokkaido; Neuschwanstein 城, also known as 'Swan 城', the fairy-tale-perfect Bavarian palace; a thoroughbred galloping に向かって glory; Old Sapporo 鉄道 駅／配置する, and Hokkaido Baseball Park.?

At night, light 陳列する，発揮するs are 事業／計画（する）d の上に the 創造s, animating the white canvas to help bring them to life.??

The Susokino 場所／位置 - called 'Ice World' - features 60 ice sculptures.?

It's the 発生地 for the 50th International Snow Sculpture Contest,?where teams from around the globe create frosty ice 創造s designed to 反映する their nation’s spirit.?

The pieces are carved during the festival, 許すing 訪問者s the 適切な時期 to 証言，証人／目撃する how these marvels are whittled into glistening life.?

Parting is such sleet 悲しみ: If the sculptures melt during the festival they are torn 負かす／撃墜する

Don't flurry, be happy: 入ること／参加（者） to the festival is 解放する／自由な. Above - a majestic pagoda まっただ中に a gentle snow drift??

The Susokino 場所／位置 - called 'Ice World' - features 60 ice sculptures, 含むing an 注目する，もくろむ-開始 work in which fish are 罠にかける in an ice 封鎖する, floating ethereally in 中央の 空気／公表する

This year teams from South Korea, USA, Indonesia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Poland, Portland, Singapore, and Thailand have entered.

Their 創造s 含む icy dragons, stingrays, fairy-tale characters, Komodo Island - even the 概念 of 'harmony'.?

In 新規加入 to the 競争 創造s, there is an 注目する，もくろむ-開始 work in which fish are 罠にかける in an ice 封鎖する, floating ethereally in 中央の 空気／公表する, 削減（する） 風刺漫画 創造s and large-規模 sculptures made by the Ainu people, the indigenous people of Hokkaido.?

The Tsudome 場所／位置 is a large-規模 playground, where revellers can partake in snow mazes, slides, and interactive ice 展示（する）s - or make their own snowman.

The Old Sapporo 鉄道 駅／配置する by day, and below, at night, with light 発射／推定 bringing it to vivid, delightful life??

Un-brrrrr-leviable: The Susokino 場所／位置 is the 発生地 for the 50th International Snow Sculpture Contest (above)

A collection of quizzical 小型の snowmen at the Tsudome 場所／位置

Run for the 冷気／寒がらせるs: At Tsudome, there are 多重の family friendly rides and interactive snow 陳列する，発揮するs?

< span class="mol-style-bold">How are Sapporo snow and ice sculptures made???

As there was not enough 降雪 at the individual 場所／位置s to build the constructions, it was brought in.?

Five-tonne トラックで運ぶs carried snow to the さまざまな 場所／位置s, making 6,000 旅行s to amass だいたい 30,000 tonnes of white 砕く to create the icy phantasmagoria.

The snow has to be of purest 質 - dirty snow 吸収するs light, meaning the 創造s melt more quickly. Most of it comes from 隣人ing parks, 共同墓地s and ゴルフ courses, where it lay untrampled.?

Above: A tyrannosaurus-rex 現れるs, snarling from the snow. Below: An altogether friendlier-looking reptile??

Melting madness: Some of the sculptures err more に向かって the conceptual?

To make the 創造s, 関係者s use shovels, machetes, saws, chisels - and chainsaws. If it is a large-規模 sculpture cranes and scaffoldings are used.

When a sculpture is finished, water is sprayed to 凍結する it into place - if it starts to melt, it is torn 負かす／撃墜する, even during the festival.?

The snow and ice sculptures will be taken 負かす／撃墜する on the final night of the festival.?

The 2024 Sapporo Snow Festival runs until Sunday, February 11.?

Thanks go to 地元の English teacher?Basil Vil lacortes Sali?for 肉親，親類d 許可 to use his photographs of the 展示.?Visit his Instagram profile here - www.instagram.com/basilvsali.