AirAsia Free Seats!
The Airasia seats promotion and this means is the time for people to queue online and grab the free seats again. So, prepare your laptop, tablet or phone...
With more low cost airlines around the globe, flying is no longer a luxury privilege limited only to the rich. With more and more service route that is available, people can have more chance to explore more places in the world. I have mentioned how to do a little bit more to get more amazing experience out of an itinerary adventure in Vietnam in one of the previous post, but it does not include local festivals.
Sometimes it is also a great experience if one can join in local festival and experience the celebration by oneself. With basic netizen skill of googling, one can easily finds 'must go festival" in the websites like this and this.
I am lucky enough to have participated in Songkran festival, beer festival and of course as a Chinese, Chinese new year. Personally, I would strongly encourage people to try once in their life to participate in special festivals...
Of all majority of the website, there is little mentioned about the snow festival in Sapporo, Japan. Personally I feel that it is worth a visit because:
You get to experience 4-5 festival in February, within 2 weeks.
There are many things going on in Japan,Hokkaido Prefecture in February... whether you are backpacking, self helping or tour joining, with 2 weeks spend in Hokkaido region you get to experience 4-5 festivals, Starting with Setsubun, Sapporo snow festival, Asahikawa snow festival, Otaru snow light path festival and Japanese Valentines day. Sounds like a bargain?
Apart from joining the festival, you get to enjoy Japanese stuffs like fresh seafood, Onsen and other nice stuff (or weird stuff) Japan has to offer.
I have been to Japan three times and honestly I cannot get enough of it. From super fast sushi serving high tech sushi restaurant to famous mesmerizing bamboo forest , from instant japanese beef rice to a sacred yet romantic wedding proposal location. There is just so much stuff Japan itself has to offer us besides festival alone.
And if you likes running, 22 of February is Official Tokyo marathon date. Stay a bit longer and take a train south to Tokyo and Start running!
Tokyo marathon is scheduled at the end of February each year, it is a world class marathon with attracts up to 1.7 million spectators. It's a chance to see top international athletes compete. The amateur athletes also put on a good show while the spectators are equally lively. It's a strong tradition to wear costumes for the Tokyo marathon and these get pretty wild.
So, if one were to visit Hokkaido prefecture Japan during February, first thing try not to miss is the Setsubun . Setsubun is an annual Japanese festival on eve before Spring .The Japanese traditionally believe that the spirit world is closest to our world on this day. As a result, it's believed that strange things can happen such as demons (ONI) appearing...
Oni have horns, fangs, carry a weapon and have red (blue, brown or black) skin. They wear nothing but a tiger skin loin cloth.A traditional oni looks like this:
Mamemaki, then and now:
The roasted soybeans used for Setsubun are sweet, hard and crunchy. Kids eat whatever they can't throw. Traditionally, everyone is supposed to eat the number of beans equal to their age plus one. This limit is often exceeded by children.
Traditionally a household event,Setsubun events are now held at various shrines and temples throughout Japan. Priests and invited guests such as local celebrities throw beans into a crowd. They may also throw gifts wrapped in gold and silver colored foil which contain money, beans, sweets and other prizes.
The Sapporo Snow Festival is the biggest winter event in Japan annually which attracts 2 million visitors each year.The highlight of the festival is the International Snow Sculpture Contest which consists international teams around the world compete each other for the best snow sculpture each year...
Featured sculpture of the past years includes anime and pop culture of Japan:
Iconic buildings around the world including Japan its own:
Foreign cartoon and pop culture:
In 2015's festival it even features Darth Vader, bringing the dark side to the festival
The snow festival mainly featured at Odori park, Tsudome Community Dome and and along the main street in Susukino. Access map can be found here.
Just be extra careful while looking at those beautiful snow art, not to get lost alone else....
The festival also features an ice sculpture contest, ice bars, ice slides for kids and an outdoor ice skating rink. Each year has different events such as snowboarding competitions.
and if you really want to try something snowy...
The Susukino area is also one of Asia's biggest red light districts. The area has karaoke, izakaya, manga cafes, restaurants, packinko and bars. Its neon flooded streets are particularly photogenic when they're covered in new snow.
There is also a good skiing spot within an hour from the city for you to...
If you want to op for a more local festival, there is another snow festival is held around the same time in nearby Asahikawa. About 2 hours train ride from Sapporo, Asahikawa has a smaller festival during the same time that's worth checking out for its ice sculptures. The Asahikawa Winter Festival also features one large scale snow sculpture each year that's usually bigger than anything in Sapporo. It's popular with locals but doesn't get much international attention.
Being a local festival, the Asahikawa Winter Festival has a family feel as compared with the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri. There are more activities for kids. The main snow sculpture often features a giant ice slide. Snowball fight competitions are held and small amusement park rides are set up. Local children are also involved in making snowmen for the festival. It feels like the entire city is engulfed in snowmen.
Otaru is a charming little port town 25 minutes from Sapporo best known for its picturesque canal.
during the snow festival happening in Sapporo and Asahikawa , Otaru itself is decorated with thousands of lanterns for the festival. The little town is remarkably pleasant bathed in snow and light. At time like this, you would just wish the time freezes at that very moment.
For those who stayed until the Valentines day of Japan, lucky for the guys because Valentines in Japan is easy on men. They don't have to do anything.
Women, on the other hand, have to buy chocolates for coworkers, friends, brothers and their father. This is referred to as Giri Choco — "Obligation Chocolate". Women don't spend a lot of money on them. In fact, they can even be purchased in convenience stores in Japan that could go as low as USD4 each box.
Women buy nice French or fine Japanese chocolates for men with whom they have a romantic involvement or interest. This is called Honmei Choco — "true feeling chocolate". In some cases, women prepare homemade Honmei Choco. They hope men will reciprocate with something nice on white day.This means there should be a lot of chocolate, be it luxury brand or mass market, are on sale. This should be good news for those who have a sweet tooth...
Well you can also prepare some gift for the people you hate using gift like this:
For those who is ready to buy the ticket and go, here is some travel tips:
With more low cost airlines around the globe, flying is no longer a luxury privilege limited only to the rich. With more and more service route that is available, people can have more chance to explore more places in the world. I have mentioned how to do a little bit more to get more amazing experience out of an itinerary adventure in Vietnam in one of the previous post, but it does not include local festivals.
Sometimes it is also a great experience if one can join in local festival and experience the celebration by oneself. With basic netizen skill of googling, one can easily finds 'must go festival" in the websites like this and this.
I am lucky enough to have participated in Songkran festival, beer festival and of course as a Chinese, Chinese new year. Personally, I would strongly encourage people to try once in their life to participate in special festivals...
10 KG of Beers!
Me with my waterproof Xperia years back in Nyanmar...yes they do have Songkran...too
Of all majority of the website, there is little mentioned about the snow festival in Sapporo, Japan. Personally I feel that it is worth a visit because:
You get to experience 4-5 festival in February, within 2 weeks.
There are many things going on in Japan,Hokkaido Prefecture in February... whether you are backpacking, self helping or tour joining, with 2 weeks spend in Hokkaido region you get to experience 4-5 festivals, Starting with Setsubun, Sapporo snow festival, Asahikawa snow festival, Otaru snow light path festival and Japanese Valentines day. Sounds like a bargain?
Apart from joining the festival, you get to enjoy Japanese stuffs like fresh seafood, Onsen and other nice stuff (or weird stuff) Japan has to offer.
I have been to Japan three times and honestly I cannot get enough of it. From super fast sushi serving high tech sushi restaurant to famous mesmerizing bamboo forest , from instant japanese beef rice to a sacred yet romantic wedding proposal location. There is just so much stuff Japan itself has to offer us besides festival alone.
High tech sushi restaurant, Love god temple, mesmerizing bamboo forest and
instant beef rice that looks like going to explode when prepared
And if you likes running, 22 of February is Official Tokyo marathon date. Stay a bit longer and take a train south to Tokyo and Start running!
Tokyo marathon is scheduled at the end of February each year, it is a world class marathon with attracts up to 1.7 million spectators. It's a chance to see top international athletes compete. The amateur athletes also put on a good show while the spectators are equally lively. It's a strong tradition to wear costumes for the Tokyo marathon and these get pretty wild.
image from web
image from web
image from web
So, if one were to visit Hokkaido prefecture Japan during February, first thing try not to miss is the Setsubun . Setsubun is an annual Japanese festival on eve before Spring .The Japanese traditionally believe that the spirit world is closest to our world on this day. As a result, it's believed that strange things can happen such as demons (ONI) appearing...
Oni have horns, fangs, carry a weapon and have red (blue, brown or black) skin. They wear nothing but a tiger skin loin cloth.A traditional oni looks like this:
This oni on the other hand.... hey hell can you send more of this?
One of the fun parts of this festival is a tradition called mamemaki, literally "bean throwing." In households across Japan, one parent puts on a oni mask to scare the kids. Kids throw beans at them to scare them away.
Mamemaki, then and now:
The roasted soybeans used for Setsubun are sweet, hard and crunchy. Kids eat whatever they can't throw. Traditionally, everyone is supposed to eat the number of beans equal to their age plus one. This limit is often exceeded by children.
Traditionally a household event,Setsubun events are now held at various shrines and temples throughout Japan. Priests and invited guests such as local celebrities throw beans into a crowd. They may also throw gifts wrapped in gold and silver colored foil which contain money, beans, sweets and other prizes.
The Sapporo Snow Festival is the biggest winter event in Japan annually which attracts 2 million visitors each year.The highlight of the festival is the International Snow Sculpture Contest which consists international teams around the world compete each other for the best snow sculpture each year...
Featured sculpture of the past years includes anime and pop culture of Japan:
The snow festival mainly featured at Odori park, Tsudome Community Dome and and along the main street in Susukino. Access map can be found here.
Just be extra careful while looking at those beautiful snow art, not to get lost alone else....
The festival also features an ice sculpture contest, ice bars, ice slides for kids and an outdoor ice skating rink. Each year has different events such as snowboarding competitions.
As with any Japanese festival, there are plenty of festival foods available from street vendors. Some of my favorite Street food:
and if you really want to try something snowy...
The Susukino area is also one of Asia's biggest red light districts. The area has karaoke, izakaya, manga cafes, restaurants, packinko and bars. Its neon flooded streets are particularly photogenic when they're covered in new snow.
There is also a good skiing spot within an hour from the city for you to...
If you want to op for a more local festival, there is another snow festival is held around the same time in nearby Asahikawa. About 2 hours train ride from Sapporo, Asahikawa has a smaller festival during the same time that's worth checking out for its ice sculptures. The Asahikawa Winter Festival also features one large scale snow sculpture each year that's usually bigger than anything in Sapporo. It's popular with locals but doesn't get much international attention.
during the snow festival happening in Sapporo and Asahikawa , Otaru itself is decorated with thousands of lanterns for the festival. The little town is remarkably pleasant bathed in snow and light. At time like this, you would just wish the time freezes at that very moment.
For those who stayed until the Valentines day of Japan, lucky for the guys because Valentines in Japan is easy on men. They don't have to do anything.
Women, on the other hand, have to buy chocolates for coworkers, friends, brothers and their father. This is referred to as Giri Choco — "Obligation Chocolate". Women don't spend a lot of money on them. In fact, they can even be purchased in convenience stores in Japan that could go as low as USD4 each box.
Women buy nice French or fine Japanese chocolates for men with whom they have a romantic involvement or interest. This is called Honmei Choco — "true feeling chocolate". In some cases, women prepare homemade Honmei Choco. They hope men will reciprocate with something nice on white day.This means there should be a lot of chocolate, be it luxury brand or mass market, are on sale. This should be good news for those who have a sweet tooth...
Well you can also prepare some gift for the people you hate using gift like this:
For those who is ready to buy the ticket and go, here is some travel tips:
AirAsia Free Seats!
Reviewed by Sin Tan
on
08:58
Rating:
Reviewed by Sin Tan
on
08:58
Rating:
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