SAPPORO — The Sapporo Snow Festival got under way on Monday. The 63rd annual festival, which will be held until Feb 12, features 220 ice and snow sculptures in Odori Park, the grounds of Community Dome Tsudome and the main street in Susukino.
One of the highlights is a 15-meter-high ice replica of Tsuruga Castle in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. The children of victims and survivors of the March 11 disaster participated in building the ice sculpture.
Teams from 16 countries are participating this year, among them the United States, Chile and Taiwan.
Festival organizers said they expect 2 million visitors.
