Take a leap from the 60-meter jump tower!"Six Must-Sees at the 2015 Sapporo Snow Festival"

▲The Sapporo Snow Festival runs from now until the 11th!(Photo / fromWelcome to Sapporo official website, same below)

Travel Center / General Report

The over 60-year-old winter highlight of Hokkaido, the "Sapporo Snow Festival," kicked off on the 5th. Within its short 7-day run, besides hundreds of ice and snow sculptures and ski jumps, there was also the debut of the puppet show *Alice in Snowland*, and the famous mobile game *Candy Crush Soda* was projected onto snow sculptures using 3D mapping technology. Below is a summary of the must-see highlights across this year’s three main exhibition venues!

The "2015 Sapporo Snow Festival" set up a total of 207 ice and snow sculptures at the Odori Park 1-12 Chome venue, Tsudome venue, and Susukino venue this year.

▲The Star Wars snow sculpture, authorized by Lucasfilm, is the largest snow sculpture in the history of the Sapporo Snow Festival.

Must-See Highlight 1: The Largest Snow Sculpture Ever—Star Wars

With massive snow sculptures as its main attraction, Odori Park obtained authorization from Lucasfilm this year to create "Snow Star Wars" within the venue. The towering 15-meter, 22.6-meter-wide snow sculpture depicts Darth Vader and the White Army. Organizers revealed that this sculpture involved the work of 2,000 people, making it the largest snow sculpture in the festival’s history.

▲%Urgent brush execution... WATCH, Frozen and others have all become exhibits at this year’s Sapporo Snow Festival. (Photo / fromINSIDER)

Must-See Highlight 2: Anime Characters and Taipei Architecture Become Part of the Snow Sculptures

Aside from the Star Wars snow sculpture, this year’s displays also carry a playful charm. Popular anime characters from last year’s hit *Yo-kai Watch*, Disney’s *Frozen*, and Hayao Miyazaki’s classic *Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind* have all been transformed into incredibly lifelike snow sculptures, each averaging around 1.5 meters in height.

Taiwanese landmark buildings have also become regular features at the festival in recent years. Following last year’s Taipei 101 and National Palace Museum, this year’s Taiwanese attraction at Odori Park is the 10-meter-tall "Xingtian Temple."

▲The popular mobile game *Candy Crush* became a projection show at this year’s Sapporo Snow Festival. (Photo / from INSIDER)

Must-See Highlight 3: Nighttime 3D Mapping Projections

Nighttime 3D mapping shows are held at the 2nd, 7th, and 8th Chome venues in Odori Park. The most eye-catching is the *Candy Crush Soda* projection at the 7th Chome, which begins with a purple lollipop tapping a smartphone screen and showcases realistic game scenes through light projections. During the exhibition period, it is shown every 20 minutes between 6:00 PM and 9:20 PM.

Must-See Highlight 4: The 60-Meter Giant Jump Tower

At Odori Park, a massive 60-meter white lover PARK AIR jump tower has been set up at the 3rd Chome venue this year, allowing visitors to experience an adrenaline rush. Meanwhile, the 6th Chome venue features a food court gathering many famous Hokkaido delicacies to warm you up in the cold weather.

Must-See Highlight 5: Get Up Close with 60 Ice Sculptures!

At the Susukino venue, there are 60 uniquely shaped ice sculptures. This year, the experience has evolved from simply viewing ice to “playing with ice.” Visitors can sit atop the ice sculptures in the Intimate Contact Plaza for photos. The venue also includes an ICE Bar serving hot drinks.

▲The giant ice slide is a staple amusement facility that appears every year!

Must-See Highlight 6: Ice Slides and Aerial Ropes

The TSUDOME venue, which transforms into an ice and snow wonderland every year, features not only the usual giant slides but also a "Fun Slide" that uses long sleds, as well as a 100-meter-long aerial rope sliding attraction called Snow Zip-lin that lets you walk 5 meters above the ground. It's a blast for both kids and adults alike.