六日町 雪祭り Muikamachi Snow Festival

Freak winters while I'm here: last year we registered one of the 3 highest levels of snowfall in Japan's records...and this year is setting the record for the least snow for our area. Nevertheless, the much-anticipated annual Snow Festival must go on. The grand castle stage could only be partially built with snow...and even then, it was some rather dirty snow probably dug up from some rice field.

The kamakuras (igloos) were still around. Many of them are shops.

Michiko in her kamakura boutique
An art gallery kamakura (this artist does Japanese and Sanskrit calligraphy)
(L-R): James, Kyoko, Takeshi and I in Kyoko's kamakura which has closed shop for the day
Beautiful candles lighting the way along Kamakura Alley
A kids' film corner with a beautiful candlelight panel
Genki Panda-san touting the renowned local brand of sake 八海山 Hakkaisan sake in the Food Alley (I kid you not, the Hakkaisan brand of sake is well-regarded throughout Japan)
My friends and I with Hakkaisan Panda-san (not sure who the girl is though...she just ran in when she saw us taking the picture)
Fire poi (fire performance similar to the Maori poi dance, except with balls of fire in place of the furry poi balls)

Surprise birthday party for Takeshi in Kyoko's kamakura

The grand finale - fireworks! And the snow decided to join in the show. This is Phoenix fireworks series...meant to inspire local residents to move on from the devastating 2004 earthquake in the area.


video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPReFHf0Ugw