Calendar Events to Be Enjoyed in February 2014

1. Published by Tourist Information Center of Japan National Tourism Organization and all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. ©2014 Japan National Tourism Organization. 2. Dates and functions are subject to change without notice. Be sure to check the latest information in advance. 3. Events marked with ◎ are the major events. 4. Dates of events marked with ◇ are the same every year. 5. Japanese explanation appearing at the bottom of each entry give the name of the event and the nearest railway station in Japanese. Point to this Japanese when you need help from a Japanese passerby. 6. Please refer to URL (basically in Japanese) for each event. Note: The Internet Website of Japan National Tourism Organization is available at <http://www.jnto.go.jp>. Calendar Events to be enjoyed in February 2014 HOKKAIDO & TOHOKU 北海道・東北Ｄａｔｅ Dec. 28 ～ Mar. 2 Zao Juhyo Light-up at Zao Onsen Ski Ground, Yamagata, Yamagata Pref., features the lights lit over Juhyo known as "Ice Monster", trees covered with frost, along the Zao Ropeway Sancho Line and around Jizo Sancho Sta., from 5 pm to 9 pm daily on the following days; Dec. 28th-Jan. 5th, 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25th-Mar. 2nd. On Feb. 1st, an event in which skiers and snowboarders holding torchlights descend on the Uwanodai ski slope under a fireworks display is held from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Access The JR Ou Honsen Line or JR Yamagata Shinkansen Line to Yamagata Sta. From there, 45 min. by bus to Zao Onsen Bus Stop, and then walk 15 min. to Uwanodai Gelande Ropeway Sta. URL http://www.zaoropeway.co.jp/w_season02.html 所在地山形県山形市蔵王温泉蔵王樹氷ライトアップ最寄駅 JR奥羽本線又はJR山形新幹線山形駅より、バスで45分蔵王温泉下車、上ノ台ゲレンデロープウェイ駅へ徒歩15分Ｄａｔｅ Jan. 24 ～ Feb. 16 Chitose・Shikotsu Hyoto Matsuri or Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, Chitose, Hokkaido. Many ice sculptures exhibited on the shore are lit up from 4:30 pm to 10 pm daily during the festival period. A fireworks display is held from 6:30 pm to around 6:45 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and some more events are scheduled during the period. Access 50 min. by bus from Shin-Chitose Airport, and then get off at Shikotsuko Bus Stop. URL http://www.1000sai-chitose.or.jp/ 所在地北海道千歳市支笏湖温泉千歳・支笏湖氷濤まつり最寄駅新千歳空港よりバスで50分、支笏湖下車Ｄａｔｅ Jan. 31 ～ Feb. 11 Iwate Yuki Matsuri, or Snow Festival of Koiwai Bokujo Ranch, Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Pref. The festival is highlighted by ice sculptures, snow carvings and about 66 Kamakura (huts made of snow). A fireworks display with music is scheduled from 7:30 pm to 7:40 pm every night, and many more events such as games and demonstrations of snow boarders are scheduled during the period. Access The JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line to Morioka Sta. From there, 35 min. by bus to Iwate Yuki Matsuri Kaijo Bus Stop. URL http://www.iwateyukimatsuri.com/index.html 所在地岩手県岩手郡雫石町小岩井農場岩手雪まつり最寄駅 JR東北新幹線盛岡駅よりバスで40分、岩手雪まつり会場下車 1 Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 5 ～ Feb. 11 ◎ The 65th Sapporo Yuki Matsuri, Snow Festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The festival, the biggest in scale of this kind, started in 1950, and has become one of the most popular events in winter for now. Approximately 200 snow creations and ice sculptures are exhibited at three sites, mainly at the Odori Site with enormous snow creations and many attractions, at the Susukino Site with fantastic ice sculptures, and at the Tsu-dome Site with the huge playground where children and adults can play in snow. Access (1) The JR Hakodate Honsen Line to Sapporo Sta. (2) About 50 min. by bus from Shin-Chitose Airport to Sapporo Eki-mae Bus Terminal. URL http://www.snowfes.com/english/index.html 所在地北海道札幌市大通会場すすきの会場つどーむ会場第65回さっぽろ雪まつり最寄駅 (1) JR函館本線札幌駅 (2) 新千歳空港よりバスで約50分札幌駅前バスターミナル下車Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 6 ～ Feb. 11 Asahikawa Fuyu Matsuri, Winter Festival in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Many snow creations and ice statues are exhibited at the Asahibashi-kahan site （on the riversides of the Ishikarigawa River）, on Heiwa-dori Street where about 50 ice sculptures are to be judged in competition. A fireworks display is held from 7 pm to 7:15 pm on the 6th and 11th. Many attractive events such as a music show, Japanese drumming and dancing are scheduled during the festival period. Access The JR Hakodate Honsen Line to Asahikawa Sta. URL http://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/files/kankou/awf/ 所在地北海道旭川市旭橋石狩川河畔平和通り名称旭川冬まつり最寄駅 JR函館本線旭川駅Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 7 ～ Feb. 9 ◇ Namahage Sedo Matsuri Festival at Shinzan Shrine, Oga, Akita Pref. The festival, designated as one of the National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties, features about 15 Namahage (men wearing devil masks) dancing wildly, drumming vigorously, running around and then serving mochi (rice cakes) to people thronged in the precincts of the Shrine, from around 7 pm to around 8:30 pm daily during the period. Access The JR Oga Line to Oga Sta. From there to the Shrine, about 1 hr. by Rinji-basu (temporary buses) which are available daily during the festival period. URL http://www.city.oga.akita.jp/index.cfm/14,7194,136,html 所在地秋田県男鹿市真山神社なまはげ柴灯祭最寄駅 JR男鹿線男鹿駅より真山神社まで期間中運行の臨時バスで約1時間Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 8 ～ Feb. 11 Abashiri-Okhotsk Ryuhyo Matsuri, Ice Floe Festival around Abashiri Port, Abashiri, Hokkaido, features thousands of ice floe covering over the sea, and about 40 snow sculptures and ice carvings on exhibition, which are lit up at night until 9 pm on the 8th, 9th and 10th. Some more events such as a popular song-show, games and performances are scheduled during the festival period. Access The JR Sekihoku Honsen Line to Abashiri Sta. From there, 10 min. by bus to " Ryuhyo Saihyo-sen Noriba" Bus Stop. URL http://www.abakanko.jp/event/2013ryuhyomatsuri.html 所在地北海道網走市網走商港埠頭広場あばしりオホーツク流氷まつり最寄駅 JR石北本線網走駅よりバスで10分、”流氷砕氷船のりば”下車Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 8 ～ Feb. 11 Hirosaki-jo Yukidoro Matsuri, Snow Lantern Festival at Hirosaki Castle, Hirosaki, Aomori Pref. About 150 snow lanterns and about 300 Mini-Kamakura (miniature huts made of snow) are lit up from around 4:30 pm to 9 pm daily , which creates fantastic atmosphere in the Hirosaki Castle park during the festival period. Access The JR Ou Honsen Line to Hirosaki Sta., and then 15 min. by bus or walk 30 min. URL http://www.hirosakipark.jp/84.html 所在地青森県弘前市弘前城跡公園弘前城雪灯籠まつり最寄駅 JR奥羽本線弘前駅よりバスで15分又は徒歩30分 2 Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 8 ＆ Feb. 9 Uesugi Yukidoro Matsuri, Snow Lantern Festival, Yonezawa, Yamagata Pref. About 300 Yuki-doro (big snow lanterns) and more than 3,000 Yuki-bonbori (small snow lanterns) at Uesugi Shrine and at Matsugasaki Koen (park) are lit up from 5:30 pm to 9 pm (to 8 pm on the 9th), and some more events are scheduled on both days. Access The JR Yamagata Shinkansen or the JR Ou Honsen Line to Yonezawa Sta. From there, 6 min. by bus to Uesugi Jinja- mae Bus Stop or to Matsugasaki Koen Bus Stop. Shuttle buses run from the station to the site between 10:30 am and 9:30 pm (to 8:30 pm on the 9th) on both days URL http://yukidourou.yonezawa.info/?p=log&l=307893 所在地山形県米沢市松が岬公園上杉雪灯籠まつり最寄駅 JR山形新幹線又は奥羽本線米沢駅よりバスで6分、上杉神社前又は松が岬公園下車、期間中臨時シャトルバス運行: 10:30pm-9pm Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 10 ◇ Kariwano Otsuna-hiki, a tug of war in Kariwano, Daisen, Akita Pref. The festival with a 500-year history is held to pray for a rich harvest of this year, and is designated as one of the National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. Townspeople lay out a giant straw-rope (70 centimeters in diameter and 200 meters long) for a fight on Omachi-dori Street around 7 pm, and then the tug-of-war starts at 9 pm. Access The JR Ou Honsen Line to Kariwano Sta., and then walk 3 min. 所在地秋田県大仙市刈和野大町通り刈和野大綱引き最寄駅 JR奥羽本線刈和野駅より徒歩3分Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 11 ◇ Daito Ohara Mizu-kake Matsuri, Water Pouring Festival at Ohara Hachiman Shrine, Daito-machi, Ichinoseki, Iwate Pref. This festival has a 350-year history. Local people dedicate a giant Shimenawa (sacred straw festoon) to the Shrine from 10:10 am to 12 noon. About 300 half- naked men who are purified by the ritual at the Shrine at 2:30, rush on the streets in the town, while townspeople dash cold water over the rushing men from 3 pm to around 3:50 pm. Access The JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line to Ichinoseki Sta. and then take the JR Ofunato Line to Surisawa Sta. From there, 20 min. by bus bound for Kami-Ohara or Daito Bus Center, and then get off at Shimomachi or Daito Bus Center Bus Stop. URL http://www.city.ichinoseki.iwate.jp/index.cfm/6,44810,107,html 所在地岩手県一関市大東町大原八幡神社大東大原水かけ祭り最寄駅 JR東北新幹線一ノ関駅より大船渡線摺沢駅まで行き、そこより上大原行又は大東バスセンター行きバスで20分、下町又は大東バスセンター下車Ｄａｔｅ Feb. 11, Feb. 16 & Feb. 17 ◇ Bonden Festival in Daisen on the 11th, and in Yokote on the 16th &17th, Akita Pref. Dozens of Bonden (sacred bamboo baskets decorated with colorful cloth and streamers, 30kg in weight and 5 meters in length each) are carried by villagers who vie with each other to be the first in dedicating Bonden to the Shrines. On the 11th in Daisen, boats transfer Bonden from Hanadate Pier to the other side of the Omono River from around 9:30 am, and then people carry all these Bonden up to Izusan Shrine on the mountain until 11:30 am. On the 16th, Bonden Workmanship Contest is held at the festival site near Yokote Chiiki-kyoku, Yokote City Hall branch office, from 9:30 am to 1 pm.

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