Tokamachi's Snow Festival - closer to Tokyo than Sapporo!

There are loads of great cultural activities that happen in Japan no matter the time of year. There's the spring hanami celebrations, summertime fireworks and Obon, autumn koyo viewing...and then there's the colder months. Some countries might have little of substance at this time of year, but in Japan winter brings its own beauty and traditions into the limelight. One of the most notable cultural traditions in Japan during winter are the snow festivals held across the country. Now, you're probably most familiar with the Sapporo Snow Festival - it's the only one I knew about before living in Niigata. If you'd like to experience all the fun of a snow festival a bit closer to Tokyo though, there's a spot out here that you can head to - and that's Tokamachi!

Tokamachi is a small town in Niigata which is easily accessed from Tokyo - it's just a matter of catching the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Echigo Yuzawa, and then catching the local Hokuhoku line another 25 minutes to get there. The Tokamachi Snow Festival in 2018 is going to be held from February 16th until February 18th inclusive, and there's a few reasons why the festival is worth a look.

Impressive sculptures

Naturally, the sheer incredible feat of building the sculptures is worth a visit to the festival alone. The sculptures are handmade by local residents from the Tokamachi area, and there is a great deal of effort and pride put into them. 

Fun, quirky sculptures, too!

In previous years the Tokamachi Snow Festival has had snow sculptures of Donkey Kong and Pikachu to name just a couple. At last year's event there were around 80 different sculptures to check out, so you're spoiled for choice from the traditional to the modern.

A kimono queen paegant

Sure, pageants might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the reasons for the kimono queen pageant here are noble. Each year, three kimono queen representatives are chosen from the pageant, who then fulfil a role of being tourism ambassadors for the Tokamachi area for the year. As well, it's a chance to show off some of the wares of the region - Tokamachi is known for their textile production, specifically kimonos. 

An outdoor green tea ceremony

Have you ever wanted to experience a tea ceremony whilst you're in Japan? Well, the Tokamachi Snow Festival has you covered there, too. During the snow festival weekend, there is the opportunity to attend an open air green tea ceremony, which would have to be one of the most unique settings to experience some matcha in! 

If you're looking for fun and unique cultural activities to enjoy during the winter months in Japan, heading to a snow festival might be something you'd like to add to your to-do list. If you plan on visiting the one in Tokamachi, I might see you there!

All pictures are courtesy of the Tokamachi Tourist Association Facebook Page, which you can check out over here for more details. The area has loads to do not just in the snow festival timeframe but year round - so if you're a fan of small towns with bucketloads of culture then pay the area a visit!