Wall art in the Susukino area of Sapporo.
A brighter version of the wall art. I can't tell if I like the one with the snow in front of the camera better or not.
More Susukino wall art.
Ice sculptures at the Suskino Ice Festival.
“There is an ice slide holy crap do you think they'll let me go down the ice slide it is a slide made of ice!”
I walked up to the security guy standing next to the stairs to the ice slide and attempted to communicate my desire to go down the slide using hand gestures and facial ticks. “Daijoubuu,” he said, which in this case means “It's all good, go for it.” I was pretty excited.
The snowed-out intersection in front of our hotel, which in turn was right in front of Susukino Station.
There was a hobby shop near our hotel that sold, among other things, replica Nazi armbands and hats done up to resemble the soldiers of North Korea during the Korean War. One of those things that happens in Japan sometimes, I guess.
Seriously, do't open here a shop.
A particularly space-age lookin' toilet in a country known for it's high tech lavatory facilities.
The big teevee tower overlooking Odori Park, where the main Snow Festival was taking place. There was a blizzard that day.
I don't know who this statue was supposed to represent, but he looked quite stoic. I tried to copy his example, but it was really cold.
Some school kids collecting money for... something. If anyone can read that sign, I'd be interested to know what they cared about enough to turn out for despite the blizzard. UPDATE: I was told by a helpful Japanese person on uStream that these students are raising money for Vietnam orphans. Something like that. We still had some difficulties communicating, see.
A Disney-themed snow sculpture. They don't mess around in Sapporo, let me tell you.
There was a blood donation point set up in the middle of Odori Park, although it's hard to imagine giving blood in the middle of a blizzard no matter how many space heaters they were packin' under that plastic screen.
A Japanese style castle all done up in snow.
The Koreans, not to be outdone, made their own enormous snow castle.
Stitch is big in Japan.
What the hell kind of a playground device is this? Why can't people just play on the monkey bars?
I don't know who this person is supposed to be, but in my mind he is and always will be Mark Twain.
Birds.
Odori Park at night.
The weather was pretty hairy once the sun went down. Also, there was some person in a big white dog suit.
Disney snow sculpture all lit up. Marvelous.
I have no idea who this chick is, but she came out to do a performance wearing a slinky red dress in the middle of a blizzard and was able to sing AND play the guitar through an entire song before she even put on a coat. When she first came on to the stage, she said, “Atsui desu,” which means, “It's hot.”
Sage advice, that.
Goomba!
An alternative clothing store near our hotel. The caption above the store name reads “Right from the beginning youth cultures were rebellious and addictive.” Quality, quality stuff.
The sign for a maid cafe.
I dare you to spot all the hilarious shit in this picture.
That seems like a contradiction.
I guess there are Japanese Wiccans also.
Stuffed bears in a shopping arcade.
Additional wall art, which is just cool.
The view from Sapporo Tower overlooking Odori Park, where the majority of the images in this album were taken.
Tee shirt in the Sapporo Tower gift shop. My friend Jamie had to run interference while I took this picture, since the staff in places like this generally do not appreciate photographs being taken. But really, how could I not take a picture?
I guess the pigeons were huddling together for warmth, which would make sense because it was very cold.
AN EVEN BIGGER ICE SLIDE HOLY SHIT IS THAT FOR REAL? Sadly, the line was really long...
... so I settled for a snowmobile ride instead. Actually, that is how every story should end: “I had a crappy day at work, my life has no direction, I don't know what I'm doing anymore... so I settled for a snowmobile ride instead.”
Suited up and ready to bask in snowmobile-y goodness.
People dressed in weird mascot costumes is not all that rare of a sight in Japan and aren't normally anything that warrants a picture on the Internets...
...except when said people in said costumes fall down.
That logo looks familiar, but the name doesn't match.
There was a Cuban restaurant in Susukino that actually made a pretty good mojito, the only place in Japan I found where the mojitos didn't taste like listerine.
I wonder what that store sells?
I guess if you had to choose four rules, those would be good rules to choose.
