Otaru has repurposed an abandoned railway line for a one week 'Yuki Akari no Michi' (Snow light festival).
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| Inverted, hollow snow buckets are lit by small wax candles. Dozens of volunteers light hundreds of candles at 5pm each evening with blow torches. |
The simple snow sculptures are beautifully detailed with berries frozen into clear ice blocks. Handmade wax globes inlaid with leaves and flowers (presumably in the summer) also line the old railway line.
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| The intimate scale of this event is a welcome change from the masses of tourists at the Sapporo Snow Festival. |
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| Locals offer free roasted potatoes and grilled meat to add to the welcome atmosphere. |
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| The second site in Otaru is the canal at the waterfront, lit by hundreds of floating candles. |
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| Kida's nose was about as cold as this ice ball by the end of the evening. |
