In February of this year, we traveled to Sapporo, in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, to see the annual Sapporo Ice Festival. The festival has grown from six sculptures in 1950 to entire city neighborhoods dedicated to ice sculptures and other wintry activities — from ice skating to ski jumping. Every year, teams of designers and ice sculptors come from around the world to fashion their stunning ice creations.
Singers and dancers begin to appear on the many stages as daylight slowly fades. Colorful lights begin to illuminate the sculptures, adding a layer of depth to them and the performances for which they serve as a unique backdrop.