The opening of the Sapporo Snow Festival approaches. With the snow sculptures nearly complete, spectators gather at a faster pace.

Translated from the original article at: http://sapporo.keizai.biz/headline/1208/

January 31, 2012

Members of the Japanese Self Defense Forces create snow sculptures.

Sapporo's winter display (The Sapporo Snow Festival) will be held from February 6 through the 12th. Sapporo Odori Park is the main location of the event, in addition to sculptures being displayed everywhere in the city.

This year marks the 63rd occasion of the event. Each year, more than two million spectators from outside Sapporo visit the streets. This year, the giant snow sculptures are being displayed at 3 main locations. 228 ice and snow sculptures are estimated for the Sapporo Odori Park, the Tsudo-mu Sapporo Community Dome and the Susukino district.

Now approaching one week until the opening, the sweat pours from the Japanese Self Defence Forces and volunteers enlisted from the city as they create snow sculptures. Local residents around the area collect pictures chronicling the progress of the sculptures, as spectators come to gather at the locations more often.

A man from the area taking pictures with his cell-phone said "The unveiling of the various completed snow sculptures each year is lots of fun. Taking pictures of the Sky Tree in Tokyo seemed popular. But when returning from work this year, I'll stop by here to take pictures. It's almost complete," he said with anticipation.

On the first day of the event, the Tsudo-mu Dome opens at 9:00AM, and the Odori Park and Susuki locations both have opening ceremonies at 10:15AM and 6:00PM respectively.


Original text
「さっぽろ雪まつり」開催迫る－雪像完成間近、早くも見物客集まる
（2012年01月31日）

雪像製作する自衛隊員たち

札幌の冬の風物詩「さっぽろ雪まつり」が2月6日～12日、大通公園をメーン会場に市内各地で開催される。

今年で63回目を迎え、毎年200万人以上の観光客が道内外から訪れる同イベント。メーンの催しは巨大雪像の展示で、今年は、大通会場・つどーむ（東区）会場・すすきの会場の3カ所で計228基の氷雪像を制作する。

開幕まで1週間前に迫った現在、自衛隊員やボランティアで募った市民が雪像作りに汗を流し、その周りには雪像作りの工程を写真に納める地元住民、観光客らで会場周辺は早くもにぎわっている。

携帯電話で写真撮影していた地元住民の男性は「毎年さまざまな雪像が完成して披露されるのを楽しみにしている。スカイツリーの撮影が東京では盛んなようだったので、今年は仕事の帰りに会場に立ち寄り撮影していた。完成が待ち遠しい」と期待を寄せている。

イベント初日の開場は、大通公園会場開会式＝10時15分、つどーむ会場＝9時、すすきの会場開会式＝18時。