The Tuki Matsuri essays

The Tuki Matsuri essays What in the world could make the population of one city double in just one week, you ask? Well, not only does this unique festival attract so many people but it is one of the few places around the world where warm and cheerful celebrations are taking place, in the beginning of February. The Yuki Matsuri can be found right in the center of Sapporo, Japan. Laughing, playing, drinking, fine dining, and none other than snow and ice sculptures are all part of this festival. These and other traditions light up the faces of those in Japan and also from other cultures around the world. Japanese festivals are a wonderful sight to see, but the Yuki Matsuri exceeds the excellence of most other festivals. Not only does this special snow celebration attract thousands from Japan, but the festival has an accumulative estimate of two million others, annually. This one-of-a-kind event is said to be enjoyed by Japan residents and those flocking to Japan from all around the world. The history of this celebration is a magnificent story. The festival originated in the winter of 1950, when six small snow statues were created by high-school children in Odori-koen, the citys park main park. (The Yuki Matsuri Sapporo tourist info.). Eventually, the idea caught on and, by 1955, the Japanese army, known as the Self Defense Force (SDF), was pitching in to help build the gigantic snow sculptures. (The Yuki Matsuri Sapporo Tourist Info.). The SDF even created a life-size replica of the Taj Mahal. Ever since then, the fiesta has typically been held on the fifth to the eleventh of February every year. It has been a tradition in Japan, but is also starting to lose its status with the Japanese population. After fifty-five years of snow and ice sculptures and other common events taking place at the Yuki Matsuri, the people of Japan claimed they no longer visited the snow festival, and it ha...