Winters in Japan are not complete without snow festivals. So this week, we embark on a journey to visit some of these beautiful winter festivals in Japan. Enjoy the various exciting activities planned during these events. Unforgettable and fantastic snow views will take your breadth away and transport you to different winter wonderlands. Savour some delicious hometown flavours and last but not least, have fun playing in the snow!
The first trip takes us to the winter festival in Lake Towada. The snow festival here is called Fuyu Monogatari. Travel by Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo for three hours and alight at Hachinohe Station, Aomori. From Hachinohe, you may wish to take a side trip to Mutsu Minato first. It is 15 minutes away by train. Visit the Isaba no Kaccha near the station. The term means "women working in a fish market". Go to the market for lunch and you will see that it is full of women selling their wares. The market has plenty of fresh seafood which comes directly from fishing ports. The seafood here is much cheaper compared to what is sold in Tokyo. You can pick up things like raw spear squid, ice fish and cod roe. There is even a corner for eating, and the seafood you have bought is cooked in front of you.
Resume your journey to Lake Towada by taking a train then a bus. Enjoy the picturesque view of the Oirase River during the bus ride. You will also see 15 waterfalls such as Shirakinu no Taki along the river, some of which are frozen during winter. The journey to Lake Towada takes about 1.5 hours. The gorgeous lake has a circumference of 46km and is 326m deep. Once you reach the lake, go to your inn first as the festival only starts at night. Shinzantei is located near the lakeside and boasts a spa and delicious local cuisine. The 10-mat Japanese style room with a splendid view costs 12,000 yen (S$183.95) per night. Visit the inn’s spa and let the spring water gently envelop your body and ease your tiredness. It is a blissful treat indeed! For dinner, you will be served local Aamori fare such as scallops, sea squirt pickled in salt, steamed crab, sandfish sushi, wakame, and kiritanbo.
After dinner, go to the Fuyu Monogatari winter festival of Lake Towada. It is 10 minutes away from the inn by foot. The first thing which will catch your eye is a lit up snow castle. Ten thousand light bulbs have been used to create a vision of fantasy. Soak in the fantastic atmosphere of the festival which also features various performances, such as a Tsugaru-zanmisen performance by a Kyoto troupe. There are many shops too, one of which is the Kamakura Bar. All the tables and chairs here are made out of ice and snow and drinks are served in an ice glass. Alternatively, you can choose to drink some hot red wine for 500 yen (S$7.70) at another shop. The main highlight of the snow festival is a stunning fireworks display. The sight of sparkling fireworks lighting up the winter night sky will take your breadth away. It is a spectacular view not to be missed!
The next morning, visit the festival again; it is a totally different experience to explore it in the day. There are tons of fun-filled activities you can participate in such as a horse-drawn sleigh and thrilling snowmobile rides. Of course, there’s also the excitement of playing in the snow! After this, go to the Shokusai Dome, where you can savour some hometown flavours. Tuck into pond smelt from Lake Towada and hittsumi-jiru. You can also try your hand at making some kiritanbo, with the help of an expert. Plus, you will get to taste the fruits of your labour. End your trip by boarding a cruiser and taking a scenic tour around Lake Towada.
For the next winter trip, we visit the Kori no Bonbori to Kamakura Matsuri festival. Start by taking an express train from Tobu Asakusa station to Kinugawa Onsen. The train journey takes two hours. Then from the station, take a bus heading to Yunishigawa Onsen. You may wish to make a stopover at a scenic spot – Ryuokyo - first. It is 10 minutes away from the station. Here, you will see the Nijimi no Taki waterfall. The spray from the waterfall sometimes reflects the sunlight and creates rainbows, and during winter, it becomes a half frozen waterfall. Next, walk down to the ravine and stop by a restaurant called Warabi for lunch. It is famous for its soba and vegetables. It also sells delicious Otawara beef hamburgers. However do note that sometimes, only 50 servings are prepared per day due to the limited supply of Otawara beef, which is famous in Tochigi. The hamburger comes with soba and costs only 1,800 yen (S$27.70). You can also order the five-coloured soba as a separate dish, which is served with yuba, mekabu and other ingredients.
After lunch, resume your bus journey to Yunishigawa Onsen, which is an hour away from Ryuokyo. Alight in front of an inn called Yunishigawa Hakuun no Yado. The 55-year-old inn in Yamashiroya is located in the mountains. After checking in, head to the winter festival which is a three-minute walk from the inn. The inn staff will give you some coupons for sweet sake before you leave. The Kori no Bonbori to Kamakura Matsuri gala is held during winter and lasts till March 2. There are many kamakura (huts) here which you can visit. And if you make a booking in advance, you can even have a barbecue in a hut! This rare experience is perfect for families. Make use of your coupon to try some sweet sake before exploring the town which is full of snowmen. You can also try your hand at making some ice huts; place a candle in your ice hut after you’re done. At night, thousands of these ice huts are lit up to create a truly magical scene. During the festival, these candles are lit till 9pm so that visitors can soak in the dreamlike atmosphere for as long as possible.
After this enchanting experience, return to the hotel and check out the cosy spa. Indulge in the gentle and warm spring water before having dinner. You will be served a local dish called Heike Takagariyaki, char kotsuzake, yashiomasu, yuba, grilled taro and issho-bera, bandaimochi, and bear hot pot. The following day, start by taking a refreshing open-air bath in the morning. Return to the winter festival and check out the various activities. For example, you can try making some yakisoba and later eat it as a delicious meal. End your trip by having a whale of a time playing in the snow!
The next snow festival takes us to a post town. Travel for 1.5 hours by plane from Haneta to Tottori, which faces the Sea of Japan. Begin your adventure by taking a circular bus route from Tottori Airport to the famous Tottori Sand Dunes. After a 20-minute bus ride, you will have to transfer to a chair lift. After you’ve climbed up, you will be rewarded with a superb view of the Sea of Japan. For lunch, try some local delicacies at the “Fishermen’s Cuisine” shop near the sand dunes. It is run by fishermen and boasts fresh seafood. You may wish to order the recommended seafood don which costs 1,000 yen (S$15.3). It comes with sandfish, sweet squid, and 10 kinds of fish like yellowtail and flatfish with roe. Alternatively, you can try the purple sea urchin for 500 yen (S$7.7) or Matsuba crab don for 2,000 yen (S$30.1).
Return to the town and visit a unique residential neighbourhood which is near the station. Go to an inn called Kozeniya, which offers day-trip bathing. It uses high-quality spring water. Do remember to bring your own towel though. After a relaxing spa, head by train to Chizu where the snow festival is held. Located between Tottori and Okayama, Chizu is a small town nestled in the mountains. It features nostalgic streets where lots of activities are held during the winter festival. For example, you can participate in a snowball strike contest. If you hit the target, you can win a handmade prize such as a chopsticks rest.
