- February 4th, 2015
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[Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in Chitose] Illumination of Ice Art Works Particularly Look Beautiful
CONTENTS
Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival
Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival (支笏湖氷濤まつり) is a snow event held around Lake Shikotsu in the southern direction of Sapporo city, and the venue is Shikotsuko Onsen (支笏湖温泉) in the east part of the lake. The festival has been held from late January to mid February since 1976, and about 260,000 tourists come, and it can be said that the festival is a specialty event in the Lake Shikotsu. The venue is near Yamasen Iron Bridge (山線鉄橋). There are ice sculptures, an ice slide, Hyoto Shrine (氷濤神社), a resting place, a food stall, a public restroom at the site. It is very cold, so you had better wear a warm outfit. Admission free. But they collect a assistance fund. As for a parking lot, the parking lot at the Shikotsuko Onsen is open to visitors for free.
Lake Shikotsu
Lake Shikotsu (支笏湖) in Chitose city is the 2nd largest caldera lake after Lake Kussharo in Japan, and was born by large-scale eruptions 40,000 years ago. In Shikotsu-Toya National Park, the perimeter of the lake is about 40 km, and the maximum depth is 360 m, and is the 2nd deepest lake after Lake Tazawa in Akita prefecture in Japan. It is said that the Lake Shikotsu is an unfrozen lake in the northernmost of Japan, but it sometimes is frozen actually. It is famous for clear water of the lake, too, and has transparency as well as Lake Mashu and Lake Baikal. Because the lake is close to New Chitose Airport, Sapporo city and Tomakomai city, it is a popular tourist attraction that a lot of tourists visit. Around the Lake Shikotsu, there are Shikotsuko Onsen Resort (支笏湖温泉街), Marukoma Onsen (丸駒温泉), Former Poropinai Camping Ground (ポロピナイ元キャンプ場), Bifue Camping Ground (美笛キャンプ場), Okotan Camping Ground (オコタン野営場), Lake Okotanpe (オコタンペ湖), Morappu Camping Ground (モラップキャンプ場), Mt Eniwadake (恵庭岳), Mt. Fushidake (風不死岳), Mt. Tarumae (樽前山) and Mt. Monbetsudake (紋別岳). Read More
Shikotsuko Onsen
Shikotsuko Onsen (支笏湖温泉) is a hot-spring resort surrounded by forests and the lake in the east side of Lake Shikotsu (支笏湖) located in the western part of Chitose city. It succeeded in drilling hot springs in 1974, and is close to New Chitose Airport, Sapporo and Tomakomai, and 0.95 million people visit here annually. It features a few large buildings due to building restrictions. The hot-spring resort is not large, and there are 7 accommodations, a ferry port, Shikotsuko Visitor Center (支笏湖ビジターセンター), restaurants and souvenir shops. Sweets Shop Patissier Labo (スイーツショップ パティシエ・ラボ), Healthy Buffet Amamu (ヘルシービュッフェ アマム), Shokujidokoro Kotobuki (食事処 寿), Shikotsuko Daiichihotel Suizantei Taian (支笏湖第一寶亭留 翠山亭 苔庵) and azzurro (アズーロ) are popular in particular. Unfortunately, there is not a convenience store. Read More
The Shikotsu means "Large valley" in Ainu language, and was named because of the source of Chitose River. The Lake Shikotsu is well-known for farm-raised Kokanee (ヒメマス), and it is a noted product eaten at various restaurants in the Shikotsuko Onsen Resort. The Kokanee season opens from June to August, and popular fishing can be ejoyed if you pay recreational fishing fee. In the Lake Shikotsu, something can be enjoyed in all seasons. Cherry blossoms can be enjoyed in a spring, Fresh green, hiking, the fishing, camping, a canoe, a kayak, diving, a bicycle, a boat and a sightseeing boat can be enjoyed in a summer, Fall foliage can be enjoyed in an autumn, and a snow scenery can be enjoyed in a winter.
Shikotsu-Toya National Park
Shikotsu-Toya National Park (支笏洞爺国立公園) has Lake Shikotsu (支笏湖), the 2nd largest caldera lake in Japan, and Lake Toya (洞爺湖), the 3rd largest caldera lake in the Japan, in the southwestern part of Hokkaido. In the national park, there are unique mountains such as Mt. Usu (有珠山), Mt. Tarumae (樽前山) and Mt. Showa-shinzan (昭和新山), and here is a tourist attraction on behalf of Hokkaido containing Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) and Jozankei Onsen (定山渓温泉) in the 3 major onsen in the Hokkaido. Because it is easy to access the tourist attracions from New Chitose Airport and Sapporo city, the Shikotsu-Toya National Park gets popularity from tourists. The Shikotsu-Toya National Park is roughly divided into 5 areas, Yoteizan Area, Toyako Area, Noboribetsu Area, Shikotsuko Area and Jozankei Area. The area is 99,473 ha in total, it is very vast. It blows my mind why it adds the Yoteizan Area and the Jozankei Area, but I googled it, but I could not find. Read More
Winter Festivals in Hokkaido
Snow often begins to fall around Christmas season, and Hokkaido is covered with the snow until late March that snow begins to melt, the ground turns into the white world in a winter. The snow falls in silence, and the temperature falls, too, and its peak is February, and various winter events that snow, ice and coldness can be enjoyed are held all over Hokkaido around the February. Read More
Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in Daytime or Evening
As for the Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, my impression considerably changed between the daytime and the evening time. I like the evenig because ice sculptures are lit up beautifully. Enjoy the festival in the evening!
Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in Daytime
When I visited here in 2015, there were 15 large and small ice sculptures at the venue. Various ice sculptures such as the ice sculpture that people can go in and out, the ice sculpture that people can go up and down and the ice sculpture that people can slide are built, and shapes and blueness of the ice sculptures made from water of Chitose River (千歳川) can be enjoyed in various ways. A lot of foreign tourists came, although the tourists could not understand each language, they slid on an ice slide together while laughing, so that left my impression. There is no national border in pleasure. By the way, an ice wedding ceremony is held, too.
I was surprised at this Koke-no-Domon (苔の洞門). That was frozen after pine needles were sprinkled over water. This green color made me feel as if I was on other planet.
At the Hyoto Shrine, a shintaian object of worship is set. Its body are attached to coins, and it looks a design. It seems that the design looks art.
The ice wedding ceremony, concerts and events are held on Dream Stage.
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Atmosphere of Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in Daytime Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in Daytime
Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in Evening
The ice sculptures are lit up in the evening, and ice sculptures that are different from the daytime is interesting. Illumination hours are from 16:30 to 22:00. Fireworks are set off on the weekend, too. When the fireworks are held, a road to the Shikotsuko Onsen get choked, so you had better take your time.
Blue Tower is really blue! I just feel mysterious feeling.
Yurameki-no-Chapel (ゆらめきのチャペル) lit up is good, and looks beautiful.
The Koke-no-Domon in the evening is good, too. Green illumination emphasizes green feeling, and I feel as if I was in a movie world.
The whole venue is colorful illumination, and it is good.
Atmosphere of Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival at Night Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival at Night
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (400 Cars) |
| Business hours | 09:00-22:00 |
| Regular closing day | From late february to mid january |
| Telephone number | +81-123-23-8288 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 867 063 624*33 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations around the Lake Shikotsu. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
Shikotsuko Onsen
Marukoma Onsen
A page of Lake Shikotsu is here
Lake Shikotsu
A page of Shikotsu-Toya National Park is here
Shikotsu-Toya National Park
By the way, Club Tourism (クラブツーリズム), a Japanese tour travel agency, provides various types of tours such as day trip tours or ordinary tours. In the case of bus tours, tourists do not drive their cars themselves, so they can savor alcohol. Choosen tourist attractions are national parks such as Rishiri and Rebun, Shiretoko, and popular tourist places such as Furano and Biei, and some activities such as hiking and fruit picking are also enjoyed depending on seasons. If you are interested in tour trips, you should visit the club tourism's website for details.
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