In Japan, the snow festival started in Hokkaido on February 4th. The news said it was the first time in three years due to the pandemic that people can join the event in the Odori park in Sapporo city. A huge sculpture of a popular person like a celebrity, or of a famous building is made of snow every year. A building called Embley Park, which is connected to the Nightingale, was built this year. It looks like plenty of people including tourists from abroad braved the heavy snow to get there. I had been to Hokkaido to go skiing when I was in my-mid-20s, but I have never been to the snow festival. Speaking of snow, I hardly even build snowmen lately. If someone were to ask me what comes to mind about winter in my childhood, it would be "snowball fights" in my case. Sometimes we had snow on weekdays, but I completely forgot to make a snowman when I got home from work even though there was still snow by my apartment. I'm pushing 57, but I want to enjoy the winter season like a child while building a snowman for a change if snows next time. (The snow is less and less though, so) I think it might be a case of "You snooze, you lose"?

In Japan, our snow festival began in Odori Park, Sapporo City, Hokkaido on February 4th. It was said, on the news, that this is the first time in three years that the festival is happening, due to the pandemic. In the festival, a huge statue of a popular figure like a celebrity or a famous building, is made of snow every year. The building called Embley Park, which was the family home of Florence Nightingale, was built this year. It looks like plenty of people, including tourists from abroad, braved the heavy snow to get there. I used to go to Hokkaido to ski when I was in my mid-20s, but I have never been to the snow festival. Speaking of snow, if someone asks me what comes to mind when I think of winter in my childhood, it is "snowball fight". Further, I've hardly built any snowmen lately. I'm pushing 57, but I want to enjoy the winter season like a child by building a snowman. Sometimes we have snow on weekdays, but I completely forget to make a snowman when I get home from work. When it snows next time, I think it might be a case of "you snooze, you lose"!