Sapporo’s Snow Festival cancelled because of COVID-19

For the first time since its inception in 1950, the event will not take place. Each year it attracted more than two million people from Japan and abroad, generating US$ 625 million, featuring snow statues up to 15 metres high. Pictures from past editions will be posted online. The number of coronavirus cases is rising.

Tokyo (AsiaNews) – The Sapporo Snow Festival (Hokkaido) has been cancelled for the first time since its first edition in 1950.

Organisers explained yesterday that the presence of crowds could spread the noel coronavirus, which is already going through a surge.

Held in February, the annual festival attracts more than two million tourists from Japan and abroad, generating 65 billion yen (US$ 625 million).

Visitors can admire snow sculptures that can be 15 metres high, carved by members of Japan’s military and modelled after famous characters or foreign architectural landmarks .

This year the festival was held at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendance plunged by around 710,000, partly China imposed a ban on travel overseas.

To keep the spirit of the initiative alive, the organising committee plans to post pictures from past editions and videos on its website that show how the exhibits are made.

With the start of a vaccination campaign, the Tokyo Olympics are expected to go ahead from 23 July to 8 August. Postponing the Games by one year cost Japan 640 billion yen (US$ .807 billion).

On the island of Hokkaido, the number of COVID-19 cases has now reached almost 11,500 with 317 deaths. In all of Japan, 182,000 cases have been reported so far with (1,672 in the last 24 hours) and 2,530 deaths.

• japan
• sapporo snow festival
• cancellation
• tokyo olympics
• covid-19
• pandemic
• snow sculptures