Monday, February 6, 2023
The 2nd Hokuryu Ice Candle 2023 was held in front of Hokuryu Junior High School on Thursday, February 2 and on the grounds of Sunflower Park Hokuryu Hot Springs from Saturday, February 4 to Sunday, February 5. 300 ice candles lit up the winter night with their fantastic lights.
- 1 The 2nd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2023, Sponsor, etc.
- 2 Ice candles decorate the school gate of Hokuryu Junior High School
- 3 Many people in Hokuryu Town cooperate
- 4 Nobuyuki Murakami and Yui Sasaki, members of the Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers
- 5 Children enjoying playing in the snow, lighting ice candles, and building snowmen
- 6 Candle Lighting
- 7 People enjoying the light of ice candles decorating the venue
- 8 Youtube Video
- 9 More Photos
- 10 Related Articles
The 2nd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2023, Sponsor, etc.
- Sponsored by:Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen
- Project:Nobuyuki Murakami and Yui Sasaki, Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Team
- Cooperation:Hokuryu Junior High School, Koutokuji Temple, Seiunji Temple, Zenrinji Temple, Hokoji Temple, Ryusenji Temple
- Sponsorship:Hokuryu Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Club, Ryutopia
- Candy gifts for children(Sunflower Park Hokuryu Hot Springs only)
- Oshiruko Present(First 100 visitors per day, Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen only)
Ice candles decorate the school gate of Hokuryu Junior High School
Prior to the event in the plaza in front of the Sunflower Park Hokuryu Hot Springs, 38 students from Hokuryu Junior High School (Principal: Tsuyoshi Kodama) lined up and lit ice candles in front of the school gate during a blizzard on February 2 (Thursday)!
Building the ice candles was tough, but putting them together in this blizzard was tough, too!" said the students who were so resilient.
The 70 ice candles created over several days will be transported to Hokuryu Onsen on the 4th and 5th to light up the winter venue.
Many people in Hokuryu Town cooperate
This project was organized by Mr. Nobuyuki Murakami and Ms. Yui Sasaki, members of the Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers.
This was a heartfelt event held with the cooperation of all 38 students of Hokuryu Junior High School, five temples in town (Koutokuji, Seiunki, Zenrinji, Hokoji, and Ryusenji), the Youth Club of the Hokuryu Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ryu Topia, and many other town residents.
In addition, at Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen, oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) was offered to the first 100 visitors per day before the candle lighting, and candy was given to children.
In addition to the 300 ice candles lit at the venue, snow sculptures of giant rabbits inspired by the Chinese zodiac, graceful frozen flowers created by Yumi Komatsu, unique frozen jeans, and icicles of ice art by the members of Ryutopia decorated the venue.
Giant rabbit snow sculpture produced by Ryutopia
The giant snow sculpture of a rabbit, created by five or six members of Ryu Topia, a volunteer group from Hokuryu Town, is an explosion of Hokuryu Senior Power!
frozen jeans
A unique snow art piece that freezes the jeans of townspeople!
Yumi Komatsu's original graceful frozen flowers!
Ice art of icicles is difficult to find and discover throughout the town!
Free distribution of oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) and sweets
Ryutopia members providing and assisting with oshiruko (sweet red bean soup)
Delicious rice cake-filled soup stock!
Be careful, it's hot, and eat it so you don't choke on it! and distributed them to everyone while gently saying, "Be careful, it's hot, so don't choke on it!
Nobuyuki Murakami and Yui Sasaki, members of the Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers
❂ Nobuyuki Murakami:This year we were able to hold the event with the cooperation of many town residents, including students from Hokuryu Junior High School, the Hokuryu Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Club, members of Ryutopia, and temples in the town.
I was surprised that the snow sculpture of a rabbit created by the people of Ryutopia turned out to be more splendid than I had imagined.
The Hokuryu Kendama Club members assisted in lighting ice candles and other activities, leading to active participation by the children.
Oshiruko was provided by Ryutopia, who did a great job of making delicious oshiruko and other dishes.
We are happy that as many townspeople as possible will be able to attend and enjoy the event.
For this event, we made about 300 ice candles. We prepared for about three weeks before the event and visited each organization that cooperated with us to explain how to make the candles in person. This was unexpectedly difficult.
We prepared 100 buckets and distributed several dozen to each group. We explained how to make the ice buckets: fill the buckets with water and leave them for one to two days, turn the buckets over when they are full of ice, and make a hole in the bottom with an ice pick.
At Hokuryu Junior High School, all 38 students were asked to create two pieces each.
Each temple in the town provided candles. Long candles were cut into three parts and shortened to about 500 pieces. The candles were cut into square pieces and nailed to a handmade stand. Each task was quite difficult.
As for future aspirations, Yui Sasaki will be in charge of the overall planning and operation of the event, and I will be helping out. In the future, I would like each family to make their own ice candles and place them in front of their entrance, so that the entire town would be lit by ice candles," says Murakami.
❂ Yui Sasaki:This was my first challenge this year, so I was excited to see how the event would turn out.
We are happy that everyone who helped made this a good event. We are very much looking forward to the excitement after the ice candle lighting.
I used to do sculpture as well, so I'm thinking of working on 'ice sculptures' in the future," says Sasaki.
Children enjoying playing in the snow, lighting ice candles, and building snowmen
Candle Lighting
People enjoying the light of ice candles decorating the venue
On the night of February 4, the first day of spring, ice candles shine as if to light the dawn of a new season!
We wish for the infinite love, gratitude, and prayers for Ice Candle 2023, which will light up the hearts of the townspeople with the bright light of spring by connecting the thoughts and feelings of many townspeople.
Youtube Video
More Photos
Click here for 98 photos of the 2nd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2023 (Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen) >> Click here for 36 photos of the 2nd Hokuryu Town Ice Candle 2023 (in front of Hokuryu Middle School) >>Related Articles
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◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi
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