Held the 3rd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2024 (Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen)!

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

The 3rd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2024 was held at Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen on February 10 (Sat.) and 11 (Sun.). Approximately 400 ice candles lit up the area with fantastic light.

The 3rd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2024

The 3rd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2024
The 3rd Hokuryu-cho Ice Candle 2024

Ice Pillar Art and Swedish Torch Lighting

Ice Pillar Art and Swedish Torch Lighting
Ice Pillar Art and Swedish Torch Lighting

Organized by: Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen

  • Sponsored by:Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen
  • Project:Nobuyuki Murakami and Yui Sasaki, Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Team
  • Cooperation:Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourist Association, Hokuryu Town Board of Education, Hokuryu Town Hokuryu Junior High School, Hokuryu Town Manryu Elementary School, Hokuryu Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Club, Women Farmers Group "Uzura
  • Children under junior high school age will receive candy!

Lined with ice candles handmade by elementary and junior high school students

Prior to this event, on Thursday, February 8, 200 handmade ice candles were lined up along the road by students from Hokuryu Town's Manryu Elementary School (Sadao Kamata, principal; 62 students) and Hokuryu Junior High School (Akihiro Uesugi, principal; 34 students).

These ice candles were transported to Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen on February 10 and lit up the front entrance of the hot spring.

Lined with ice candles handmade by elementary and junior high school students
Lined with ice candles handmade by elementary and junior high school students
Lights decorating the front entrance of Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen
Lights decorating the front entrance of Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen

Planning: Mr. Nobuyuki Murakami and Ms. Yui Sasaki, Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers

This project, the third of its kind, was organized by Mr. Nobuyuki Murakami and Ms. Yui Sasaki, members of the Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers.

From right: Mr. Nobuyuki Murakami and Ms. Yui Sasaki, Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers
From right: Mr. Nobuyuki Murakami and Ms. Yui Sasaki, Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers

Nobuyuki Murakami's Story

The centerpiece of the event will be a "Swedish Torch." It is a log fire and burns for about two hours.
And we are setting up the icicle art.

This year, about 120 people, including elementary and junior high school students and volunteers from the town, helped make ice candles.
In addition to the ice candles, we made about 30 snow candles, so we set up a total of about 400 candles.

My activities as a Hokuryu-cho Regional Development Cooperation Volunteer will come to an end this March. Thanks to the cooperation of many town residents, this ice candle project has become widely known. I have worked hard with passion every time.
I love Hokuryu-cho, and I hope to continue to support it in some way in the future," he said.

Story by Yui Sasaki

We are discussing with you how to continue this event in the future.
We have been able to continue this project for three years. The number of people helping us has gradually increased, and I hope that we can continue in a positive way if possible.

We are enjoying very delicious baked potatoes from the women's farmers' group "Uzura," who supported our participation in this event. I hope that this kind of relationship will lead to various exchanges on other occasions in the future," she said.

Mr. Murakami lighting the ice candles before 5:00 p.m.
Mr. Murakami lighting the ice candles before 5:00 p.m.
Yui Sasaki setting up
Yui Sasaki setting up

Sweet Potato Potage & Baked Sweet Potato: Using sweet potatoes grown by the women's farmers' group "Uzura

This year, "Sweet Potato Potage" & "Baked Sweet Potatoes" grown from sweet potatoes by the women's farmers' group "Uzura" will be sold in a limited number of 50 servings per day!

The sweet potato potage soup is made from carefully cultivated sweet potatoes, with soy milk and milk added, and flavored with Yoneko-chan, the original 258 pickled vegetables from the town of Seyoshigyu!

Members of the women's farmers' group "Uzura

Members of the women's farmers' group "Uzura
Members of the women's farmers' group "Uzura

warm baked sweet potato

warm baked sweet potato
warm baked sweet potato

Mellow sweet potato potage soup

Creamy sweet potato potage soup (topped with sweet potato chips!)
Mellow sweet potato potage soup

Sweet potato chip topping!

Sweet potato chip topping!
Sweet potato chip topping!

The sweet potato potage is seasoned with "Yonago-chan," the former Yonago-chan, a 258 pickle produced in Imosegyu

The sweet potato potage is seasoned with "Yonago-chan," the original 258 pickled vegetables from Imosegyu!
The sweet potato potage is seasoned with "Yonago-chan," the original 258 pickled vegetables from Imosegyu!

I am in a happy and smiling mood after my grandfather bought it for me!

Warm and delicious!
Warm and delicious!

Swedish Torch: log bonfire by Mr. Tatsuya Kamii (representative of the self-supporting forestry company "Shizen shita")

The Swedish torch, which appeared for the first time this year, is made of logs dried for a year from Abies sachalinensis trees felled in the mountains of Hokuryu-cho, owned by Tatsuya Uei, the head of the self-supporting forestry company "Shizen shita".

The Swedish torch burns by standing its log vertically and cutting into the tree trunk. Birch bark is used as an igniter, and air is fed through a fireblower stick to strengthen the fire.

And "roasted marshmallows" roasted over the fire of a Swedish torch are also available!

Birch bark used as a floral dressing
Birch bark used as a floral dressing
Bark of birch trees felled in the mountains of Hokuryu Town
Bark of birch trees felled in the mountains of Hokuryu Town
Tatsuya Uei lighting the Swedish torch
Tatsuya Uei lighting the Swedish torch
Flames writhing like ascending dragons
Flames writhing like ascending dragons

Baked marshmallows: "Baked marshmallows" roasted over the flame of a Swedish torch

How about baked marshmallows?
How about baked marshmallows?
Is it unexpectedly difficult to bake?
Is it unexpectedly difficult to bake?
Flames burning deep in the logs
Flames burning deep in the logs

Frozen Flower: Yumi Komatsu's original work

A variety of frozen flower works!
A variety of frozen flower works!
Yumi Komatsu created the frozen flowers.
Yumi Komatsu created the frozen flowers.

Ice Pillar Art: Created with large icicles hanging from the roof of Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen

Lights on icicle art
Lights on icicle art
Orange lights in the lapis lazuli night sky
Orange lights in the lapis lazuli night sky

Children having fun climbing the snow sculpture

Children climbing and playing with snow sculptures of icicle art
Children climbing and playing with snow sculptures of icicle art
Moments that make you smile!
Moments that make you smile!
A time for families to enjoy together!
A time for families to enjoy together!

Warm lights" twinkling softly in the softly falling snow

Softly falling snow. Snow. Snow.
Softly falling snow. Snow. Snow.

We pray that the fantastic ice candles will be a new "light of hope" for the recovery of the disaster areas, as well as for the repose of the souls of those who suffered from the disaster, and may they light up the hearts of many people with bright and warm light.

Light up the light of hope for the recovery.
Light up the light of hope for the recovery.

The mysterious ice candles that fantastically decorate the night of the new moon are lit by gentle light with endless love, gratitude and prayers.

In the warm light watched over by the dragons of Beiryumon.
In the warm light watched over by the dragons of Beiryumon.
We hope that you will join us in our heartwarming and wonderful lights of ice candles, snow candles, and Swedish torches, with endless love, gratitude, and prayers.
We hope that you will join us in our heartwarming and wonderful lights of ice candles, snow candles, and Swedish torches, with endless love, gratitude, and prayers.

Youtube Video

More Photos

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◇ Reporting and writing by Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editorial assistance by Noboru Terauchi)

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